The top of the reborn Pac-12 has started to take shape, and after Week 7 it belongs to Oregon State.
With No. 21 Boise State on the sideline during its bye, the Beavers moved into first place by handling Washington State 48-30 at home Saturday. Oregon State improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference, while the Broncos sit at 5-1 and 2-0 after their idle week.
The Beavers wasted little time separating themselves, racing out to a 27-3 lead before halftime and finishing with 555 total yards. Washington State did not fold, though, and much of the Cougars’ resistance came from new starting quarterback Owen Eshelman. Making his first career start, Eshelman completed 32 of 49 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and he added 136 rushing yards and another score on 15 carries.
Oregon State’s offense delivered its biggest answers through AJ Newberry and Jesse Legree. Newberry, the senior running back, produced 105 rushing yards on 11 carries and added five catches for 120 yards, highlighted by an 88-yard touchdown grab. Legree, the true freshman, turned in a huge day of his own with eight receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yard score.
Afterward, head coach JaMarcus Shephard pointed to the kind of strain his team faced in the win. “I think tonight, we experienced some real friction,” he said of Oregon State’s fifth straight victory.
“And some of it was caused by them, and some of the friction was caused by ourselves. I’ll tell you what, we needed that, though.
We needed that. Going into the bye, this is a really good opportunity for our team to do some self-assessment.”
The Beavers had been winning by an average of 35.8 points over their previous four games, so Saturday’s test looked different from the recent run. Now they get a week off before a road trip to Fresno State.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, head into their bye with plenty to sort out after a rough stretch. Fresno State lost 38-31 at home to Boise State, then followed that with a 26-23 defeat at San Diego State on Saturday night.
The Aztecs, who had just been blown out by 52 points at Oregon State, got the decisive moment when Cooper DiLeva nailed a 53-yard field goal with 57 seconds left. San Diego State then closed it out with a four-and-out.
After the game, Fresno State head coach Matt Entz did not sugarcoat the issues. “We’ve got to be better at the simple things,” he said.
“Tackling alignment, communications, technique-all those things-we’re not where we should be. I mean, there’s some really good things that happened tonight at different times, but just not enough, not consistent enough.”
Texas State also made a bit of history Thursday night, earning its first Pac-12 win in program history in emphatic fashion. The Bobcats rolled past Colorado State 66-27 at home behind 716 total yards and a massive ground game that churned out 503 yards on 55 carries, a 9.1-yard average.
Torrance Burgess Jr. powered that attack with 24 carries for 224 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding three catches for 52 yards. Colorado State, now 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-12, remains last nationally in both total defense at 530.3 yards allowed per game and scoring defense at 43.2 points allowed per game.
In Other News...
Boise State Faces One Telling Test Against A Suddenly Unsettled Washington State
Boise State heads into Saturdays meeting with Washington State carrying a 5-1 record and a fair amount of momentum, but this one still feels like a useful measuring stick. The game kicks at 4 p.m. Mountain time on USA Network, and the Broncos are expected to handle a Cougars team that has been searching for traction since last weekends loss to Oregon State.
Washington States recent quarterback change adds another layer to a matchup that already looked interesting on paper, especially with the Cougars trying to steady an offense that has not settled in yet. Boise State, meanwhile, will be trying to make the most of a game where the pressure is on the favorite to look the part, even as the line has shifted since opening. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Got A Ranking Boost At The Right Time
A week off can do more than rest a roster, and Boise State got a timely reminder of that in the Week 6 Coaches Poll. After stacking up five straight victories, the Broncos continued their climb in the national conversation, landing in a stronger position as they turn toward Washington State and the next chance to prove they belong in the mix.
The broader poll picture helped frame the rise, too, with several top 25 teams taking losses and shaking up the ladder around Boise State. Oregon held at No. 25 after beating Nebraska, while other teams lingered among those receiving votes, leaving the Broncos with a little more room to keep building as the season moves deeper into October. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Got A New National Respect Boost Without Playing
Without taking the field, Boise State picked up another bit of national validation in the Week 7 AP Top 25, climbing two spots to No. 21. The Broncos collected 295 points and moved past Missouri and Oklahoma State after both teams lost over the weekend, a quiet but meaningful bump in a race where every jump in the rankings can carry real weight in the weeks ahead.
Boise State also stayed atop the Group of Six hierarchy, with James Madison the closest challenger in that conversation. The Broncos moved up to No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Poll as well, giving them a little more room in the national picture even as the season keeps tightening around them. [Read more 🡒]