Oregon State walks into one of its toughest assignments of the season on Saturday, and the matchup starts with the biggest problem of all: Boise State has too many ways to hurt you.
The Beavers face the Broncos at 3 p.m. PT on Nov. 14 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, with Boise State listed as a 10.5-point favorite. The game will air on USA Network, with radio coverage on KEX 1190 in Portland and KEJO 1240 and 93.7 in Corvallis.
Boise State has spent this season looking every bit like the standard-bearer for the Group of Six. The Broncos were pegged as a College Football Playoff contender before the season, and after beating Memphis and Western Michigan in nonconference play and staying undefeated in the Pac-12, they’re in the driver’s seat for that berth. Even a loss may not knock them out of the CFP picture at this point.
The offense is the engine. Boise State owns the conference’s top scoring attack, powered by Dylan Riley, the nation’s leading rusher.
Freshman Rasean Jones has also emerged as one of the league’s best receiving threats, trailing only Jesse Legree in that conversation. And while the defense has been solid by league standards, it has shown cracks against stronger offenses.
Maddux Madsen is another major reason the Broncos have stayed on track. The fifth-year senior has taken a clear step forward as a starter, completing 66.7% of his passes for 1,681 yards with 15 touchdowns and just one interception.
He’s also added 142 rushing yards and three scores. Madsen missed the Colorado State game with a knee injury, but he is expected back this week.
Then there’s Riley, who has turned the backfield into a weekly problem for opposing defenses. He has 1,241 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, with six 100-yard games and one performance over 200 yards. He’s not just a runner, either - Riley has 17 receptions for 218 yards and two more touchdowns.
Jones has been just as dangerous in his own way. The freshman has 44 catches for 670 yards and five touchdowns, and he has also scored once on the ground. If not for Jesse Legree, Jones would be the runaway favorite for freshman of the year in the Pac-12.
Boise State’s defense has its own impact names. Jayden Virgin-Morgan leads the edge rush with 28 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, along with 3.5 sacks and one pass breakup.
The numbers are down from his sophomore and junior seasons, but the talent is still obvious. Linebacker Boen Phelps leads the team with 52 tackles, four for loss, plus one sack, one interception and four pass breakups.
The Broncos also come with a history note that underscores how steady this program has been: 29 straight winning seasons, the third-longest streak in FBS history. They’ve also scored at least 30 points in eight straight wins for the first time since 2011, and they’ve rushed for more than 350 yards in two games this season, a first for the program.
The threat level here is as high as it gets. Boise State is the best Group of Six team in the country, Riley is one of the nation’s top backs, and Jones may be the best receiver Oregon State sees. It’s difficult to point to a clear edge for the Beavers, and after the last two games, their weaknesses have been laid bare.
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Oregon State's Painful Loss Exposed Problems Fans Can't Ignore
Oregon States 42-21 loss to Texas State left little room for spin, and the postgame message from JaMarcus Shephard made clear the Beavers know it. After a night in which the defense was chasing plays and linebacker Aiden Sullivan was left pursuing a Texas State running back in one sequence, the performance underscored a gap between what Oregon State needs to be and what it showed on the field.
Shephard did not hide from the broader picture afterward, saying the Beavers have major corrections ahead. The loss also came with personnel concerns layered on top of the on-field issues, adding another wrinkle to a team already trying to steady itself after a rough result that exposed problems fans could see unfolding in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Just Got Called Out In A Way Fans Will Hate
Texas State left no doubt in its 42-21 win over Oregon State, piling up 600 yards and gouging the Beavers on the ground for 386 rushing yards. The performance exposed a team that had trouble handling pressure on offense and too often gave up chunk gains on defense, the kind of afternoon that forces a hard reset in the film room.
Afterward, Texas State coach GJ Kinne added a sharper edge to the conversation by describing Oregon State as a finesse team, a label the Beavers are unlikely to enjoy hearing. Oregon States coaches have already acknowledged the remark and plan to use it as fuel, with the staff intent on pushing the team toward more physical play as it tries to clean up the penalties, protect better, and stop the big plays that made Saturday so lopsided. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Walks Into Boise With The Pac-12 Race Suddenly Tightening
Oregon State is heading into one of the biggest stages of the Pac-12 season, with Boise State set to host a matchup that suddenly carries real weight in the standings. The Broncos come in ranked No. 25 and riding an eight-game winning streak, and the game will air on USA Network, giving the conference race a national spotlight as the stretch run tightens.
For the Beavers, the timing matters just as much as the opponent. Oregon State is part of a crowded group tied for second place in the Pac-12, which means every result from here on out can reshape the path to the title game. Boise State has the chance to strengthen its grip on the top of the league, while Oregon State is trying to keep itself in the thick of a race that no longer leaves much room for error. [Read more 🡒]