One of the biggest consequences of conference realignment is how it affects the traditions and rivalries that have defined college athletics for decades. Following the Oregon Ducks move to the Big Ten, the Cascade Clashes between the Ducks and the Washington Huskies will be preserved, but battles with the Ducks’ in-state rival, the Oregon State Beavers, aren’t guaranteed.
But despite what seems to be constant conference realignment, individual teams and athletic departments are working to maintain the rivalries that are integral to college sports. Jon Rothstein reported on Tuesday that the Oregon and Oregon State men’s basketball teams have locked in a “multi-year series,” starting this season in Corvallis
Source: Oregon and Oregon State will start a multi-year series this season in Corvallis.
Return game in Eugene in 2025-26.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 27, 2024
Since Oregon is now a member of the Big Ten and the Beavers are still in the Pac-12, this won’t be a conference matchup, and it will likely occur near the beginning of the season. This agreement won’t take everything about this rivalry back to normal, but it’s a big step.
The Beavers did not have a fantastic team in 2023, and they likely won’t improve much in 2024, but compared to the Ducks’ usual non-conference opponents, Oregon State is a step up. The March Madness selection committee values the non-conference strength of schedule when selecting bubble teams, which could be important for Oregon.
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