Oregon @ Oregon State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 26, 2011 ) Oregon State 21, Oregon 49

The 116th edition of the Civil War was on track to represent a chance for No. 4 Oregon to complete a perfect season. Now the Ducks might not even be playing in the Pac-12 title contest even if they beat No. 17 Oregon State in Corvallis on Saturday. Oregon’s perfect season was derailed in overtime by Stanford on Nov. 17 and now the Ducks have to beat Oregon State and have UCLA knock out Stanford to reach the conference championship game. The Beavers are 5-0 at home and are frothing to end Oregon’s four-game winning streak in the series. Oregon State would finish in a three-way for the North Division crown if it beats Oregon and Stanford loses, but the Cardinal claim the division title in that scenario since they defeated both Oregon schools.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Oregon -9.5

ABOUT OREGON (10-1, 7-1 Pac-12): The Ducks have won 15 consecutive road games, the longest active streak in the nation. Senior running back Kenjon Barner has rushed for 1,426 yards, but has failed to hit the century mark in either of the last two games. He had 66 yards against Stanford, one week after having only 65 against California. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota is completing 69.8 percent of his passes and has thrown 29 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. Senior linebacker Michael Clay has a team-best 82 tackles and had a staggering 20 against Stanford. The Ducks have intercepted 20 passes and returned four for touchdowns.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (8-2, 6-2): The Beavers have a stout defense that ranks second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense (18.6) and has intercepted 17 passes. Senior cornerback Jordan Poyer has six picks and 12 over his standout career. Oregon State defense is allowing opponents to convert only 28.9 percent of third-down opportunities. A year ago, Beavers’ opponents converted 47.4 percent. Sophomore quarterback Sean Mannion passed for 325 yards and matched a career-best with four touchdowns passes in a 62-14 dismantling of California. Sophomore Terron Ward rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns against the Golden Bears.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oregon leads the series 59-46-10. Oregon State’s most-recent victory was a 38-31 double-overtime win in 2007.

2. The Beavers have turned the football over only 14 times, the fewest in the Pac-12.

3. The Ducks had scored 42 points or more in 13 straight games – an NCAA record – before tallying just 14 in the loss to Stanford.

PREDICTION: Oregon State 38, Oregon 33