PACIFIC 10 FOOTBALL / MAL FLORENCE : Opposites Attract in Washington, Oregon State

Believe it or not, the Washington-Oregon State game today at Corvallis, Ore., has some significance. It’s the first matchup between a 9-0 team, the Huskies, and an 0-9 team, the Beavers, in conference history.

By winning, Washington would clinch its second consecutive Pacific 10 championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl.

“When I came into this league 17 years ago, my dream was to go into New Year’s Day with an 11-0 record,” Washington Coach Don James said. “This is the closest we’ve ever been to that.”

The Huskies will be heavily favored to beat Washington State in the Apple Cup next Saturday in Seattle, their final regular-season game.

Washington is a 41-point favorite over Oregon State today.

Moreover, James has a 13-1 record against the Beavers, whose only victory during that span came in 1985, when they were 37-point underdogs but won, 21-20, in Seattle.

If you believe that is an omen, consider this:

--Washington has the No. 1-ranked defense in the country. Oregon State is ranked 106th in total offense.

--The Huskies’ 11-game winning streak is their longest in 75 years. The Beavers have lost 14 in a row, longest current slump in major college football, tying the school record.

So how does James approach such an apparent one-sided game?

“Oregon State has gotten better,” he said, referring to the Beavers’ 27-14 loss to California last Saturday. “So it’s going to be tough this week.”

Tough on whom?

There have been other glaring mismatches over the years, such as Cal (8-1) playing Stanford (0-8) in 1947, the Bears winning, 21-18.

The Beavers will probably finish 0-11, one of the worst teams in Pac-10 history. They will close their season next Saturday against Oregon at Eugene.

The Beavers have company, joining Montana, 0-8 in 1942; Oregon State, 0-11 in 1980; Stanford, 0-9 and 0-10 in 1947 and 1960, respectively; USC 1-9 in 1957, and Washington State, 1-9 in 1969, among others.

The 1969 Washington team, also 1-9, beat Washington State for its only victory.

The best Pac-10 teams of all time? Here’s a suggested list:

USC (12-0), 1972; UCLA (9-0), 1954; Stanford (10-0), 1940; USC (10-0), 1932; USC (11-0), 1962, and California (9-0), both 1920 and 1922.

Trivia question: What do the following names have in common: Alamo, Aviation, Bacardi, Camellia, Cherry, Cigar, Oil, Raisin and Salad?

After Washington beat USC, 14-3, last Saturday at the Coliseum, Husky offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy said of the Trojans:

“USC’s offense and defense are not on the same page. They do not seem to play together.”

As for the Huskies’ No. 3 national ranking, Kennedy said: “We feel we have one of the top teams in the country. If we played Miami, or Florida State, I’m sure we’d take them.”

Sixth-ranked California will play Clemson in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, but the Bears, with their 8-1 record, were disappointed that they weren’t invited to the Sugar Bowl.

“My concern all along is that we don’t have a real strong enough bowl history,” Cal Athletic Director Bob Bockrath said. “I was worried that some of those old-line bowls aren’t willing to take a chance on us yet.”

Rumors are circulating again that Arizona State Coach Larry Marmie’s job is in jeopardy.

Marmie, who is in the fourth year of a five-year contract, has a 21-20-1 record. The Sun Devils are 5-4 this season and will finish the season against California Saturday at Berkeley and against Arizona on Nov. 23 at Tempe.

Athletic Director Charles Harris has declined comment on Marmie’s future until after the season.

Oregon is riddled by injuries, mainly contributing to its record of 3-6 overall (and 1-5 in the Pac-10).

The offense has been stagnant, and Coach Rich Brooks said he has been getting plenty of advice.

“I’ve gotten a lot of suggestions from alumni, and I thought I’d put in the five best alumni plays and see if we can generate some offense,” he said sarcastically.

Stanford has changed its image from a finesse team to a physically strong one under Coach Dennis Green.

“We’re a pretty tough team,” Green told the San Francisco Examiner. “We take a lot of pride in that. If people think we’re a team from Northern California and all we do is throw the ball around a little bit and have some fun, and go 6-5, they’ve got the wrong idea.”

The Cardinal is 6-3 overall (and 4-2 in the Pac-10) and is headed for the Aloha Bowl in Honolulu if it wins one of its two remaining games, against Washington State at Pullman, Wash., and against California in Palo Alto.

Trivia answer: They are discontinued bowl games.

Jason Hanson of Washington State kicked a 51-yard field goal Saturday against Arizona to extend his NCAA career record for field goals of 50 yards or longer to 20.

Among current NFL kickers, Kansas City’s Nick Lowery has the most 50-yard field goals with 18 as a pro.