Each year in Oregon as families gather around the Thanksgiving Day table, there is one subject which should be avoided if a pleasant and peaceful meal is desired. Politics? Religion? Aunt Sue’s new beau? All potentially volatile subjects, certainly, but none of those match the potential for fireworks that a discussion of the annual “Civil War” football game between the Oregon State Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks possesses. The two teams first met in 1894, and with the contest usually played on the Saturday after Turkey Day, many a heated discussion of the upcoming game has been held as the mashed potatoes and gravy circle the table. As with most born-and-bred Oregon families, mine features alums from both schools (along with a select few like me who attended smaller state schools and don’t get too worked up about either one of the others). There is always plenty of good-natured (mostly) ribbing going on, and some creative bets have been wagered over the years. One year my Beaver brother Chris had to stand up at Christmas before the entire family after OSU had been defeated by Oregon that year (and he had lost his bet to Duck sister Julie). Decked out in a bright yellow Oregon t-shirt, he had to loudly and convincingly proclaim, “I wish I’d gone to Oregon instead of Oregon State.” After another Beaver loss, brother Tim, in deference to losing his bet with brother-in-law Dave, had to wear a shirt bearing Oregon’s rabid-looking “Fighting Duck” to the following year’s Thanksgiving dinner. As he took his place at the table, Tim reached over, grabbed some mashed potatoes and liberally smeared them all over the front of the shirt, obscuring his Beavers’ nemesis. He pointed out that although he was required to wear the shirt, the condition of said shirt had not been specified when the bet was placed.  Most years, there isn’t much on the line for either team beyond bragging rights over defeating the other, but on occasion a win for one team may ensure a trip to the Rose Bowl (or an invitation to one of those “lesser” bowl games) or may confound the chances of the other getting there. Last year, for example, Oregon played the spoiler when the Ducks beat the Beavers and ended their dreams of a trip to Pasadena. This year, for the first time in this long rivalry, both teams go into this so-called Civil War game with a Rose Bowl berth at stake. Let me tell you, the trash talk has reached new heights, and the anticipation and anxiety are palpable whenever the subject comes up. The game will be played this upcoming Thursday night (certainly T.V. revenues were at play with that scheduling decision!), so we’ve all had a few extra days to revel in the seemingly endless coverage from all the regional media outlets. It really has been an exciting year in the Pac-10 conference, though, and anyone who saw last week’s double-overtime Oregon win over Arizona experienced a good example of that. My husband (OSU class of ’73) found himself incongruously cheering on the Ducks, as an Arizona loss would ensure the Beavers’ identical top record with Oregon in league play. Unlike many other leagues, each team plays every other one in the conference. As Oregon coach Chip Kelly pointed out, “When you end up getting the chance to call yourself a champion in this league, you’ve actually earned it because you’ve got to play everybody.” I’ll be cheering for the Beavers come Thursday, hoping this year will be their turn to spend New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl. If the Ducks win, life will go on (though my husband may be bummed out for a while), and I’ll root happily for an Oregon team against the Buckeyes on January 1 (even though I attended that other OSU as a graduate student for a year — a long time ago). It will be fun to see what kind of bets my siblings have come up with this year, though, and observe the pay-offs in the near future! No matter the outcome, it’s sure to be a great game! — Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader