The Pac-12’s newest look has one clear headliner right now, and it’s Boise State.
No. 25 Boise State (8-1, 5-0) heads into Saturday’s matchup with Oregon State carrying an eight-game winning streak, a College Football Playoff resume that keeps getting better, and the added spotlight of ESPN’s College GameDay in town.
The Broncos and Beavers will kick off at 4 p.m. Mountain time on USA Network, with Boise State also able to clinch home-field advantage for the Pac-12 championship game with a win.
Oregon State (5-4, 3-2) comes in on the opposite end of the momentum scale. The Beavers have dropped back-to-back games, and after a five-game stretch in which they averaged 51 points per game, they’ve managed only 43 total points across those two losses coming out of a bye.
Boise State’s latest statement came in a 64-38 home win over Colorado State on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Broncos piled up 669 yards of total offense against the Rams, and there’s a chance starting quarterback Maddux Madsen returns for this week’s game.
Oregon State’s last outing was a 42-21 road loss to Boise State on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Bobcats controlled the trenches in that game to pick up a big road win.
Utah State continues to sit near the top of the league picture as well. The Aggies earned a 17-10 home win over Fresno State on Saturday, Nov. 7, and the defense has been the calling card. Utah State is playing the best defense of any Pac-12 team and has a real chance to win out and reach the conference title game.
San Diego State is also still in the mix after a bye week. The Aztecs’ last result was a 42-21 home loss to Texas State on Saturday, Nov. 7, but the week off gave them time to prepare for a possible run at the Pac-12 championship game. They host Utah State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on USA Network.
Fresno State is trying to steady itself after a rough follow-up to its breakthrough against Oregon State. The Bulldogs lost 17-10 on the road to Utah State on Saturday, Nov. 7, after an offensive no-show.
At the other end of the standings, the one-win Cougars are looking at their best chance to grab a Pac-12 victory this week. They host Colorado State on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Colorado State, meanwhile, has plenty to clean up after the 64-38 loss to Boise State. The Rams’ defense may be the single worst unit in all of FBS. They travel to Washington State on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
In Other News...
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 Faces A Brutal Boise State Threat It Must Contain
Boise State comes into Saturdays game at Albertsons Stadium with the kind of profile that makes every opponent pay attention, and Oregon State is next in line to deal with it. The Broncos have been rolling through the Pac-12 and have built a rsum that keeps them in the College Football Playoff conversation, with quarterback Maddux Madsen, running back Dylan Riley and receiver Rasean Jones forming the core of an offense that has been difficult to slow down.
For Oregon State, the challenge is simple to describe and hard to solve: keep Boise State from dictating the game on the ground and force the Broncos into uncomfortable situations early. The setting only adds to the pressure, with a road trip to Boise and a matchup against a team that has already shown it can stack wins and pile up production. The Beavers do not need a perfect answer, but they do need one that holds up long enough to keep the game within reach. [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 🡒]