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A win over USC will complete a rare accomplishment for the Ducks
It has happened only seven times in UO football history and the years were:1941,1948, 1971, 1987, 1994, 1998, 2000. In those years the Ducks beat both perennial powers, Washington and USC in the same football season. Those teams were led by most of the great quarterbacks in UO history: Van Brocklin, Fouts, Musgrave, O'Neil, Smith, and Harrington. For the record, George Shaw and the Ducks beat USC in 1953, but lost to UW and beat UW in 1954, but lost to USC. Also, Bob Berry, Oregon's last first team All-American quarterback, did not have the opportunity to play against the Trojans. The 1957 Oregon team that went to the Rose Bowl is the only Oregon team in history to beat all the California teams in one season, but they did not beat Washington that year. In the 1987 season the Ducks beat the Huskies and Trojans in consecutive weeks and also swept their 3 Northwest foes. They finished '87 at only 6-5, but the excitement generated by redshirt freshman, Bill Musgrave and a group of talented freshmen and sophomores with the likes of Derek Loville, and Terry Obee, jump started the UO into sellout crowds at Autzen and a big leap in fund raising. Without the success of the "Musgrave" years, the skyboxes and Cas Center (1991) would not have happened. The 1994 season similarly was a catalyst to more success that resulted in the "Harrington" years and the expansion of Autzen Stadium. The Ducks are now poised to take another leap forward if they can beat USC and Arizona State with both games on the national stage. In the not too distant future, the demand for more seats with the success will necessitate another expansion of Autzen. |
