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| Saturday, November 18 For a moment, Beaver fans celebrate possibility Associated Press | |||
| CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- Overjoyed Oregon State fans hopeful of a
Rose Bowl berth poured out of Reser Stadium Saturday celebrating
their 23-13 win over the Oregon Ducks even before the last seconds
had ticked off the play clock.
The No. 8 Beavers defeated the Ducks (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP), meaning only a
Washington win later in the day stood in the way of New Years in
Pasadena.
As it happened, Washington (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) walked to a 51-3 win over Washington
State, snuffing out Beaver hopes for the Rose Bowl.
But for a few hours it all seemed very possible.
Rose petals left behind by a rose vendor lay scattered outside
the stadium gate.
"There's the Ducks' Rose Bowl chances," joked OSU junior
Austin Hamleton. Even as Washington pulled away from Washington
State, many Beaver fans held onto the hope that their team would go
all the way.
Keith Rohrbough, 51, scooped up a handful of the petals and held
them above his head. "This win means everything to me," said
Rohrbough, whose parents both graduated from Oregon State. "I
would walk to an OSU Rose Bowl if I had to."
Jubilant Beaver fans swarmed the parking lot chanting "Poor
Ducks" and banging on cowbells after the victory.
One young Beaver fan dragged a stuffed plush duck though the
parking lot on a string and offered passers-by a chance to kick it.
Beaver fans stoked up tailgate barbecues ready to party into the
evening.
"We've been Beaver fans for years and we've always been so
dejected," said Carole Richardson, 57, of Corvallis. "Today is a
wonderful day to be a Beaver."
After the game Beaver fans jammed into the OSU Alumni Center to
watch the Washington-Washington State matchup. Beaver fans groaned
each time the Beavers made a good play and pulled steadily ahead.
Before kickoff scalpers were asking--and getting--up to $300 for
a pair of tickets.
Oregon State alumnus Mike Kendig, 47, found tickets for his
children, aged 12 and 18, for $75 each but said he would wait a bit
before buying a ticket for himself.
"We took economics here and the price tends to go down because
tomorrow they're recyclable," he said. "In half an hour they're
worth nothing."
William Coe, 30, got turned away at the gate when ticket-takers
realized his ticket wasn't kosher. Coe said a friend made up the
fake on a color copier.
In the OSU Alumni Center the menu was all "duck," most of
which actually was chicken, a l'orange, on a skewer or fricassee.
Security was beefed up this year, with about 350 security guards
and law enforcement personnel keeping the peace. Some fist-fights
broke out on the field. But for the most part, the fans were
well-behaved.
"I thought students acted real well," Beavers coach Dennis
Erickson said. "Of course, they got out of there real fast."
A few fans harassed the Oregon players.
Fans dressed in orange and black poured onto the field, but
there were few of the ugly incidents that marred Oregon State's
44-41 double-overtime victory here in 1998.
A few students climbed onto the west goal post, and OSU tight
end Tim Euhus reached up to try to pull one of them down.
The goal post didn't budge, and soon the students got bored and
left it alone.
After the 1998 game, Oregon State bought new goal posts made by
a Chicago company called Merchants Environmental Industries. The
goal posts, made of steel, cost $30,000 and came with a 10-year
warranty.
Company spokesman Bob Appa said he's seen only one of the goal
posts come down -- in 1998, after Kansas State beat Nebraska.
"They used ropes and chains and stuff like that," Appa told
The Oregonian. | ALSO SEE
Oregon State breaks out early to upset OregonOregon falls short in loss to Oregon State | ||
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