The 2000 Civil War football game was played for higher stakes than any Oregon vs. Oregon State football match-up in the 100+ year history of the rivalry. OSU, which was ranked #8 nationally, and the UO, ranked fifth, entered the game with matching 9-1 records, though Oregon had yet to lose in conference. When the Beavers ultimately defeated the Ducks in the 2000 contest, both teams wound up sharing a third of the Pac-10 conference title with the University of Washington. Over the course of the season, Oregon, Oregon State and Washington each beat one another for their only Pac-10 loss.
Playing at Reser Stadium on a crisp afternoon in front of a national television audience, OSU's defense forced Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington into six turnovers, including five interceptions - three of them by Beaver safety Jake Cookus - and a fumble. Meanwhile, Oregon State's offense was led by running back Ken Simonton, who rushed for 113 yards and a score, and wide receiver Robert Prescott, who tallied 106 yards in receptions, including two catches for touchdowns. The final score of the game was 23-13. Oregon State went on to play in the Fiesta Bowl on New Years day, soundly defeating Notre Dame by a score of 41-9.
This film is a compilation of six files migrated from Betacam originals and held in the KEZI Sports Videotapes (FV 329:077 - FV 329:082), Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Oregon State University Libraries. Audio commentary is provided by Oregon radio announcers Jerry Allen and Mike Jorgensen.
