History of the Oregon – Washington Rivalry: Or How Much I Hate the Huskies
November 1, 2011 
24 Comments
Kenny Wheaton, an American hero, and the turning point for both programs.
This year the game will be exciting. It’s been 2,292 days since Washington last beat Oregon, eight years ago. Since then Oregon has beat the Huskies by at least 20 points, even with Washington’s Jesus, Jake Locker, in the backfield. Oregon now currently holds the record for longest winning streak in the rivalry although still trail the Huskies by 18 games in the all time wins list. I will not sleep well until Oregon takes the lead.
There’s been a growing complacency amongst Oregon fans, at least the twenty-five and under crowd. It’s not even arguable. Too many people are leaving the game early and Autzen isn’t reaching nearly the volume it did pre-2009. I don’t think Autzen will ever be like it was in 2007, or even before the Duck’s 2009 Rose Bowl run and dominance in the conference under Chip Kelly’s tenure. This can be best seen in the lack of hate towards Washington, which frankly is disgusting. Last year I wrote this:
“A few weeks ago I was talking with another Duck fan after blasting Portland State. Eventually we got to the topic of which PAC-10 teams we like to beat up on the most. His response was Oregon State. My response was Washington. I then asked where he would place Washington on the list, surprised it wasn’t at the top. His response? Fifth. After Oregon State, USC, Stanford, and Arizona.
He then said, ‘You must be from out of state because you want to beat Washington the worst.’
This shocked me. As a duck fan all my life and being completely unaware of when my fandom began because it was before my first memory, to think that someone would want to beat another team more than the Huskies was stunning. I can understand having a hard time picking between Oregon State and Washington, but deep down you have to pick Washington.
Oregon State may be Oregon’s rival, but Washington is the enemy.”
These words still hold true. I hate Washington. I hate Washington with every fiber of my being. Oregon State is the in-state rival and the last three Civil Wars have been fantastic, but there is a healthy friendship among fans. Two reasonable fans from both sides can argue about each other’s program and still come away laughing. That doesn’t happen with Washington fans.
Washington fans dislike Oregon fans a lot. Personally, they think that we are crazy delusional about the Ducks. What’s funny is the same could be said about them loving the Huskies… and Jake Locker. Whenever the Beavers play someone, I want them to win, I want good things to happen to Oregon State. I wish nothing good upon Washington. I hope they lose every game. If for some reason the PAC-12 had to kick a team out I would vote for Washington and defend every other team.
I want to go back a second to the statement that the Duck fan made towards me. “You must be from out of state, because you want to beat Washington the worst.” First off, I have lived in Oregon my whole life. Second off, is this what Oregon fans have become? Disassociated with Oregon’s abysmal football past that they don’t remember what the Huskies represent for Oregon?
Think of Oregon State as Oregon’s little brother (with all due respect). They don’t have all the money, they don’t have all the cool clothes, and are always looking for attention but have to compete against the recent star with a marketing firm guiding it. Is it fun beating up on a little brother? Yes. Does it stink when you lose to them? Yes. However, you’re still brothers, it’s a healthy rivalry.
On the other hand, Washington is the kid in your grade who for years beat you at everything. Got better grades, won more awards, pancaked you in football, had the hotter girlfriend, everything. Do you want to beat this kid in everything? Yes. Does it stink when you lose? More than stinks, it sucks. It really sucks. It blows.
If you claim to be a Duck fan and this doesn't anger you you, get out.
Washington has fallen on hard times. They’ve had a collection of poor coaches, horrible player development, and many losing seasons. In 2008 they didn’t win a single game. You know who was happiest about this? Me. The 2008 Huskies probably rank as one of my favorite teams of all time. Fans may say they don’t care about the Washington rivalry anymore, but they should. They should take great pride and pleasure in beating the crap out of the team that used to dominate Oregon for decades. DECADES. You know in The Karate Kid where Daniel LaRusso learns karate to beat up the bullies that attacked him, and then beats up them up at the end of the movie? You remember how good that felt and triumphant the kid felt? That’s what it should feel like when Oregon beats Washington.
Oregon has gotten better coaches, players, and facilities, and is now beating up the Huskies. Now, as a fan, you’re telling me you no longer care about being bullied for years, just because we are beating them up so easily the last few years? That’s just wrong, we should all be stoked we are beating them this badly.
You want some specifics about the Oregon-Washington rivalry? This should help with the hate.
