There is new math for Oregon State as it pertains to the 2025 football schedule.

To fill out next year’s 12-game football schedule, Oregon State came up with unusual contractual agreements with several schools. A six-game hole existed when OSU-Washington State and the Mountain West could not agree to a 2025 scheduling agreement.

In the end, Oregon State is paying about $3 million to add six games to the 2025 schedule. It is a savings of some $4 million over the $7 million it paid the Mountain West in 2024 for a six-game scheduling agreement.

To get there, Oregon State got creative.

For example, OSU will pay Tulsa $500,000 to play a road game against the Golden Hurricanes next season. The Beavers agreed to a home and home against Sam Houston State. They’ll pay Sam Houston $1.2 million for next year’s game in Corvallis, and receive $200,000 for a 2031 game at SHSU.

During the past six weeks, Oregon State completed its 2025 schedule with home games against Sam Houston State, Wake Forest, Lafayette and Washington State, and road games at Appalachian State and Tulsa.

The combined cost of those games, excepting Washington State, is $2.95 million. The Oregonian/OregonLive obtained contracts on all games except Washington State, which hasn’t been finalized. Beavers athletic director Scott Barnes said Oregon State is covering most of Washington State’s travel costs for the Nov. 1 game in Corvallis. Oregon State is compensating Washington for the 2025 home game because it is an additional game to the original home-and-home agreement for 2024 (at OSU) and 2025 (at WSU).

Earlier this year, the plan was to renew a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West, but at less than the $7 million OSU and Washington State each spent in 2024. By the end of August, it was clear OSU and WSU were headed in a different direction.

“The Mountain West piece was untenable,” Barnes said.

Here’s what to know about agreements with Tulsa, Sam Houston State, Lafayette and Appalachian State (OregonLive previously reported on Wake Forest).

Tulsa: The schools agreed to a home-and-home contract, with the 2025 on November 15 in 2025, and a game at Oregon State on September 18, 2032. OSU is paying for both games, $500,000 for the 2025 game, and $250,000 in 2032. Oregon State is paying for the 2025 game to help Tulsa pay a buyout of a previously scheduled game. The visiting team can purchase a minimum of 1,000 tickets, in addition to receiving 300 complimentary tickets.

Sam Houston State: Another home-and-home agreement with a twist. OSU is paying $1.2 million to host Sam Houston State for a November 8, 2025 game. Some of that goes to help SHSU buy out a previously scheduled game. The Beavers receive $200,000 to play at Sam Houston on September 6, 2031. The deal also comes with 300 complimentary tickets to the visiting school for each game.

Appalachian State: A traditional home-and-home contract, as each home school is paying $250,000 for a game, October 4, 2025 at Appalachian State, and September 25, 2023 at Oregon State. The visiting team also receives 500 complimentary tickets, with another 1,000 tickets on consignment.

Lafayette: A standard one-game contract with an FCS school. Oregon State is paying $500,000 for an October 18, 2025 game against Lafayette. The only ticket stipulation is 300 complimentary tickets.

In the case of Wake Forest as previously reported, Oregon State is paying $750,000 to play host to the Demon Deacons. Most of that goes to help Wake Forest pay a buyout to Mississippi, which had a scheduled game with the Demon Deacons in 2025.

Barnes stopped short of calling the $3 million cost for the six additional games a bargain, but said “it’s more representative of the market than where we were. It’s significant savings. I think we got the quality we needed.”

Previously scheduled for 2025 are home games against California, Fresno State and Houston, and road games against Oregon, Texas Tech and Washington State.

Barnes is hopeful Oregon State’s two-year football scheduling odyssey is over. In 2026, the Beavers begin play in the rebuilt Pac-12. When the Pac-12 lineup is finished, OSU is likely to have seven or eight conference games, plus four or five nonconference games.

Currently, Oregon State has scheduled nonconference games against Texas Tech and Houston. Barnes said discussions to add two or three more games are underway.

“It’s funny how much we took for granted when we had nine conference games. You just had to fill the hole with three, and you’re done,” Barnes said. “This last two years has been exhausting. It’s been really hard. It’ll be great to get back to a base of conference games.”

