Is Beaver Nation rooting for Oregon? It depends

This has been a dream season for the Ducks.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota won the first Heisman Trophy in school history, and the Ducks face Ohio State on Monday with the school's first football national championship on the line.

So what does Beaver Nation think about the Ducks' possible championship?

It appears to be a mixed reaction.

"You know, at the end of the day, I want to see the Beavers make a national championship game. That's what I really want to see," said Adam Masten, a former basketball player at Sprague and Oregon State. "As far as Oregon goes, I think the best part about it is the camaraderie you get from the people that are Ducks fans that want to see them win that game, and I can tell them that I don't want to see them win that game.

"You can have a friendly banter between you and have fun with it that way. I'd like the Bucks to beat them."

On the other side, Taylor Sarman, Associated Students of Oregon State University president, sees it a little differently.

"As a native Oregonian, I am excited that our state is being represented in the national championship game," Sarman said in an email, "and, of course, will be rooting for our fellow Oregonians."

Sarman also described his perception of the feeling currently on OSU's campus.

"There has definitely been a buzz on campus about the game this Monday, at least from what I can tell in my interactions," Sarman said. "I feel a good portion of the student body is excited to see the success the Ducks have had this year, and even more excited to give them a run for their money in next year's Civil War. After all, our friendly rivalry has always been just that, friendly."

Masten, who graduated from Sprague in 1998 before playing basketball for OSU, admitted that it might be different for former athletes who competed in the Civil War rivalry.

"It might be a little bit different for athletes, too. There might be a little bit more of a competitive streak with us," said Masten, who now lives in Corvallis and works in the insurance business. "I want to beat them every time. The different coaches, they drilled it into us while we were there that this is a rivalry. You lose all your games, but win that one, and you'd be OK. That's what it meant to us. It's a battle for Oregon."

Added to the rivalry for Masten, personally, is that his sister Lindsey married former rival and Oregon basketball great Luke Jackson, who currently coaches at Northwest Christian University in Eugene.

"It hurt a little bit that she married a Duck, I'm not going to lie," Masten said. "But I'm extremely happy that she found a great guy. But as far as the rivalry goes, you know, it's the Civil War. It's a rivalry."

Masten said that he is impressed with Mariota, but that won't change his feelings about the national championship game.

"You can see what kind of guy Mariota is, and I wish nothing but the best for him at the next level," Masten said. "But that doesn't mean I have to root for him on Monday, right? I have several friends who played football for Oregon, and I keep in touch with a lot of Duck basketball players. We're friends, right? But I definitely want to see Oregon lose.

"I'll watch the game, for sure," Masten added. "I'm rooting for the other OSU."

The fact that Oregon is competing in the national championship game means that the Pac-12 Conference will get a payout, which will be divided among the schools.

"We do not know what the amount is," Craig Pintens, University of Oregon senior associate athletic director in charge of marking and public relations, said in an email. "Any amount paid to the Pac-12 Conference is added into revenues generated and dispersed to the schools at the end of year as a lump sum."

Even with the financial benefit, Masten said he doesn't see a real advantage for the Beavers if the Ducks win the national championship.

"I haven't really figured out how rooting for Oregon helps out Oregon State," Masten said. "For me, I want to see Oregon State get the Luke Jacksons of the world. And I want to see them get the top running backs and top linemen. I want to see that be us. And I don't see how Oregon winning helps Oregon State.

"I'll keep an open mind, though, if someone wants to tell me why it's good for Oregon State," Masten added. "If someone wants to tell me how this won't make us called the little brother anymore, I'll listen."