T.J Ward News

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.

Well, there's one for the ages. Arizona found a way to beat everything about the Oregon Ducks except their hearts on Saturday night in Tucson.

The Ducks returned to the Mo Center and practiced in helmets yesterday according to Rob Moseley .

A key game in the Pac-10 race featured Oregon and Arizona Saturday night. Here's a quarter-by-quarter game track: FIRST QUARTER The Ducks marched 74 yards to lead on its first drive.

The desert has been inhospitable to the Ducks in recent years. In Oregon's past two trips to Tucson, the team lost its starting quarterback to injury.

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.

Oregon free safety T.J. Ward has returned to form, and the timing couldn't be better for the 11th-ranked Ducks, who are making a run for the Rose Bowl.

Rushing defense: A week after allowing an Oregon record 223 rushing yards by Stanford's Toby Gerhart, the Ducks rush defense was stellar against Arizona State.

One of Arizona State's biggest challenges this weekend at Autzen Stadium will be containing Oregon's ground game, which is ranked among the best in the nation.

Oregon is confident about rebounding from its first conference loss. The Ducks have already shown they're capable of that.

Running backs coach Gary Campbell talks about LeGarrette Blount's return to the team.

Oregon's 27-point blowout of USC has the Ducks up to 8th in the BCS standings. Hear Oregon's thoughts on the big win, plus Dennis Dixon and Reuben Droughns weigh in on the rise of the program.

Does it matter if Stanford is a bad matchup for the streaking Oregon Ducks? There was concern against USC , against Washington , against UCLA , against California , and the Ducks made nearly every adjustment necessary.

Center Jordan Holmes acknowledged that playing in Oregon's no-huddle, hurry-up offense can be tiring.

The sign, in black ink on yellow cardboard, bobbed in Autzen Stadium's Section 41 as the Oregon band belted out another refrain of "Thriller." Its message, for sure, doesn't reflect the reality of college football on this particular date: Oct.

No matter whether they saw the game, highlights or simply the score, anybody who came across the Oregon-USC result had to be impressed with the Ducks - to the point where the 7-1 team has to be considered national championship contenders, linebacker Casey Matthews said.

The game for Pac-10 supremacy lived up to its hype for awhile, and an energetic and polished Oregon came out looking mighty fine in the college football world at the end.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley 's streak ofsix consecutive victories as the Trojans' starter ended in the 47-20 defeat by Oregon .

Record night: Forty-seven points is the most points Oregon has ever scored on USC in the teams' 56 contests.

Nice day in Seattle, overcast by dry. Washington won the coin tossed and deferred, so Ducks will receive to start the game.