Oregon State heads into Saturday night’s home matchup with Texas State trying to bounce back from its first conference loss, and the Beavers will need a few different pieces to show up if they want to do it. The Bobcats bring a high-powered offense to Reser, which means Oregon State’s secondary is going to be tested. At the same time, Texas State has had trouble on defense this season, so the Beavers should have chances to make plays through the air.
One of the most important names to watch is Hatcher, who gave Oregon State a lift against Fresno. The sophomore was the team’s most efficient runner in that game, averaging 6 yards per carry on nine touches.
Over the last couple of games, he has rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns. With Texas State having given up plenty of rushing yards last weekend, Hatcher looks set for another heavy workload.
The passing game should have room to breathe as well, and that puts a spotlight on a pair of younger receivers. The true freshman wideout has steadily carved out a larger role as the season has progressed.
In last Saturday’s loss, he found openings for three first-down catches. That kind of production matters for Oregon State as it tries to build more options around Jesse Legree.
Adonis McDaniel, an FCS transfer who made his Beaver debut against the Bulldogs, also showed encouraging signs. Both players should be part of the plan again against Texas State.
Temple was another bright spot in a difficult night in Fresno. The Central Michigan transfer tight end came through with six catches for 97 yards on Halloween night and gave Oregon State the kind of pass-catching presence OC Mitch Dahlen had pointed to before the season.
Temple has now posted three games with at least five receptions, and all three have come on the road. Along with Eric Olsen, he helped make the tight end group a major factor in the offense last weekend, and Oregon State will be hoping that production continues.
On defense, Goodman gives the Beavers a different kind of weapon. The senior from De Pete, Wisconsin has been used all over the field this season, showing the ability to drop into coverage and rush the passer. He recorded a TFL last Saturday and was effective against the run on several snaps, even if Oregon State as a whole had trouble slowing things down in that area.
In Other News...
Oregon State Faces A Bigger Test Than Saturdays Betting Line Suggests
Saturdays matchup at Reser Stadium has the feel of a game that could be closer than the betting line suggests, and a recent Q&A with Texas State beat reporter Caleb Yum helps explain why. The Bobcats have enough offensive punch to make things uncomfortable, and the conversation centered on what Texas State has done well, where quarterback Brad Jackson has been effective, and where the defense may be vulnerable against Oregon State.
For the Beavers, the bigger question is whether they can control a team that has shown it can create stress on both sides of the ball and turn a normal Saturday into a track meet. Oregon State is still favored by 6.5 points, but the preview also made clear that this is not the kind of opponent to overlook, especially with kickoff set for Saturday and broadcast and streaming details already on the board. [Read more 🡒]