It’s homecoming week in Eugene and a rivalry that began more than a century ago renews Saturday when the Washington Huskies (4-5 overall, 2-4 Pac-10) travel to Autzen Stadium hoping to end a four-game skid on the season and a two-game skid in the series against the No. 24 Oregon Ducks (6-2, 3-2).
“The Oregon-Washington rivalry has been there for millions of years,” joked Bellotti who is 6-4 all-time against Washington. “It will always be there. It doesn’t really matter who won last year or not. It is a true rivalry. They’ll be up for it. We’ll be up for it, and it’s exciting.”
Bellotti’s squad is hoping its 55-12 bowl-qualifying drubbing of I-AA Portland State last Saturday is a strong indication that the team is back in rhythm after going 2-2 following a 4-0 start to the season. The Ducks gained 431 yards of total offense and limited the Vikings to 10 yards rushing in the second half.
“I felt like it was the best game we’ve played all year in terms of offense, defense and special teams,” Bellotti said. “I’m pleased with that, certainly, even if it was against a I-AA team.”
Still, Saturday’s battle with rival Washington will be a much greater measuring stick for the Ducks.
And while the bad blood and war of words between the two programs during the ’90s and early 2000s has subsided the past two seasons with Washington winning only three games and losing to the Ducks by a combined score of 76-27 during that stretch, the Huskies have made great strides this season under second-year coach Tyrone Willingham.
None of those strides are more obvious than in Washington’s last four games. Despite losing in each, the Huskies were in position to defeat USC with the ball at the Trojans’ 15 yard-line, trailing by six as time expired.
Then, after falling 27-17 to the resurgent Beavers, the Huskies traveled to Berkeley, Calif. -a place the Ducks lost 45-24 – and took the Bears to overtime.
Last weekend Washington came back to force overtime against Arizona State before falling 26-23.
“I think when I left this group on Saturday, I left with these words; disappointment, excitement, and disappointment,” Willingham said in his Monday press conference. “The reference was that disappointment was the way in which we started the game, excited was the way our guys fought back and came back and put themselves in a position to win, and I was disappointed about the outcome at the end.”
Willingham is the third different Washington coach since 1999 to face the Ducks and after a two-win season a year ago, he appears to have the Huskies headed in the right direction, Bellotti said.
“I see this year’s team competing better than last year’s team,” Bellotti said. “They, statistically, are not significantly better, but I look at them and they are playing harder. I think the best compliment you can get from another coach is that your players play hard and I think they’re doing that … I think that is the mark of a program that is ready or on the verge of winning.”
The Huskies travel to Eugene for the fifth time in the last six meetings between the schools, hoping to begin their trek to bowl eligibility. Washington needs two wins in its final three games against Oregon, Stanford and Washington State. To get there, the Huskies will have to do so without senior quarterback Isaiah Stanback, who was lost for the season with a broken foot suffered during the home loss to Oregon State. Prior to his injury, Stanback ranked second in total offense and 22nd nationally with a 239.3 per-game average.
“Washington’s lost some close games, so we don’t think of them badly at all,” Oregon rover Patrick Chung said. “They’re a good football team. They lost a great player in Stanback, but the rest of their team is good. “
With Stanback out, the Ducks face Carl Bonnell Saturday, a 6-foot-3-inch, 210-pound junior from Kent, Wash. On the season, Bonnell is 33-of-68 for 402 yards and three touchdowns in nine total games. He has also thrown seven interceptions, five of which came against California including one that ended the game in overtime. He is expected to start Saturday despite suffering a mild concussion last week against Arizona State.
“I have been very impressed with Bonnell’s athleticism, his ability to make plays,” Bellotti said. “It’s a little bit scary to me because he doesn’t seem to like the pocket very much. As soon as it breaks down, he’s gone.”
He’ll face an Oregon defense that ranks first in the conference against the pass.
[email protected]