Bryce Boettcher readying for final turn in Oregon vs. Oregon State rivarly

EUGENE, Ore. — Growing up in the state of Oregon, Bryce Boettcher has always understood the meaning of the Oregon Ducks' yearly clash with their neighbors 40 miles to the north.

"It's bragging rights for the rest of the year."

Boettcher grew up with this game, with relatives rooting for both sides. As he turned into a three-sport star at South Eugene High School, lettering in football, baseball, and basketball, the idea that he would one day play in it became his reality. 

Boettcher was ranked as the No. 24 football player in Oregon as a quarterback and defensive back by 247Sports, and the No. 10 overall and top-ranked shortstop by Prep Baseball Report in the 2020 high school class. After coming to Oregon to play baseball — appearing in 81 games across his first two years — he decided to join the football team as a safety in 2022, playing in 12 games while making two tackles on special teams.

In Boettcher's first taste of the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry on the football field, he and the Ducks were left with a sour taste in their mouths as Oregon blew a 21-point third quarter lead. That painful memory has stuck with Boettcher and every player who was on that team, even two years later and even after a 31-7 thrashing in Eugene last year.

"It's here and present every day," Boettcher said of the game. "We're showing clips of it in the film room, in the team meeting room. The first thing we watch is them rushing the field after we lost that game and gave up a lot of rushing yards against them. That's ingrained in us and it's not gonna happen again."

That mentality has been evident on the football field. Boettcher returned for his senior season after being selected in the 13th round of July's MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. 

He made the switch to linebacker in 2023, earning his way onto the field on defense for the first time. He played in all 14 games for the Ducks, starting two, while making 37 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and a sack. Unlike the rest of Oregon's football team, Boettcher spent his offseason on the diamond, being named to the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team due to his outstanding defense in centerfield and using the extra muscle he had added to play linebacker to club a career-best 12 homers.

Boettcher has emerged early this season as one of Oregon's most consistent defenders. He started the Ducks' first game against Idaho, totaling five tackles before playing 34 snaps last week against Boise State, racking up nine tackles and his first career pass breakup. Even though he spent his offseason playing baseball, Boettcher was able to improve his game on the football field. 

"Football's a game of instincts, you can only practice so much on-field work and footwork," he said. "It mostly comes down to trusting your eyes and watching film, seeing stuff before it happens."

Boettcher's eyes and instincts have led him in the right direction this season as PFF has graded him as Oregon's best defensive player. His 87.4 overall grade ranks fifth best among the 172 Power Four linebackers who have played at least 50 snaps this season. Among that same group, he is one of just six players to receive overall, run defense, tackling, pass rush, and coverage grades all above 70. 

Thanks to Oregon's move to the Big Ten, this year's game against Oregon State will take place in week three rather than its traditional place at the end of the season. Regardless of when the game will take place, beating the Beavers means more than anything to Boettcher.

"No matter what time of the year it is, it's go-time against the Beavers,"he said. 

With the game taking place earlier in the year, it has placed extra pressure on Boettcher to instill the importance of this rivalry in his teammates.

"For those in-state guys that are on the team, it means a little extra to us," he said. "We're trying to get everybody else to buy into that, especially all the new guys and transfers who don't know the magnitude of this game."

Just as they have been in recent years, Oregon State football is still built on the power run game. The Beavers are led by the dynamic running back duo of Anthony Hankerson and Jamious Griffin, who have combined to rush for 475 yards and six touchdowns so far this season.

"They run downhill, they have play-action shots so we just gotta have great eyes, make great tackles, and play sound football," Boettcher said of the Beaver offense.

Oregon State's run game doesn't scare him though, he sees it as a great opportunity to come downhill and be productive while leading the Ducks to a win in his last game in Corvallis.

"This is my last one, last one I'm gonna be able to play in so I'm selling out for this game and this week," Boettcher said.