Stan Commons won’t attend the Civil War football game between Oregon State and Oregon Saturday in Eugene.

"I had gone to both of them for a long, long time," said the 81-year-old Grants Pass resident, referring to each school’s home stadium. "Then I swore off Autzen."

That said, the former basketball manager for Slats Gill has no qualms about his Beavers invading enemy territory, and he even thinks they’ll acquit themselves well despite indications to the contrary.

He and others among nearly 50 OSU backers expressed optimism during an orange-and-black-themed gathering Tuesday night in Medford.

This despite two disappointing home losses in the past three weeks to teams of seemingly comparable or lesser ability and an injury that is expected to prevent starting quarterback Matt Moore from playing in the 109th edition of the rivalry.

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Oregon State needed only to defeat either Arizona or Stanford in recent weeks to become bowl eligible, but it sandwiched home losses to them around a victory at Washington.

Now the Beavers (5-5, 3-4 Pac-10 Conference) have been installed as a two-touchdown underdog as they prepare for an Oregon squad that is 9-1 and vying for a BCS bowl bid. The Ducks, 6-1 in the conference, are 10th in this week’s BCS poll. The top eight at season’s end play in the most prestigious bowl games.

Doom and gloom, however, weren’t on the Beaver Believers’ agenda Tuesday, when highlights of previous matchups against the Ducks were shown and head coach Mike Riley appeared in a video expressing his thoughts on the series.

"I think we’ll win," said Commons, who was accompanied by his wife of 60 years, Vivian. "I think we’ll surprise them."

Commons has no doubt seen some upsets. He was the Beavers’ basketball manager for Gill in 1947-48, and his loyalty has never shifted.

"I think it’ll be a good game," he said. "We have to be very careful with the football. We can’t be throwing the football around. We have to run the football."

Ron Thiesen of Corvallis, who owns Campus Connection, a store near the university that specializes in Beaver merchandise, echoed those sentiments.

"Our offensive line has to open holes for (Yvenson) Bernard," he said of the Beaver running back. "He’s just been cranking out the yards."

Bernard has helped revitalize an Oregon State run game that was among the worst in the nation last season. He’s gained 1,193 yards, is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has scored 12 rushing touchdowns.

Another key, said Thiesen, is limiting penalties — "They killed us last weekend," he said — and having the defense, which has allowed an average of only 45.3 rushing yards the past three outings, play up to its capabilities.

"I’m not convinced this is as uneven a matchup as everyone thinks," said Thiesen.

Steve Shearer, who lives near Gold Hill and recalls paying more attention to Ralph Miller’s basketball team when he lived in Corvallis in the 1970s than OSU football, admitted the loss of Moore is huge.

"He’s capable of scoring at any time," said Shearer.

Ryan Gunderson is expected to make his initial start for the Beavers, the first time since Rahim Muhammad in 1995 that a Beaver quarterback’s first start came in the Civil War.

"We’ll probably be running the ball a little more," said Shearer. "We need to control the ball and take time off the clock because they throw it well."

John Leavens said the Beavers need to continue to play well the first and last quarters and hold serve in between.

"It seems like every game we come out like gangbusters and score first," he said, "and in the fourth, we outscore teams 3-to-1 (96 points to 30). So if we can negotiate the second and third quarters, it’ll be a great ballgame."

In his presentation, Riley, who grew up in Corvallis, said a Civil War that stands out for him was when he sat in the stands with former Grants Pass coach Mel Ingram as they watched two of Ingram’s protégés, Steve Endicott and Tom Blanchard, square off as quarterbacks for the Beavers and Ducks, respectively.

The rivalry has evolved over the years, said Riley, "from periods of time when neither team was very good to times when both had reached national prominence. There’s been change in that regard, but in terms of intensity, it’s always been the same."

And it’ll be on display again Saturday.

Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail ttrower@mailtribune.com.