For a stretch Saturday in Houston, Oregon State looked like it might be headed for a rough opener in the JaMarcus Shephard era. Instead, the Beavers dug in, punched back and made No. 23 Houston earn every bit of a 33-20 win at TDECU Stadium.
The Cougars had seized control by scoring 20 straight points and were firmly in charge with 6:40 left in the third quarter. Then Oregon State answered with an 89-yard touchdown drive led by Braden Atkinson, got an interception from Sailasa Vadrawale III, and watched Atkinson guide another scoring march that ended with AJ Newberry’s four-yard touchdown run. Just like that, the Beavers were within one score with 9:02 remaining.
The comeback bid lasted until a huge third-down play changed everything. With 6:21 left, Houston faced third-and-six from Oregon State’s 42, and Conner Weigman found Amare Thomas for a 37-yard conversion over Vadrawale. Three plays later, Weigman was in the end zone, and the Cougars had put it away.
“I felt there was a moment there where our team really showed a lot of grit in going down and making it a one-score game,” Shephard said. “Felt pretty good about them having to get the ball out quickly and they were going to have to pick a play and that’s one that’ll go down in the books for them. The kid made a play.”
That sequence ended the Beavers’ rally, but the game was decided by more than one snap.
Shephard has made three themes central to his message - explosive plays, turnovers and special teams - and Oregon State came out even in one of those areas by winning the turnover battle 2-0. But the Beavers gave up 15 explosive plays while producing seven of their own, and the special teams issues showed up too, with a missed field goal and a kickoff that went out of bounds.
Shephard said he saw “progress” in all three categories, but also made clear Oregon State still needs more big plays on offense and has to clean up a couple of dangerous moments with the ball.
Houston’s damage came in bursts, including two touchdowns that were set up by broken and missed tackles. The Cougars also controlled key downs, converting 7 of 13 on third down and 1 of 1 on fourth, while Oregon State finished 4 of 15 on third down and 2 of 5 on fourth.
Still, the Beavers stayed in the fight long enough to make it a game. That, in itself, was something to build on after a loss that was disappointing but hardly surprising.
“It didn’t really go our way, but I am very happy with the fight and there’s positives along the way,” defensive end Takari Hickle said.
Atkinson was one of the biggest reasons Oregon State had a chance. In only his second game against an FBS defense, he went 29 of 48 for 376 yards and a touchdown.
Those 376 yards were the most by an Oregon State quarterback since Jake Luton threw for 408 against Washington State on Nov. 23, 2019, and they were also the most Houston has allowed since Oct. 12, 2023.
“Having all those pieces around me helps out,” Atkinson said. “My job is to be the point guard; give them the ball and let them play their own game and not really do too much. They all balled out.”
There’s still plenty for Oregon State to sort out, starting with a run game that managed just 26 yards on 25 carries and a run defense that gave up 228 yards and three touchdowns.
Whether those issues get solved in time for No. 12 Texas Tech next week is another matter.
Shephard wasn’t trying to pretend the matchup or the talent gap was the point. He wanted to see what his team was made of, and whether it would reflect the standard and values he’s been preaching since arriving in Corvallis nine months ago.
On Saturday, he got the answer he was looking for, even if the result didn’t go Oregon State’s way.
In Other News...
Indiana Looked Like A Top 10 Team From The Start
Saturdays opening weekend gave the college football rankings plenty to sort through, but a few teams wasted no time making their case. Ohio State rolled past Ball State behind big days from Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin, Indiana handled North Texas with a balanced showing in its opener, and Alabama looked sharp in a comfortable win over East Carolina as Keelon Russell made his first start.
For Oregon State, though, the early conversation already feels a little more complicated after Houston came away with a 33-20 win. The Beavers had enough offense to stay in the game, but the result left them in the position so many teams face in September: trying to figure out what a tough opener says about the bigger picture, and how much of that first impression can still be reshaped before the schedule gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon States Loss Raised A Bigger Concern Than The Final Score
Houstons 33-20 win over Oregon State at TDECU Stadium looked like a straightforward early-season result on the scoreboard, but Willie Fritz spent his postgame time talking about the details that tend to decide whether a team can really sustain success. The head coach pointed to the running game, some uneven tackling, and a few key moments that swung field position and momentum, including a sack by Javion White and a late big play from Amare Thomas.
For a team still sorting out what it is defensively and where the offense can be more consistent, those are the kinds of issues that matter beyond one loss. Fritz also mentioned individual performances and areas that need to improve, which is usually the sign of a coach trying to separate fixable mistakes from broader concerns. In other words, the final score was only part of the story, and not necessarily the biggest part. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Left Houston With One Worry Fans Will Feel Fast
Oregon State left TDECU Stadium with a loss to No. 23 Houston, 33-20, but the larger concern for the Beavers came after the game when JaMarcus Shephard started sorting through the aftermath. The coach reviewed a performance that had some encouraging elements, including turnovers and leadership from Braden Atkinson, while also pointing to the areas that kept the Beavers from turning a competitive night into a better result.
The immediate follow-up now sits on the injury front, where Oregon State has to wait for clarity on a couple of players after a physical night in Houston. At the same time, Shephard was blunt about the football itself, saying the Beavers have work to do in tackling and on third- and fourth-down execution if they want to make the most of the positives they did bring home. [Read more 🡒]