Oregon State could be getting a major boost up front at the right time.
Neither left tackle Josiah Timoteo nor interior offensive lineman Carter Guillaume appears on the Beavers’ player availability report Wednesday, a strong sign both are on track to return Saturday against Washington State.
Timoteo has been out the past three games after injuring his foot in the season opener against Houston. He was limited in games against Texas Tech and Montana before being sidelined.
Guillaume, who also hurt his foot against Houston, has missed the last five games. He was ruled out last week, but he still dressed and went through pregame warmups before Oregon State’s game with San Diego State.
Receiver Xayvion Noland is also absent from Wednesday’s report after being a game-time decision last week because of an unspecified injury, though he did not play.
The Beavers only have three players listed as out: inside linebacker Kord Shaw, cornerback Kai Wheaton and safety RJ Whitten. Shaw’s injury is unspecified, Wheaton is dealing with a left wrist issue and Whitten has a right foot injury.
Washington State has several uncertainty points of its own. Offensive lineman Ashton Tripp, defensive linemen Michael Hughes and Malachi Wrice, and defensive back Kyle Peterson are all listed as questionable. Earlier this week, Cougars coach Kirby Moore said Tripp was “day-to-day” and that Hughes, Wrice and Peterson would be game-time decisions.
Oregon State enters at 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-12, while Washington State is 1-5 and 0-2.
The matchup is set for Saturday, Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. PT at Reser Stadium in Corvallis.
Oregon State is an 18.5-point favorite. The game will air on USA, with radio coverage on KEX 1190 in Portland and KEJO 1240 and 93.7 in Corvallis.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Suddenly Has A Secondary Concern Oregon State Should Watch
Oklahoma States availability report for its game against Houston brought a new wrinkle into focus, one Oregon State fans will note because it reflects how quickly a defense can shift during a stretch run. Safety Mose Phillips is listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury, and that comes after he started the past four games. Defensive tackle Landon Dean is also out, while freshman receiver Dayvon Standard is probable to make his college debut.
For Oregon State, the interest is in how the Cowboys manage those absences if the report holds through game time. A secondary missing a starter can change the way an opponent handles coverage and run support, and Oklahoma State is already dealing with a thinner look up front with Dean unavailable. Houston has its own issues on defense, but the biggest question for the Beavers to track is whether Oklahoma States back end can hold up without Phillips available. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Freshman Is Forcing His Way Into A National Debate
Jesse Legree has gone from promising freshman to one of the most talked-about receivers in the country in a hurry. The Oregon State wideout has been producing at a level that belongs in the national conversation, and his numbers are hard to ignore when the discussion turns to the best young pass-catchers in college football.
What makes the start even more eye-opening is the consistency. Legree has topped 100 receiving yards in every game this season while working with quarterback Braden Atkinson, who has been piling up passing yards at a historic pace of his own. The result is a Beavers offense with a rookie star pushing his way into a debate most expected to be led elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Faces A Real Threat To Its Four-Game Surge
Washington State is spending the week trying to figure out how to slow down a surging Oregon State team that has suddenly become one of the Pac-12s most difficult matchups. The Cougars, now under first-year coach Kirby Moore, are looking at a few pressure points as they prepare for the league co-leader, including how to handle the Beavers' passing game and how to keep Oregon States defensive line from dictating the action.
On the other side, Washington State knows it needs more efficiency from its own offense if it wants to turn this into a game. The Cougars are weighing ways to get their quarterback situation moving in the right direction and leaning on outside-zone run concepts to create space, but the challenge is obvious: Oregon State has already put together a four-game surge, and breaking that rhythm will take more than just a decent plan on paper. [Read more 🡒]