The hate began in 1948, when Washington got Montana to vote for Cal to go to the Rose Bowl. Cal and Oregon had tied that year in Pacific Coast Conference (which the PAC-10 has now claimed as an earlier version of itself) and a vote was held. Northwest schools were supposed to vote for Oregon and the California schools were supposed to vote for Cal. However, Washington decided to vote for Cal and got Montana to join. Dicks.
My grandpa has told me the story of the night this happened. Apparently there wasn’t a dry bar in all of Eugene. There were riots. Bigger riots than the riot that freshmen started the weekend before the first day of school last year. Riots with a clearer purpose than the occupy movement outside of the Wall Street. Allegedly, Duck fans drove up to the Washington campus and started a riot there. You may argue that this event took place 63 years ago, and this would be correct, but people don’t forget. You know the kid in Superbad that pissed his pants in the third grade? Seth and Evan didn’t forget about it even though it happened eight years prior. Duck fans shouldn’t forget about Washington screwing us out of the Rose Bowl in 1948. Because it was horeshit.
The next year Washington said they didn’t want to come to Eugene, but it was cool if we still went up there. Playing Portland wasn’t too bad of a drive though and when the PCC conference shifted to the AAWU it looked like Oregon was going to be left out. Washington didn’t care. Seriously, fuck these guys.
Some retribution was made though when a pay for play scandal showed up in Seattle. The dean of the UO Law School was the lead prosecutor of the case and found that Washington was found guilty of providing money to players via a slush fund. I wish I could shake Orlando Hollis’ hand, he’s an Oregon hero. Induct him in to the hall of fame.
Then there was the 1962 matchup when Oregon receiver Larry Hill was tackled in the end zone during what would have been a game-winning interception by Washington fans who rushed the field. Can you imagine if this happened today? The fans would’ve gotten tackled before he got five feet away from the wall and run the risk of getting tazered.
In 1973 a bad team beat Washington in Eugene 58-0. This is like if today’s Utah beat Oregon by that score. The next year, in 1974, Husky head coach, Coach Owens, beat the Ducks 66-0 and played his starters deep in to the game and resulted in the starting running back separating his shoulder and his quarterback breaking an ankle.
I wasn’t alive during these years, but have had Ducks close to me tell me how awful these years were. In a sense I was brainwashed to hate the Huskies from birth. It’s a responsibility of every hard-core duck fan to hate the Huskies. I’ve found it is an easy way to distinguish true fans from bandwagoners and the ignorant. I feel sorry for the latter.
There were also all the times Washington just crushed the Ducks in consecutive seasons. In 1995 the Washington coach campaigned to go to the Cotton Bowl over Oregon, a campaign that ultimately failed, but hey, they tried. For that, I will not forget. Especially when the Ducks had beaten them head-to-head in Seattle. I’ll be the first one to say that Oregon fans are ridiculous, and at times obnoxious. I will always say that Washington is worse.
The worst. Seriously, the worst.
Now imagine for a second that the coach you hated the most, signed on to coach the team you hated the most. Basically if Lane Kiffin decided to coach Washington. Rick Neuheisel, the guy who calls for fake punts when up three touchdown as the coach of Colorado, and then talks back to Mike Bellotti with a, “Scoreboard, Baby!” comment after a 51-43 bowl in a 1998 bowl win. DON’T YOU EVER TALK BACK TO MIKE BELLOTTI! DON’T YOU EVER! It was the best times when Bellotti kicked the crap out of those Husky teams, killing two birds with one stone.
Lastly, you know how they always show the Kenny Wheaton interception as the final highlight before the Ducks run on the field? There’s a reason why that play changed Oregon football forever. It was against Washington. Washington was holding the Ducks down for years, and Kenny Wheaton turned around the whole conference with his pick. It was the greatest statement play of all time. If the same play happened against Washington State, Oregon State, or Arizona State, it wouldn’t have had the same impact. The pick sealed the deal against the conference power, Washington, and sparked the rest of the 1994 season that would end with a trip to the Rose Bowl. Each program has been moving in an opposite direction since the play. Oregon has a .711 winning percentage with a record of 150-61 since the play and Washington is sitting at .493, with a record of 101-104.
A win is highly probable, but there is some risk this year with Washington looking better and the game in Seattle. The Ducks owe it to every former team that didn’t beat Washington. Back when Oregon had to give away tickets to football games because no one showed up, before the Joey Harrington billboard in Times Square, and before Oregon was on SportsCenter almost every day. Washington was beating Oregon easily and consistently. Now it’s time to get back at them.
