Ghosts of last year's celebration resurface

The last time Washington and Oregon met, it was a good day to be a Husky. And not just because the UW leveled the 23rd-ranked Ducks 42-14 in Autzen Stadium, but also because the win allowed the Huskies to avoid their first losing season since 1976 and increased their chances of receiving a bowl bid at the same time.

But for the Ducks, last year's loss was anything but pleasurable. Not only did they lose to a lackluster Washington team, they were forced to watch while exuberant UW players celebrated their victory for 20 minutes at midfield.

Well, Oregon is back this year, and the Ducks have nothing but revenge on their minds.

In the minds of the Ducks, the Huskies' post-game gala was unprofessional, no doubt about it. And the team photograph with the scoreboard in the background was disrespectful, for sure. But for the Washington players, it was a long-awaited celebration.

Washington was in the midst of one of its worst seasons in school history and on the verge of missing the postseason entirely when it met up with the Ducks one year ago. However, the Huskies put together a stellar all-around performance and stuck it to Oregon on its own turf.

After falling behind 14-0 early in the first quarter, Washington dominated the rest of the game in classic Husky fashion. It rattled off 42 unanswered points and held Oregon to just 122 yards of total offense over the final three-and-a-half quarters, including zero in the fourth period.

And when it was all over, the Huskies and their fans spilled onto the field and erupted in a celebration that, albeit gratifying, left the Ducks yearning for the next meeting with their bitter rivals.

"I think it was in poor taste," said Oregon coach Mike Belotti of the Huskies' post-game festivities. "I'm sure [my players] will be talking about it. I may remind them. But I am more frustrated that somebody had the opportunity to do that on our field."

Husky coach Keith Gilbertson acknowledged that Oregon would try and use the incident as motivation for tomorrow's showdown, and that it had every right to do so. He also made it clear that no such thing would happen at Washington under his watch.

"I certainly can't control how Mike talks to his team about it," Gilbertson said. "And I really don't think there is anything I can add to it or diffuse it. I certainly can't go back and change it."

This time around, much like last year, the UW heads into the Oregon game struggling mightily. The Huskies (2-2 Pac-10, 4-4 overall) are coming off a 43-23 loss to USC, and are once again in danger of ending up with a losing record. Washington must win at least two of its remaining four games to be bowl-eligible, and that still won't guarantee a selection.

All in all, this is a game the Huskies need to win. It's a rivalry game, for starters. It's also a game that can determine if the UW can save its season or merely finish it out.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Huskies need to turn up the intensity and lay the smack down on Oregon's two quarterbacks, Jason Fife and Kellen Clemens. Likewise, the secondary is going to have to do something to secure wide receiver Samie Parker, who has caught 41 passes for 677 yards on the year.

"Samie is very fast," said Gilbertson of the Pac-10's 100-meter champion. "Their system gives him a chance to use his speed and get really deep on people. You have got to be on the run with him; you have to disrupt him somehow. If he gets going on you, he is tough to catch."

There's no sugar-coating this one -- Washington and Oregon don't get along. Washington still considers itself the team to beat in the Northwest, but Oregon (2-2, 5-3) has come on strong in recent years. And in the battle for Northwest supremacy, it may all come down to who hates whom the most.

Considering the animosity between the two schools, this could easily be one of college football's fiercest rivalries. And if you add in the fans' dislike for one another and the bragging rights that are up for grabs, tomorrow's primetime game could turn out to be one for the ages.

"We don't want to get beat by the Ducks for the simple reason that they're Oregon," said UW cornerback Derrick Johnson. "But this game isn't just about the rivalry, it's important to our season, because we're 4-4. We don't want to go below .500 like we did last year."

The Huskies and Ducks will face off at Husky Stadium on national TV. The forecast is dry, with a high temperature of a balmy 42 degrees, which should evoke the perfect atmosphere for a game between two teams that simply hate each other.