There are logistics to sort out before anything can be decided with certainty, but Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens and football coach Dan Lanning both expressed their desire to continue the rivalry series with Oregon State despite no longer sharing a conference starting next season.
A day after Oregon formally announced its move to the Big Ten in 2024, Lanning echoed Mullens' earlier comments about the status of the in-state rivalry series.
"We want to play great teams. We want to continue to play great teams. I know Oregon State is a great example of a game that we would love to keep. We want to get that opportunity to continue to play against them," Lanning said. "I think it means a lot to people in this state. That's something we want, but it's also a little bit out of our control now. We have to see how the chips fall. But it's the furthest thing from my mind right now -- it's about the 2023 team."
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Later asked if that meant he was open to continuing a home-and-home series with the Beavers, Lanning said, "Absolutely, we'd love to keep that rivalry going."
During the news conference Friday, Mullens had said much of the same, though he noted the complexity of football schedules that are made many years in advance and the unknown variables now about whether there would be any late-season window to schedule such a game within the Big Ten slate.
"Absolutely. Obviously, we have a rich tradition with our in-state competitors and that was something that we will try to work out in every sport to continue those rivalries," he said. "... Our goal would be to schedule Oregon State in every sport that's possible. Football scheduling can be complicated because of how far out it is. And, you know, the difficulty of playing non-conference games later in the year, but our goal would be absolutely to continue to play Oregon State."
The Ducks and Beavers first clashed on the football field way back in 1894 and have played every season since 1945, with Oregon holding a 66-51-10 advantage all-time.