Fans owe it to Norm Van Brocklin, who was robbed of a 1948 trip to the Rose Bowl, Larry Hill when he should have had the game winning touchdown catch against the Huskies in 1962, and every other Oregon team bullied by the Huskies. We should always enjoy beating the schoolyard bully and the enemy.
Never forget, keep the hate, and fuck the Huskies.
awesome article. I hate washington, man. I go to school in Tacoma but was born in raised in oregon, and there is no better feeling than wearing my green and yellow (oh so proudly) around here. I will be there on saturday in the east endzone bleachers.
Go Ducks!
Luis, thank you for the comment. I find it unfortunate you have to go to school in Tacoma but keep the hate strong up there and represent in the endzone bleachers!
Go Ducks!
Love this piece! It’s totally spot on. Just to add my two cents, I think the hatred for the Huskies is especially deep for native Oregonians because of feelings of rivalry with Washingtonians in general.
I grew up in Portland during the 70s and 80s and had a lot of extended family in Seattle, which I think is common among native Portlanders. I remember my stupid fucking cousins rubbing in our noses that THEY were the bigger city, that THEY had Boeing, Microsoft, Nordstroms, etc (this was pre-Starbucks), THEY had taller buildings, more culture and so on. It gave a lot of us inferiority complexes about Portland in comparison to Seattle.
At least for me, I naturally hated Huskies because they were from Seattle, and then all the stuff you mentioned above just reinforced those feelings.
Now everything has changed. The Ducks kick ass on the Huskies, and Portland is clearly a WAY better city than Seattle. Seriously, Seattle sucks compared to Portland. The bully is totally getting his ass kicked right now, and I’m loving it.
And remember, Ted Bundy was a Husky. So, yes, fuck the Huskies!
Thanks derek! You make a good point saying that the rivalry is greater for native Oregonians. I’m shocked I left out Ted Bundy was a husky. Way to keep the hate and go ducks!
Hey how’s that national championship trophy treating you guys? …Oh that’s right.
Better luck next time!
Bark for Sark, our first Husky fan to comment. I’m impressed with how fast this post got spread.
Duck fans are crazy, you get your feelings hurt easily. You know what happens when ducks land on the blue turf right? Also, I think fans left early when Boise was in town for the night.
It’s kind of like the Yankees, I usually root for whoever they are playing. GO Washington.
Wow. A bronco fan found the article and it wasn’t even about his team.
Bow Down Bitches. You may be on top now, but the head-to-head record and our National ChampionshipS speak for themselves.
I’m lovin the hate Keith. Lovin’ it. It’s hate week!
Don’t you ever compare us to the Yankees! DON”T YOU EVER!!!!!
masterpiece.
Lifelong Husky fan here–not trolling, I just stumbled across this page. Yet I have to agree. There seems to be some apathy from the Oregon side with respect to this rivalry. Some of it may stem from the team itself, per Chip Kelly’s tiresome “faceless opponent” doctrine. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with Oregon’s dominance recently. But either way, it sure does make it less fun to hate the Ducks when the Ducks themselves don’t hate us. It makes it less fun to dredge up Oregon’s lack of a national championship and failure to win a Rose Bowl in nearly a hundred years. See, I do it, but I don’t enjoy it as much. It makes it less fun to laugh at the flamboyant uniforms–I’m even almost willing to admit how sick the matte black helmets are! Almost.
But rest assured, there is no lack of hatred here in Seattle. GOD, we hate Oregon. I hate the taste of the word coming out of my mouth. I hate Oakley, with their stupid ambiguous “O.” I hate Nike, even though the swoosh is on our uniforms too, because Phil Knight is the George Steinbrenner of college sports (minus the championships of course). A tiny part of me is glad the Sonics are gone, so I can freely and unreservedly hate green and yellow together. And I HATE the trees on the basketball court. Like we don’t have trees in Washington.
This city has 7 years of pent-up hatred for the Ducks. It’s Thursday, and people are starting to froth at the mouth a little. I’m having facial ticks. I’m hitting the keys on my keyboard so hard my assistant came in and gave me a funny look just now. HOLY CRAP I want to win this game. I bet that would put some spring back in this rivalry’s step for Duck Nation, no?
Woof, thanks for the comment but your logical reasoning is not welcome during hate week. The rivalry would be more fun if Washington won more in the rivalry, but then that would involved the Ducks losing. I’m glad the hate is still alive and well in Seattle!
