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Ariz. schools need to participate in Rivalry Week

Perhaps the greatest weekend in the college football's regular season has just swept past us. Blowing by us like a stealth bomber. Why? Because "Showdown 99" isn't until next Saturday.

Eight of the 10 schools in the Pac-10 displayed their school pride this weekend by trying to defeat their arch-rival.

Four great rivalry games, all played on the same Saturday. But, what about Arizona-Arizona State?

Apparently for many reasons ($$$$$), the two schools like the tradition of playing the game over Thanksgiving Break, thereby not allowing all the students who attend the schools to attend the game unless they are in the Tucson or Phoenix area over the weekend.

These two programs just can't seem to get it right. Why, besides money, would they play this game on the Saturday after the rivalry week, during Thanksgiving weekend, when the true fans are home with their families.

UCLA, USC, Washington State, Washington, Cal, Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State played their rivalry games the way they were supposed to be played, in front of the students, the ones who care the most.

The Civil War between Oregon and Oregon State, the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State, The Big Game that pits Stanford and Cal-Berkeley and the game with no name, but an amazing amount of history, USC against UCLA.

Dennis Erickson marched his troops into enemy territory, looking for the upset, but Mike Bellotti had his soldiers ready for battle in the Civil War, as Reuben Droughns made Swiss cheese out of the Beavers defensive attack, rushing for 197 yards in his first-ever Civil War game.

The Ducks beat the Beavers 25-14, earning a trip to the Sun Bowl. Their opponent will most likely be the Purdue Boilermakers, who won their rivalry game against Indiana this weekend.

Washington had Rose Bowl thoughts in mind coming into the Apple Cup game against Washington State, but unfortunately for them, they will have to settle for a Holiday (Bowl) in San Diego. Freshman running back Paul Arnold scampered 80 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving the Huskies the victory over the Cougars in a rainy, windy day in Seattle.

Stanford earned a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 28 years by beating the Bears in The Big Game, 31-13. This rivalry up in northern California has been going on for 102 years and Stanford has the better half, taking 52 of them. They have also won the last five, but perhaps none more important than Saturday's because it set them up for a terrible defeat at the hands of Wisconsin on Jan. 1 in Pasadena.

UCLA and USC hooked up in their bitter rivalry game as well, even with the victor still being under .500 for the season. But, that didn't matter to the 91,384 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum, who hoisted Trojan running back Chad Morton on their shoulders after the 17-7 win over the Bruins.

Morton, who had a guaranteed victory over the Bruins in August, ran for a hard-earned 113 yards on 36 carries, lifting the Trojans to victory for the first time since 1990 when his brother Johnnie, now of the Detroit Lions, caught a touchdown pass with 16 seconds left to seal a victory.

Oh, what we wouldn't give to write about UA vs. ASU as well.