Ideally, Barnes would like to end up with eight conference games and four nonconference games. Under the old Pac-12 format of nine conference games, Barnes’ formula for nonconference games was one Power 5, one Group of 5, preferably a higher-level program, and a FCS opponent.

With four nonconference games, Barnes said Oregon State’s aim is scheduling two Power 4 opponents, plus a G5 and an FCS.

–Nick Daschel can be reached at 360-607-4824, ndaschel@oregonian.com or @nickdaschel.

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The Utah Jazz look for their first win of the season during their fifth outing on the year, set to take on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs back at home on Halloween night.

Starting off with a 0-4 record, the Jazz sit as the lone team in the NBA without a win to their name yet, as the Detroit Pistons secured their first of the year on Wednesday night. It may be tough without a few key players like Taylor Hendricks and Lauri Markkanen potentially out of the lineup, but it’s hard to count Utah out when they’re on home turf.

Entering Thursday’s matchup, the Jazz will be favored to win this game via the sportsbooks for the first time this season.

As for the Spurs, they’ve gotten off to a rocky beginning for their season through four games, logging a 1-3 record to place right alongside the Jazz at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. However, with a long season ahead, and a talent like Wembanyama holding down both ends of the floor, it’s hard to count this team out in any matchup.

With that, here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Jazz’s fifth regular season game of the year.

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There is a lot to like about the Washington Nationals in the future. They are loaded with young talent up and down the roster, whether it is in the lineup or on their pitching staff.

However, there are a few areas of concern heading into the offseason. One of the positions that could use an upgrade is third base.

Who could the Nationals look to add to their roster at the hot corner? Here are four players they need to pursue in the winter to upgrade their lineup.

One of the most accomplished players hitting free agency, the Houston Astros star is going to get paid a large sum of money. A two-time World Series champion and turning 31 right before the 2025 campaign, he can lock things down at third base for years to come.

His market is going to be robust as the clear-cut No. 1 option at the position that is hitting the market. A ton of teams are going to try and land him and it will take a ton of money to pry him away from the Astros.

If Washington wants to go to the top of the market, there isn’t a better option that will be available. However, it could be argued that they would be better off spending top dollar at first base; at least there are options in-house at third who could handle innings here such as Jose Tena, Ildemaro Vargas and prospects Brady House and Cayden Wallace.

The veteran hitting free agency is not yet a sure thing. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a $15 million club option that can be exercised and retain him for 2025.

Even if that does occur, Suarez could be made available on the trade market. Rumors swirled about him being a trade candidate ahead of this past summer’s deadline when he was struggling. 

He ended the season on a high note, restoring his value. The Nationals won’t find a better answer to their home run problem at third base than the veteran righty, who has hit 21+ home runs in every season since 2016, excluding the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign. In only 57 games that season, he did launch 15 homers.

Intra-divisional trades are quite rare. Seeing the NL East rival New York Mets make a deal to strengthen Washington’s outlook would certainly be a surprise, but if the right deal is there to be made, why not pull the trigger?

Baty is someone that could be mentioned in trade rumors all winter given the emergence of Mark Vientos at third base. While there are some concerns about Vientos’s glove long-term, the bat certainly plays.

Anyone acquiring Baty would be buying low after his chance to lockdown third base long-term in Queens didn’t come to fruition. But, it wasn’t long ago that he was a top 100 prospect in baseball. 

A change of scenery could help him get back on track and he would fit in perfectly on the timeline the Nationals are now operating with.

Washington has aspirations to turn things around quickly. For that to happen, they need some veterans who can lead the young guys, showing them exactly what it takes to succeed at the Major League level.

While not exclusively a third baseman, Enrique Hernandez can fill the void there adequately, providing leadership and guidance while also possessing World Series experience. After logging 529 solid innings at the hot corner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he can keep the seat warm until a young guys is ready.

After that, he can shift into a super-utility role, as he has logged at least one inning at every position except catcher in his professional career. Hernandez would provide insurance in the outfield and middle infield and is once again proving to be a clutch postseason performer.