Great column. This CU Buff will be rooting for Oregon. We appreciate how the Ducks showed class and sportsmanship when they beat my beloved Buffs. It was obvious they could have scored 100 on my team but they didn’t. Oregon, Stanford, and Arizona State showed how a winner with class and sportsmanship should act when playing an obviously undermanned team like Colorado. Colorado has always admired the excellence in academics, Track and Field and Football by the University of Oregon. This Buff will be rooting for the Ducks on Saturday. The Huskies were poor winners when they played Colorado and were poor losers to Colorado back in Colorado’s glory days. Oregon has always shown class and grace. Go Ducks!
Thanks Lone Ranger. I’m glad we can share in the hate for the Huskies. I hope the Buffs get better in the next couple years, it stinks to be a fan of a team that is struggling.
Haha! This was actually a decent article and at least you have your reasons. I can respect that, even if I disagree with it. I definitely hate Oregon as much as you hate UW, so I can understand where you are coming from. Sadly, too many of your fellow Oregon fans are not like you. I’ve witnessed Oregon fans poor beer on an elderly woman’s head for wearing a Husky sweatshirt, and I’ve seen your crowd boo an opposing teams injured player on more than one occasion, and I’ve witnessed many other occasions of completely classless and ridiculous behavior, and that is why I’ll always hate Oregon. That and the fact that you can’t pump your own gas. Also, I hate that Phil Knight has completely purchased your success (I’ll admit that I’m a little jealous of all that money you get from him though).
You put this all SO well! I have had season tickets to the Ducks for 20 years, and I was taught from day one, the Huskies are our “enemy” and OSU is a state school we support unless playing us! I was there when you could lay down on the benches and watch the game, because no one was there. I was there when Kenny Wheaton made his amazing play, and ran toward the end zone that I was sitting in, and let me tell you that stadium was packed with Husky fans, not Duck fans! I have had conversations with “new” Duck fans that are convinced that OSU is who we should hate…they are clueless about Washington. I agree with you, it’s the fair weather fans of Oregon, that jumped in when they started winning, that believe OSU is the big rival…those of us that were supporters all along know it’s the Huskies!!!
GoDawgs! you raise some valid points. I would argue that pouring beer on opposing fans is not exclusive to Oregon fans, but it does happen, and probably more than I would like. I’m sure Huskies have done it too, but I’ve never understood why fans do that. It makes no sense whatsoever to treat an opposing fan that poorly.
Thanks for the comment CC! Glad you enjoyed the column!
out of state??? who in the world can call themselves a duck fan and say that? it’s…it’s dehumanizing. i’ve had butterflies all week waiting for this, it’s my superbowl. one thing i think you could have mentioned was that in a sportscenter interview with Joey, when we needed UW to beat Miami so we’d move up in the polls and make it to the BCS (i hate you Nebraska), even Joey said he still was hoping the huskies would lose.
Joey said this and a Miami loss would have given us BCS glory.
and he was right to say so, eff the huskies.
I love how Huskies bring up their HALF of a National Championship. That means ALL kinds of people believe you DIDN’T win a National Championship. Not to mention that it was done by a team that would soon go on probation and be sanctioned. But if cheating is the way to win. You can have your national championship (half) that was won about a thousand years ago. (Hey remember that thing that happened 94 years ago?…that was awesome. really people, let’s try to keep it in this century anyway). I’ve gone full cycle with the Ducks. Lived on the east coast until 94, I was in Autzen for The Pick and that was a big deal, but for the past 7 years it hasn’t even been interesting to hate the Huskies. When they were losing every game it was just sad, beating them was no fun. The 0-12 season was only a few years ago, much more recent than the .5 “championship”. Those mighty Huskies finished as the ONLY winless team in the country (National Anti-Championship?)and the first PAC10 ever to go 0-12…well done. And that didn’t happen when we were all in diapers.
Finally, if we wanna talk about class I encourage everyone to read Armstrong and Perry’s “Scoreboard Baby”…it’s available on Amazon.
Jonathan: I know, it was shocking. I forgot about the Joey interview, a proud moment as a Duck fan to hear that type of hate from a player. I’ll be sure to add it to next year’s column.
KM: The national championships that got voted on are always weird. UW should just be glad they didn’t have to play Miami that year. I motion that we wipe out the bragging rights of the half national title with the winless season. It’s only fair. It has been easy to not hate the Huskies so much over the last few years, which is why it is so important for us to remember the past.