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On Saturday night, under the lights at Husky Stadium, the most underrated rivalry in college football will be played. It doesn’t have the same level of hoopla or acclaim as Alabama vs. Auburn or Michigan vs. Ohio State, but the rivalry maintains the same level of unapologetic hatred between both teams and fan bases. As cliche as it may sound, there is no love lost between either side.
This visceral scorn shared by both sides spans over a hundred years, well before Kenny Wheaton’s pick. When the Ducks and Huskies first clashed on the gridiron, Benjamin Harrison was the president of the United States.
These two teams may share a region, with less than 300 miles separating the two campuses, but their northwest affiliation is where the similarities end.
The rivalry pits the bright lights of Seattle against hippie oasis Eugene. Public Ivy vs. Nike’s very own football factory. It’s a once prominent Washington program vs. the school that revolutionized college football forever.
In 2015, while Phil Knight’s juggernaut sputters into newfound struggles, it’s the Huskies who possess the confidence and momentum for the first time in over a decade.
Could this be the year the eleven-year Oregon winning streak ends? Will Washington ever regain the Don James era glory? Will Oregon fade into obscurity as just another overly hyped trend?
It’s the Oregon Ducks and Huskies under the lights in what will surely be a closely contested game. The rivalry is officially back.