Washington State at Oregon State
Written by Matthew Martz - Google +
Washington State (1-8) heads to Oregon State (4-4) looking to end its 17-game conference losing streak.
Good luck, Cougars. Oregon State is a lot better than its record indicates, with two of its losses coming by three points or less and the other two coming against two top-five ranked teams. Couple this with the fact that the Beavers are coming off an upset loss to UCLA and it looks like WSU might be the victim of a bounce-back.
Not that the Cougars haven’t improved a bit themselves. They’re coming off a heartbreaking, 20-13, loss to Cal in which it led, 14-13, late in the game. And two weeks ago, the Cougars managed to say within 10 points of top 10 Stanford. But the bright spots are few and far between for WSU, which is averaging just 17.6 points per game on offense and giving up 38.1 point per game on defense.
The future for WSU is quarterback Jeff Tuel, who has quietly put together a solid season, throwing for 2,325 yards and 14 touchdowns with 11 picks, and freshman wide receiver Marquess Wilson, who is among the Pac-10′s leading pass catchers with 50 receptions for 935 yards and four scores. Other than an occasional display of aerial proficiency, the Cougars don’t have a whole lot to offer on offense. The running game is anemic and the offensive line has given up an astounding 42 sacks–most in the nation.
The Cougs’ defense is little better, coming in last in the conference in almost every conceivable category. WSU can’t stop the run or defend the pass, which all bodes well for the Beavers’ chances of making this one a laugher.
Even though Oregon State has struggled for the most part on offense this year, playing the Cougars has a way of making teams look good. Junior running back Jacquizz “Gidget” Rodgers has been his usual steady self, rushing for 803 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 23 catches and two scores. The Beavers miss his brother, James, who is lost for the season due to a knee injury, but quarterback Ryan Katz has been steady in the passing game anyway and athletic wide out Marcus Wheaton has stepped up to fill the void left by the older Rodgers.
The Beavers have been struggling on defense this year, but they match up well with the Cougar attack. James Dockery and Lance Mitchell are two of the best defensive backs in the conference. As good as Wilson is, he can’t beat the Beavers by himself.
Matt’s Free Prediction: Oregon State 42, Washington State 17- All in all, it points to a comfortable Oregon State win in the comfy confines of Rieser Stadium. The Beavers have won the last three contests over the Cougars by a combined score of 160-40. I see no reason why that dominance shouldn’t continue. The spread is in favor of OSU at 23.5 points, with an over of 56. I think the Beavers will handle the spread and both teams will top the over.
One Response to “Washington State at Oregon State”
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Well, well… I see all of you who thought WSU would lose are now rethinking about your bets. WSU sure made this team look good. Not!!! No bounce back here so wake up and smell the flowers. Not all games are predictable as like the weather.