History has been made.
For the first time ever, the Oregon football team surpassed the Associated Press poll’s seventh spot, settling in at No. 6 after scraping by Washington State in overtime Saturday.
Also for the first time since 1964, the Ducks (8-1 overall, 6-0 Pacific-10 Conference) were joined in the top 10 by Oregon State (8-1, 5-1). The Beavers improved to No. 10 after beating California 38-32.
“I think it’s great for the state of Oregon, it’s great for the University of Oregon and it’s great for Oregon State,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said in his Sunday conference call. “If we continue to take care of business, then the Civil War could be one of value.
“The final rankings are the ones that count. Rankings between now and then don’t mean that much.”
Washington advanced to No. 7 after edging Arizona, 35-32, in Tucson.
The Ducks tied their seventh-spot record — set Oct. 27, 1964, after beating Washington 7-0 — this season after beating Southern California on the road. Before then, Oregon hadn’t won at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1994, or swept USC and UCLA since 1970.
Now, all of that has happened, and more could be yet to come.
“It feels good that our kids are continuing to find ways to win and are rallying behind each other,” Bellotti said. “I still have yet to see a complete game.”
It’s been a record season for the Ducks, who, after this weekend, have played in eight overtime games, more than any other team in the NCAA. Of those eight games, Oregon has won five of them, and its last three.
There’s still room for more history to be made.
Never before have the Ducks had a 10-win season. If Oregon wins out its schedule, then marches down to Pasadena and wins the Rose Bowl, then the school-record nine-win season will be bested by two.
And if Oregon State takes care of business at Arizona this weekend, then Nov. 18 could have all the ingredients of being the greatest Civil War of all time.
“I believe we can improve, and I think we will improve as a team this week,” Bellotti said. “The bottom line is we are 6-0 and 8-1.”