Oregon State had more than a few bright spots in its Week 1 loss to top-25 Houston, and several of them came from places nobody saw coming. True freshman wideout Jesse Legree burst onto the scene with five catches for 136 yards in his first college game.
Xayvion Noland, the 5'6" speedster from UTRGV, chipped in a pair of first-down grabs and showed he already has timing with Braden Atkinson. Freshman receiver Cynai Thomas also made his mark, finishing with more than 30 receiving yards in his debut.
But as the Beavers turn to a matchup with top-15 Texas Tech, the focus shifts to a few players whose roles could shape Saturday’s game.
Sailasa Vadrawale looked like one of Oregon State’s most polished defenders in the opener. The junior defensive back took clear steps forward in Corvallis and was especially sharp in the second half against Houston.
He stacked up open-field tackles, made strong reads in coverage, and picked off a pass early in the fourth quarter. Against a Texas Tech offense that brings plenty of firepower, the Beavers will need that kind of presence again.
On the other side of the ball, true freshman running back Glass was Oregon State’s most efficient halfback in the opener even though he didn’t start. He averaged 4.2 yards on six carries and added three catches out of the backfield, giving the offense a little more versatility. Texas Tech had some trouble at times containing Abilene Christian’s multi-threat back in Week 1, so Glass could be in line for a larger workload and a bigger role in the Beaver attack.
Takari Hickle also made his case in a big way against Houston. The senior delivered on the preseason buzz, getting into the backfield repeatedly and finishing with 1.5 tackles for loss.
He was a key part of Oregon State’s improved run defense in the second half. That kind of disruption will matter again this week, especially with Texas Tech bringing a strong offensive line and young quarterback Will Hammond into the matchup.
Then there’s tight end Olsen, the Utah Tech transfer who showed exactly how dangerous a pass-catching tight end can be. He hauled in four passes for 54 yards, but the numbers only tell part of the story.
At 6'5", the senior demanded attention every time he lined up, and that helped create space for other Oregon State receivers. With the ability to run downfield or slip out into the flat after selling a block, Olsen gives the Beavers a weapon Texas Tech will have to account for snap after snap.
In Other News...
Oregon State Just Added Fuel To The Joey McGuire Debate
Oregon State coach JaMarcus Shephard took a public swipe at the conversation around Joey McGuires rise, pointing to the resources Texas Tech can offer as part of the reason the program has been able to build momentum. Shephard did not dismiss McGuires work, crediting him for creating a culture players want to be part of, but he also suggested the Red Raiders benefit from a level of financial stability that can take some pressure off players away from the field.
For Texas Tech, the remark lands in the middle of an ongoing debate about how much money really explains success in the modern college game. McGuire has clearly built something players are buying into, and the criticism only sharpens the question of how much of that buy-in comes from culture and how much comes from the broader support system around it. It is the kind of conversation that tends to follow winning programs, and one the Red Raiders are unlikely to escape anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Fans Finally Get Their First Real Look At Jalen Brewster
Texas Tech fans have had to wait a little longer than expected for their first real glimpse of Jalen Brewster, the programs highest-ranked recruit. The top high school football prospect and Red Raiders commit moved from Cedar Hill High School in Texas to Buford High School in Georgia, which pushed back the start of his senior season and kept him out of action longer than anyone around Tech would have liked.
Now Brewster has been cleared to play for Buford and is expected back on the field this week, giving Red Raiders supporters a chance to finally see the kind of player theyve been talking about for months. What should matter most in Lubbock is that Brewster has remained firm in his commitment to Texas Tech even with several major programs still in the mix, leaving the next phase of his recruitment tied to his return to football. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Tech Already Has One Problem Oregon State Could Expose
Texas Tech opened its season with a comfortable 33-10 win over Abilene Christian, leading 17-0 by halftime and never really letting the game get away. The Red Raiders did what they needed to do early, and Stone Harrington helped keep the scoreboard moving when drives stalled inside the 20, but the opener also left a little room for concern in a game that otherwise looked controlled.
That concern sits in the red zone, where Texas Tech reached scoring position five times but did not always finish the way it wanted. Oregon State arrives next after a 33-20 loss to Houston and with a first-year coach in JaMarcus Shephard trying to get his team sharper up front and better on the ground, which makes this matchup more than just another nonconference test. If the Beavers can make the Red Raiders work for every yard again, the one blemish from Week 1 could become the kind of issue that lingers. [Read more 🡒]