For the 25th time in school history, Oregon will face off with Arizona State at Autzen Stadium on Saturday.
“They have a very stingy defense and are playing with greater
intensity, and they are flying to the football,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “Derek Hagan and Andrew Walter have great chemistry.”
The Sun Devils lead the all-time series 15-9 after winning the last two tilts. Arizona State also holds a 7-6 edge in games played at Autzen. The winning team has scored more than 40 points in seven of the last eight meetings (more than 50 points in four of those games), while the losers have tallied more than 30 points in three of the last seven contests dating back to 1997.
Saturday night lights
Night time is the right time for the Ducks, who have enjoyed much
success in night games at Autzen. Oregon is 9-1 at night in the past nine years under head coach Mike Bellotti, including seven straight dating back to 1996. Arizona State is included on the list with its 42-24 loss in 2001.
More honors for Siegel
Oregon senior kicker Jared Siegel continues to add accolades to his already impressive résumé. In addition to holding the school record for most points scored (276), no fewer than 16 Oregon school and conference records and the longest field goal in Pacific-10 Conference history, Siegel was just added to the list for the Lou Groza Award — given to the most outstanding collegiate kicker in the country. Siegel was one of three finalists for the award in 2002 and is one of three Pac-10 kickers — joining USC’s Ryan Killeen and UCLA’s Justin Medlock — to be included on the list of 30 finalists.
Oregon sophomore tailback Dante Rosario leads the Ducks with 13 catches and 24 points scored. Rosario has also caught a touchdown in five consecutive games.
Rosario continues
to impress
Sophomore fullback Dante Rosario has the talent to change the way Oregon thinks about its fullback position. The standout from Dayton has not been shy about asserting himself on the football field. Rosario caught a personal collegiate-best five passes for 60 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Indiana, only to better that mark with six catches for 64 yards and one score against Oklahoma. Not only is he Oregon’s reception leader (13), he leads the team with 24 points scored this season. His four touchdowns this year are the most by an Oregon fullback since A.J. Welks scored five times in 1997.
Youngsters get a chance
True freshmen usually don’t play until their sophomore years.
However, this year is different as Bellotti said that Oregon could use 10 to 12 true freshmen over the course of the season. After three games,
Oregon is halfway there as two more newcomers took the field last week. Freshmen that have played so far include outside linebacker Kwame Agyeman, wide receiver Cameron Colvin, quarterback Dennis Dixon, defensive tackle David Faaeteete, linebacker Ryan Phipps, and cornerback Jackie Bates, who has impressed Bellotti with his play already.
“I think he is going to be a very good football player,” Bellotti said of Bates. “He’s learning everyday. He didn’t play last year at the high school level so he’s seeing some things for the first time — the speed and athleticism of some of the receivers and the sophistication of the defense. You know he is going to be a viable punt returner, he’s a good cover corner and not afraid to make tackles and I’m pleased with how he’s playing.”
