Oregon vs Oregon State: The Rivalry That Defines College Football in the Northwest

· Mar 11 - 5 minutes read

Oregon won the last two meetings and led the series against Oregon State.
After years as Pac-12 rivals, the Ducks and Beavers now play in different conferences.
Oregon’s Rich Brooks has had the most coaching victories in the Oregon vs. Oregon State rivalry.

When the rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State began, Oregon was squaring off and losing to Oregon Agricultural 16-0 in 1894. It wasn’t until 1927 that the name was changed to Oregon State. Regardless of the schools’ names, this has been one of the top rivalries in college football for decades.

Oregon vs Oregon State: The Rivalry That Defines College Football in the Northwest — Quarterback Bo Nix #10 of the Oregon Ducks | Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

For decades, the rivalry was referred to as the Civil War. Along with the Utah vs. BYU Holy War, it was one of the catchier nicknames among college football rivalries.

However, there have been concerns about continuing with that name for the rivalry in recent years.

The universities are separated by less than 40 miles, which has added to the Oregon vs. Oregon State football rivalry.

The teams will meet in Eugene on September 20, with the Ducks looking to beat the Beavers for the third time in a row.

Keep reading to learn more about the Oregon vs Oregon State football rivalry.

What So Civil About the Civil War Rivalry?

A Look At The Rivalry

Oregon State controlled the rivalry in the 1930s and 1940s. From 1936 to 1953, the Beavers were 14-3 against the Ducks, with five shutout wins during that stretch. As a result of World War I, there were no games in 1943 and 1944 and two games in 1945.

Oregon State would win eight games in a row in the rivalry from 1964 to 1971.

Things started to change in 1975 when the Ducks won 14-7. That began a stretch when Oregon was 12-0-1 against the rival Beavers.

Things are trending in that direction these days. Oregon has won 14 of the last 17 meetings with Oregon State, boosting its series record to 69-49-10.

Oregon outscored Oregon State 80-21 in the last two meetings. Now that Oregon plays in the Big Ten, this matchup has struggles to compare to the Ohio State-Michigan football rivalry.

Things Have Gotten Heated

The rivalry has had some confrontations and shenanigans. Things got so bad after Oregon’s 1910 win in Corvallis that the teams did not play in the 1911 season.

Oregon State’s homecoming queen was “kidnapped” with some playful terms (which were not met) for her return. She was returned without incident.

There was a brawl in 1972 as Oregon fans were met with resistance from Oregon State fans as they attempted to tear down the goalposts after Oregon’s 30-3 win.

As recently as 2022, when Oregon State beat Oregon, an altercation occurred between an Oregon player and an Oregon State fan.

Which Coach Has The Most Wins In The Civil War?

Rich Brooks is the most successful head coach in the Oregon vs Oregon State rivalry. He posted a 14-3-1 record in 18 meetings with Oregon State, while Chip Kelly won all four of his games against the Beavers.

On the Oregon State side, Dave Andros was 9-2 when facing Oregon from 165 to 1975. It has been a different story since he coached his last game for the Beavers. Beginning with Craig Fertig in 1976, Oregon State coaches are 12-36-1 against Oregon.

Looking Back At Memorable Oregon vs Oregon State Games

There is much debate about which game in the history of the Oregon vs. Oregon State football rivalry was the best.

The 1994 game is mentioned quite often. Oregon scored late to win 17-13 and earn a spot in the Rose Bowl for the first time in 37 years.

Four years later, Oregon State won 44-41 in overtime.

In 2000, the teams were both ranked in the top 10 in the national polls for the first time heading into the game. No. 8 Oregon State won 23-13 over No. 5 Oregon.

It would be hard to top the stakes in 2009 when the winner would play in the Rose Bowl. Oregon won 37-33 in one of the more entertaining games in the rivalry’s history.

The last time Oregon State won against Oregon was in 2022. The Ducks led by as many as 21 points before the Beavers rallied for the 38-34 win. Oregon was stopped inside the 5-yard line late in a game, and the Beavers ran out the clock.

What’s Next In the Oregon vs Oregon State Rivalry?

The programs appear to be headed in different directions. Oregon left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten and went undefeated in conference play during the regular season. After winning the Big Ten championship game, the Ducks were the top-seeded team in the College Football Playoffs before falling to eventual national champion Ohio State.

Oregon State and Washington State were the longtime Pac-12 programs left behind in conference realignment, with teams from the Pac-12 bolting for the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12.

Oregon State now plays in the Mountain West.

A quick look at the recruiting rankings shows where things currently stand. The 247sports.com database had Oregon as the fifth-ranked incoming freshmen class, with Oregon State ranked 63rd.

In recent years, the Beavers have struggled to land as many high-profile recruits as Oregon. However, the talent gap between the teams may continue to widen.

Will that translate into more lopsided scores in the Oregon vs Oregon State rivalry? You would have to go back to the 1986 and 1987 seasons to find a more considerable margin of victory in back-to-back seasons than Oregon’s +59 mark while winning in 2023 and 2024.

Will this remain one of the top college football rivalries in the country?