Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning knows that rivalry games 'mean a little bit more'
Oregon vs Oregon State is a rivalry that dates back to 1894. Growing up in the great state of Oregon, the rivalry game is a big deal. It doesn't matter the rankings, it doesn't matter the betting spread – the in-state rivalry always has the possibility for upsets.As a kid, you were a Duck or […]
Oregon vs Oregon State is a rivalry that dates back to 1894. Growing up in the great state of Oregon, the rivalry game is a big deal. It doesn't matter the rankings, it doesn't matter the betting spread – the in-state rivalry always has the possibility for upsets.
As a kid, you were a Duck or a Beaver. Lines were drawn in the dirt at a young age. I remember plenty of playground conversations taking place before the Thanksgiving break, and just hoping that I was going to be on the right side of the scoreboard when I returned back to school. Ah, memories.
Like all of college football, things look a little bit different this year. In this rivalry, a ton has changed. University of Oregon left for the Big Ten Conference, while the Oregon State Beavers stayed behind as one of two holdouts in the floundering Pac 12. The rivalry game was always played on Thanksgiving weekend, but this year we get it in early September.
I'll be honest – I'm kinda bummed that it's being played this early. If you're not familiar with Oregon weather, November has the chance for significant rain storms to roll through, something that has happened in plenty of these matchups. It always makes it interesting. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning is no stranger to what the in-state rivalry means.
"The rivalry is something I always appreciate. I think that makes college football fun," Lanning said. "This is a game that's had back and forth for us. Year one, we weren't able to pull it out. Last year we were. But this is a fun game for the state of Oregon. It's certainly a fun game for our players. I think they know exactly what it means – it means a little bit more. So, is it another game? Yeah, it's another game. Is it important for us? It's very important for us our guys want to go out there and have success."
Rivalries matter. They're a part of what makes the sport of college football so great. Even with conference realignment, I'm glad that these traditions are being upheld and carried forward.
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Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on X @JonHelmkamp, as well as follow our main page @AtoZSportsNFL for all the latest news.
