(Editor's note: Oregon State sophomore running back Ken Simonton will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more information on the Beavers, visit the official OSU site.)

Nov. 18, 1999

We play Oregon on Saturday, and as always, it's a huge rivalry and a big game. Last year it went to triple overtime and we won the game on my 20-yard touchdown run. There was a mob scene and it was a god feeling. I'd love to have the same outcome this year, but minus the overtimes.

	THE FULL DOSE OF DIARIES
	Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton: Defying the odds
	Miami's André King: Playing for pride and a bowl
	UCLA's Danny Farmer: Capping the career with a win
	Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops: A tough game at Texas Tech
	USC's Travis Claridge: Proving them all wrong
	Oregon's Reuben Droughns: Psyched for the Civil War

We have to go down there and get the win. I would not show up on the field if I didn't think we have a chance to win. I would just stay at home. When I come to field, I have to have confidence in my squad and know that we can get it done. We just have to prove it.

The key to winning this game is no turnovers. The Ducks' defense has the No. 1 turnover ratio in the Pac-10 and that is the most hostile place to play at. Eardrums are going to be popping, but we can't give them the rock. We have to play smart and make big plays.

Speaking of things we have to do, I'll let you guys in on my personal outline of things I plan to accomplish in the next two years:
1. Kill the Oregon State rushing record book.
2. Hit All-American Status -- twice.
3. Win the Heisman Trophy before I leave here. Yes, I will definitely be in the New York studios with my suit on with Heisman votes -- twice.
4. Win the Doak Walker Award.
5. Rush for 2,000 yards in a season. I think I had my best chance this year, if I had stayed healthy, because Patrick will play next year. But I'm keeping it on the list.

As it stands, I'm moving up the record books (Simonton already has ran for more than 1,000 yards this season). People really use that as a measuring stick for good running backs, and I've done it back-to-back. So I am happy with my personal accomplishment, but I can't let it take focus off the rest of team. I want to see the whole thing clicking, not just my numbers.

I don't really have a preference for which bowl we go to. It would be great to go to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. It would be a lot easier for our friends, family and the fans to get to. But if we end up in El Paso or Hawaii, I'm just happy that we got to this plateau. I'll be grateful for whichever bowl we get invited to.

Overall, I've realized how winning sometimes brings its own trouble. It makes you realize how much of a business football really is. You have to keep putting in more work now that we're winning; you can't relax. But I'd rather take this kind of stress over the stress of losing. Losing when you know that you could be winning is the worst.

In the last couple of weeks, the fans have been great and very supportive. People have been coming up to me and saying that they have waited 30 years for a winning season. It's overwhelming, because I've heard about the losing history but it didn't mean anything until you meet those fans. I congratulate them and thank them for sticking with the team. Fans are camping out for tickets. It's exciting.

My family also has been very supportive. My sister-in-law sent me some cookies and little things like that. They were saying, "You guys might do it," and now we can do it. They are happy to see me happy because I was under a lot of stress when I decided to come to Oregon State. I can up here on faith, believing that I can help turn this program around. So to finally see it happening is great for them.