Motivation hard to peg in this weekend’s Civil War
Saturday, November 29, 2014
His Oregon football team might be the best team in the country, worthy of inclusion in any such discussion. If the Ducks win their next two games, odds are entry into the first College Football Playoff will be waiting.
The next game up, however, is rival Oregon State, a five-win group that has probably underachieved this year and has one last shot at salvaging a disappointing season.
Reaching a bottom-tier bowl game win one more victory wouldn’t qualify as redemption, but just the same, how sweet would it be to do it against the hated Ducks, dashing their dreams in the process?
No one relishes playing the role of spoiler, but it does serve as a legitimate incentive.
And isn’t that what this weekend’s Civil War at Reser Stadium boils down to? Who has more motivation?
Is securing a sixth win to gain bowl eligibility more of an incentive than remaining undefeated to land a possible berth in the inaugural playoff? Usually in such matters, it’s a question of which team’s desperation is most pronounced.
But then again, talent plays a role. Let’s be clear - UO is more talented, but it’s not as if the Beavers are some Division III punchline.
The biggest reason Helfrich should be concerned might be OSU senior Sean Mannion, the Pac-12 all-time passing leader who is playing his final home game. It’s been an uneven season for the future NFL quarterback, but with his strong arm and emerging threats at wide receiver, big plays are going to be available against the Ducks, who have allowed a fair share of so-called “chunk” plays.
Any chance of an upset begins there. For proof, just look back at the Beavers’ upset of Arizona State two weeks ago.
Given it’s a rivalry game, focus shouldn’t be an issue, but could you blame the Ducks for looking ahead? Program-defining moments are within reach. As much as Helfrich and his coaches have stressed the importance of this game, it’s still hard for 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old kids to buy into the notion that a 5-6 team might be a threat when the possibility of facing undefeated Florida State or one-loss SEC juggernaut Alabama looms.
Even if it’s a rival.
That makes it a dangerous scenario, one that should concern Helfrich.
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