Oregon Notes

The subject: Oregon’s postseason destination.
The scenarios: endless.
But let’s look at the possibilities anyway.
If the Ducks (7-4 overall, 3-4 Pacific-10 Conference) defeat Oregon State in the Civil War — slated for 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Reser Stadium — they’re guaranteed no worse than fifth place in Pac-10, which would send them to the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 25.
The best-case scenario would send Oregon to El Paso, Texas, for the Sun Bowl, which the Ducks participated in at the end of the 1999 season. The worst case would have Oregon playing in the Seattle Bowl.
Oregon currently stands in a four-way tie for fifth place with the Beavers (7-4, 3-4), California (6-5, 3-4) and Washington (6-5, 3-4), though Cal has been banned from the postseason for NCAA violations.
Ultimately, the Ducks’ bowl fate could come down to how the conference’s top teams finish.
No. 3 Washington State (9-1, 6-0), one win away from securing a trip to the Rose Bowl, could end up playing for the national championship at the Fiesta Bowl if it defeats Washington and UCLA and either No. 1 Miami or No. 2 Ohio State lose. That would push everyone else up in the Pac-10 bowl standings, with USC (No. 8 in the Bowl Championship Series) headed for Pasadena.
Adding more confusion, the Ducks must wait on the UCLA-WSU game on Dec. 7 to finalize postseason plans. UCLA (7-3, 4-2) still has to play USC this week, and could end up 4-4 in the conference, with Oregon (which defeated the Bruins in Pasadena) holding the tie-breaker.
If the Ducks lose to the Beavers, the possibilities are equally complex.
If the Ducks lose, and Washington loses to Washington State in the Apple Cup, Oregon would likely be headed to the Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 31. An Oregon loss and a Husky win, however, would likely send the Ducks to the Seattle Bowl at Seahawks Stadium on Dec. 30. The Pac-10 is working on a contract with the Seattle Bowl, which originally slated for the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Mountain West.
Despite all the December scenarios, head coach Mike Bellotti said the Ducks are focusing on Oregon State this week.
“We’re just going to go out and do what we can,” Bellotti said. “We’re in a bowl. I know that, I’ve been told that — it’s just where.”

Onterrio recovering from surgery
After having surgery Monday afternoon to repair torn cartilage in his left knee, Oregon tailback Onterrio Smith “is doing fine,” said running backs coach Gary Campbell, who spoke with Smith after the 45-minute procedure.
“He said he doesn’t feel like he’s had surgery; he said he feels pretty good, so I told him to get his ass to practice,” Campbell said jokingly. “The surgery went well. He did have a tear in the cartilage, and they repaired it. It was a pretty simple procedure.”
Campbell said Smith was scheduled to start rehab already on Tuesday and expects him to return to practice in two to four weeks.
“We’ve got plenty of time. He’ll be back for the bowl game,” Campbell said. “I don’t want to rush him along, but he’ll be in rehab real quick.”
Smith injured his knee Oct. 26 against in a 44-33 loss to USC. In the previous seven games, he was sixth in the country with 133.7 yards per game and 12 touchdowns.

No kidding
If you thought the war of words between the Ducks and Huskies was more of a whisper last week, you were right.
This week, however, the war has begun — and it has nothing to do with the Civil War or the Apple Cup.
Washington wide receiver Paul Arnold, who last week told reporters that the Ducks and Huskies have a “healthy hate,” had a change of heart this week.
“I lied last week,” Arnold told The Seattle Times. “It was actually more of a true hate.”
Arnold had three catches for 21 yards in Washington’s 42-14 win at Autzen Stadium. That’s no lie.

Kicking butt
Oregon sophomore placekicker Jared Siegel has been named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s top kicker. Siegel has converted 18-of-21 field goal attempts this season, including a school-record 15 straight. He hit a school-record 59-yard kick against UCLA.
Nate Kaeding of Iowa and Mike Nugent of Ohio State are the other finalists. The winner will be announced Dec. 10 at a ceremony in West Palm Beach, Fla.