Ducks Go Full Retro for UW Game

If the annual rivalry between Oregon and Washington football has lacked a bit of spark over the past 10 years becasue the Ducks have doled out 10 beat downs in a row, well, the UO just provided it.

To mark the 20th anniversary of "The Pick" by UO cornerback Kenny Wheaton, Oregon unveiled the throwback uniforms they'll wear this weekend against the Huskies.

Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014

As a Duck fan, this is AWESOME! Those uniforms were great and the win against UW back in 1994 set in motion a run to a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl appearance that year and a whole lot of change in Oregon football (and athletics generally) after that...giving rise to what we have now.

And of course, UO fans will revel in the uniforms and the exhilaration of "Wheaton is gonna score!" all while hoping to Hell the Ducks prevail once again. After all, if you lose wearing these uniforms and all they stand for - at minimum you look a bit foolish and at maximum you actual tarnish the history some. Not much, but some.

If I was a Husky fan, I'd be pissed off. This is a direct slap in the face...rubbing Dawg noses in not only the dramatic pick-six but also the 20 year dominance of UO over UW (15-4 since 1994). 

And hence the spark the rivalry needs. You can be sure the Seattle media will cover this angle - reminding all Dawg fans of that fateful day 20 years ago and amping them up with a bloodthirsty desire for revenge.  

Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014

Ironically, the players on both sides probably don't care too much one way or the other as they were either babies or not even born back in 1994.

Yes, both teams want to win the game bad, but for their own reasons this season and not because of what happened two decades ago...and they are certainly not motivated by what one team will wear.

No, this weekend UO players are more or less just indulging Oregon fans by donning the retro gear. 

Meanwhile, UW players don't have any memory of those uniforms either. To them its just some new combo in the ever changing lineup of colors and designs trotted out by Oregon. 

How will all this play out? Well, check back Thursday for my Pac-12 predictions post. 

In the meantime, check out my personal UO vs. UW football history post from this week.