The Oregon State Beavers get Texas State on Saturday night in a Pac-12 matchup that brings together two teams looking to bounce back from losses.
Texas State came up just short in a wild one at Boise State, falling 46-45 after letting an upset chance slip away. Oregon State, meanwhile, was knocked off as a -6.5 road favorite at Fresno State.
The Bobcats had won their previous two games before that defeat, but they still haven’t picked up a road win this season. Oregon State has been much tougher at home, going 3-1 there and winning five straight before last week’s stumble.
This is the first time these programs have ever met.
The biggest name in the game is Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson, who has been piling up numbers all season in his sophomore campaign. Nobody in college football has more passing yards than his 2,977, and he’s tied for the national lead with 25 passing touchdowns. He’s also been careful with the ball, throwing only two interceptions.
At home, Atkinson has been especially sharp. In four home games, he’s thrown for 1,500 yards, 15 touchdowns and just one interception.
From a betting angle, the spread is tricky, but the total looks a lot cleaner. The case for the OVER is strong: Texas State is 6-2 to the OVER, and Oregon State is 7-1 to the OVER this season. Oddsmakers have pushed the number into the low 70s, but that still may not be enough to slow down what shapes up as a late-night Pac-12 shootout.
In Other News...
Oregon States Rebuilt Roster Is Sending An Early Message
A rebuilt Oregon State roster is already looking more comfortable than most teams do this early in November. The Beavers rolled past Cal Baptist 96-68, using a balanced attack and a fast tempo to keep control from start to finish, while Legend Smiley paced the offense with 21 points. The win pushed Oregon State to 2-0 and offered an early glimpse of how quickly a group with so many new faces and a new coaching staff can come together.
What stood out just as much was the way the Beavers mixed perimeter volume with efficiency inside, then kept finding clean looks in the paint. Oregon State shot 78.8% from inside the arc, a sign that the movement and spacing are already translating into real production. For a team still building its identity, the early returns suggest the pieces are fitting together faster than expected, even if the bigger tests are still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Fast Start Is Giving Beavers Fans Real Reason To Believe
Oregon States early-season momentum kept rolling with a convincing 96-68 win over Cal Baptist, a result that gave the Beavers another comfortable night and pushed them to 2-0. Legend Smiley set the tone offensively, while Josiah Lake, Deshawn Gory and Xavion Staton all chipped in to give the Beavers a balanced scoring night and a little more evidence that this group can spread the load.
For a program looking to build confidence early, the more encouraging part may be how quickly Oregon State has settled in on both ends of the floor. The Beavers have already shown they can put teams away, and the next test comes against Eastern Washington, where they will get another chance to see whether this fast start is the beginning of something more than just a promising opening week. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Suddenly Has A QB Issue Oregon State Must Watch
Boise State heads into its game against Colorado State with a sudden shakeup at quarterback, and Oregon State has to keep an eye on it from afar. Maddux Madsen will not play after suffering a left knee injury, leaving Max Cutforth in line to make the start as the Broncos try to steady an offense that also will be missing starting left guard Carson Rasmussen and running back Sire Gaines.
For the Beavers, the bigger question is what this means for the next matchup on the schedule. Boise State still has time to sort through the injury situation before facing Oregon State, and the Broncos will be watching Madsens recovery closely in the days ahead as they try to determine how much of their usual offensive plan will be available. [Read more 🡒]