Spencer Paysinger News

Toward the end of Friday's two-hour practice at the Moshofsky Center, Oregon coach Chip Kelly continued to exhort his team.

Running back LaMichael James stepped up when LeGarrette Blount was suspended and gained 1,496 yards for Oregon this season.

Mark Baker says you will need to look for Rose Bowl tickets at third party outlets and be prepared to pay a little more than face value.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly, who guided the Ducks to the Pacific-10 Conference title in his first year as head coach, and running back LaMichael James have been named Pac-10 coach of the year and offensive freshman of the year, respectively.

The games couldn't have been more different, but for the second consecutive year Oregon State isn't going to the Rose Bowl because it lost the Civil War.

OREGON: The Ducks don't have a dominant player in the front four to match Nick Reed, a two-time all-American who graduated as the school's career sack leader.

Walter Thurmond scores on an 18-yard interception return against Purdue, one of two non-offensive touchdowns he has scored this season.

It is being dubbed the War of the Roses. The 113th Civil War rivalry game between 10th-ranked Oregon and 16th-ranked Oregon State this Thursday night will decide the Pac-10's representative in the Rose Bowl.

This years Civil War is just over a week away. Last years battle may be a thing of the past.But, you better believe both teams still remember the game.

You don't hear defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro barking as much in practice these days - maybe that's because nobody needs any more convincing.

Stanford made one thing clear with its upset victory over Pac-10 leader Oregon: There will be a full-fledged scramble for the conference title over a chaotic final four weeks.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller Oregon's defense doesn't pencil out. It's clearly very good, but it shouldn't be.

Jake Locker's fine with a little bit of time off. But only to a point. As he did the previous two days, Locker spent Wednesday's practice throwing on the side, resting a deep right thigh bruise suffered in Saturday's 43-19 loss to Oregon.

The Pop Warner football program in Springfield had quite the treat Thursday. Members of the Oregon football team used their off day to help coach the kids.

Rather than the recent surge of injuries making students feel uneasy about this weekend's match up against UCLA, most around campus are more concerned about the fact that the Ducks haven't been out of the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium for more than a month.

EUGENE - Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti was reluctant to go down the comparison road.

"Well, he is coming to Autzen so it's going to be hectic for him," linebacker Spencer Paysinger said.

Nearly lost in the hullaballoo over Oregon's offensive reawakening is the No. 16 Ducks' defense, which shut down Jahvid Best and California.

Pick your metaphor - soap opera, boxing match, work of art - the Oregon Ducks' 2009 season already is hard to describe.

EUGENE, Ore. -- California needed only to look across the field at a euphoric Oregon squad celebrating inside Autzen Stadium on Saturday to see that a team can overcome a dreadful defeat.