Oregon State heads into Corvallis tomorrow carrying plenty of momentum, but Washington State arrives in the kind of spot that can make a ranked-looking team sweat. Coach Shephard has already made it clear what he wants from the Beavers: intensity from the opening whistle. After last season’s blowout loss in Pullman, motivation shouldn’t be hard to find.
One of the biggest keys is putting pressure on Washington State quarterback Owen Eshelman, who is making his first collegiate football start. The redshirt freshman threw 29 touchdown passes as a senior in high school in 2024, and the film shows he can absolutely drive the ball.
He’s also an aggressive thrower who has a tendency to put the ball in harm’s way. If Oregon State can get after him and make the pocket messy, the Beavers could force the kind of mistakes that swing a game and tilt the turnover battle.
Special teams also looms as a real factor. Oregon State got away with one last week when a kickoff return touchdown didn’t change the outcome of a 50-point football game, but that phase of the game can’t be ignored as the schedule gets tougher. Shephard said after the Montana game last month that special teams need to be more consistent, and that message still applies.
The Cougars may not boast a dominant offense, but they do have some real ability at receiver, led by Westview graduate Darius Clemons. Leo Pulalasi is another name to watch; he usually comes off the bench, but he flashed against Utah State last week with some strong runs.
Washington State comes in at 1-5 and is listed as a three-score underdog, but the record doesn’t tell the whole story. The Cougars pushed Arizona in Tucson a few weeks ago, leading a team many believe should be ranked midway through the third quarter.
Last Saturday, in a one-point loss, Washington State’s defense finished with six TFLs and gave up just 150 passing yards. And there’s still plenty of juice in this matchup for the Cougars, who have lost heartbreakers the last two times they’ve played in Corvallis.
An upset over the surging Beavers would change the tone of their season in a hurry.
In Other News...
JaMarcus Shephard Saw One Oregon State Problem In A Fifth Straight Win
Oregon State kept its momentum rolling with a 48-30 win over Washington State at Reser Stadium, its fifth straight victory of the season, but JaMarcus Shephards postgame mood was hardly all celebration. The head coach touched on the usual mix of injury updates, team dynamics and individual effort after the game, while also making a point to acknowledge the work of Washington State coach Trent Bray.
Even in a win that pushed the Beavers deeper into the seasons best stretch, Shephard still had one area in mind that needs attention. He said the defense has room to tighten up after a game that tested the unit in ways Oregon State will want to clean up before the schedule keeps moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Newberry Just Changed What Oregon States Offense Can Be
AJ Newberry gave Oregon State a different kind of threat in its 48-30 win over Washington State, and the numbers tell the story. Working both on the ground and as a receiver, he turned into a problem the Cougars never really solved, giving the Beavers a burst of versatility that has been hard to find at times this season.
Coach JaMarcus Shephard praised Newberrys performance and pointed to the way he responded after being directly challenged. The bigger significance is harder to miss for Oregon State: a player who can change a game in more than one phase suddenly gives the offense a wider range of options, and the kind of all-purpose night he just put together has not come along in Corvallis in a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State's Surging Offense Just Changed The Pac-12 Race
Oregon State kept rolling with its fifth straight win, taking down Washington State 48-30 in a game that showcased just how dangerous the Beavers have become on offense. Jesse Legree led the way with more than 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while A.J. Newberry added a rare all-around performance with more than 100 yards both on the ground and through the air, giving Oregon State another week where the attack looked difficult to slow.
The matchup carried an extra edge because former Oregon State head coach Trent Bray was on the other sideline as Washington States defensive coordinator, facing the program he once led. For the Beavers, the result only added to a surge that has them suddenly looking like a team with real momentum in the Pac-12 race, and the way they generated big plays in multiple ways again suggested this run may be more than just a short hot streak. [Read more 🡒]