Boise State (0-0) at Oregon State (0-0), 10:30 p.m. EDT (ESPN)
Line: Oregon State by 2 1/2, based on .
Sequence file: Oregon State leads 5-4.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
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Boise State takes on a Pac-12 foe for the primary time since a loss to Washington within the 2019 Las Vegas Bowl. From 2014 to 2017, the Broncos defeated at the very least one Pac-12 opponent per season. Boise State is taking part in its second season underneath coach Andy Avalos. Final yr, the workforce completed 7-5 and was bowl eligible for a twenty fourth straight season. The Beavers, getting into their fifth season underneath former quarterback Jonathan Smith, went 7-6 final season and earned a postseason berth for the primary time since 2013. Oregon State fell within the LA Bowl to Utah State.
KEY MATCHUP
Oregon State quarterback Probability Nolan towards Boise State’s move rush. Defensive linemen Scott Matlock had seven sacks final season and Isaiah Bagnah had six. Nolan received the beginning job for the Beavers after a contest in fall camp with Tristan Gebbia and Ben Gulbranson. Nolan threw for two,677 yards and 19 touchdowns final season, whereas speeding for 286 yards and three extra TDs.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Boise State: RB George Holani is wholesome after scuffling with accidents for the previous two seasons. The Broncos are hoping Holani can recapture the success he had in 2019, when he rushed for 1,014 yards with seven touchdowns.
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Oregon State: RBs Trey Lowe and Deshaun Fenwick. The incumbents will take the majority of the carries for the Beavers, based on coach Smith. “A few of it is going to be depending on the play being known as, the type. I can see the opposite three getting within the combine, however for recreation one the anticipation is that Fenwick and Trey would be the high two ball carriers.”
FACTS & FIGURES
Boise State was picked to complete atop the Mountain West Convention’s Mountain Division, whereas Fresno State was picked to high the West Division. Oregon State visits Fresno State subsequent weekend. … Oregon State has offered out Reser Stadium for the sport. Reser has a lowered capability of 27,000 this season due to a $161 million building challenge to switch the west grandstand. A brand new $5 million video scoreboard is anticipated to be up and operating for the sport. … The Beavers have been 6-0 at house final season. … The Broncos received the final assembly between the 2 groups, 38-24, at Reser in 2016. Though Oregon State poses an enormous problem for the primary week of the season, Avalos mentioned “on the finish of the day it’s nonetheless all the time about us. It is in regards to the element with which we put together, and which we prepare. We lastly get to play a recreation. There’s been quite a lot of work put in all through the course of the yr and I believe that is the thrill of it.”
No. 9 Oregon State put on a show in its first 2025 home gymnastics meet Saturday, scoring 196.40 points to easily beat Brigham Young at Gill Coliseum.
Senior Jade Carey, performing in a home meet for the first time since winning two Olympic gold medals last summer, scored 39.725 in all-around. Carey had scores of 9.95 on bars and floor, 9.925 on beam and 9.90 on vault.
Carey had the highest score in each event on either team. The best scores by a Beaver gymnast aside from Carey were 9.85s by Natalie Briones (bars), Sage Thompson (bars), Lauren Letzsch (beam), Savannah Miller (floor) and Sophia Esposito (floor and beam).
Brigham Young scored 194.2 points. Kylie Eaquinto led the way with an all-around score of 39.050.
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— Nick Daschel covers the Oregon State Beavers. Reach him at 360-607-4824 or @nickdaschel. Listen to the Beaver Banter podcast or subscribe to the Beavers Roundup newsletter.
On Saturday morning at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, three-star prospect T’Andre Waverly announced his commitment to Oregon State over Washington and Notre Dame.
The product of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington, is ranked as the nation’s No. 96 athlete and No. 18 player in the state in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Once he arrives in Corvallis, he’s expected to play tight end.
“I believe in [offensive coordinator Ryan] Gunderson for the future,” Waverly told 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman. “And I’m excited to get to know the new tight ends coach [Will Heck].”
“[Head coach Trent] Bray seems like a real get to business guy and I like that. I don’t want a coach who will pamper me. I want someone who will tell me what I need to do and what to do.”
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Despite seeing the in-state prospect going elsewhere, tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has pulled in a promising batch at the position after signing four-star Baron Naone and three-star Austin Simmons in December.
For an athlete, a loss can shake even the strongest mental foundation. For Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, those feelings bubbled up after losing to the Oregon Ducks 32-31 at Autzen Stadium in early October.
While interviewing with ESPN before Ohio State’s semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns for the College Football Playoffs, the quarterback reflected on that feeling of loss.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. Some of the ups and downs that we did go through are why we’re sitting here today in the semifinals and probably playing our best ball right now,” Howard said. “There have been some tough moments. I’d say that Oregon loss early on in the season was rough.”
Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) walks off the field after losing 32-31 to Oregon Ducks during the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Howard, who went 28-35 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, remembers what he did after that fateful quarterback keeper turned slide that sealed the fate of the Buckeyes during that regular season encounter with the Ducks.
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“Coming out of it I felt like I played a good game but it was really just the ending. I sat there and stewed over just how could I have done that differently. But when we got back here I think it was about six in the morning. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was kind of at a loss. I went into the indoor and I just laid there for about an hour – hour and a half. I was in a dark place. I just wanted another crack at them so bad. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the next chance I could get,” Howard said.
It wasn’t too long before Howard got his second chance with Oregon. After winning the Big Ten Championship, the No. 1 ranked Ducks were seeded for the Rose Bowl. With the Buckeyes easily beating Tennessee at home the previous week, Ohio State faced the Ducks once more.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) motions at the line of scrimmage during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Before every game, I listen to two voicemails that my late grandmother sent me and I’ve been doing that every game for the last three years now,” Howard said. “I listened to the voicemail and it just brought this immense peace over me. This year for the playoffs it actually probably got me going even more. It really helped.”
Those voicemails helped Howard correct his headspace before facing Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Howard went 17-26 in passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes completely shut out Oregon in the first quarter, with the Ducks only responding at the end of the second quarter with a touchdown and two point conversion. Howard reflected on the point in the game where the Buckeyes were up 34-0 against the No. 1 team in the nation.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) holds a rose following the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Ecstatic. I mean, at that point it felt like it was almost not real. It was like ‘Man, are we really up on the No. 1 team in the country right now that we were in a dog fight with at their place?’” Howard said.
The Buckeyes won against Oregon 41-21, advancing to the Cotton Bowl Classic against the Texas Longhorns, where Howard and the Buckeyes are knocking on the door of a National Championship.
“You take a big National Championship ring and hoisting the trophy up. It takes a lot of the hardships and bad things that happened this year and kind of go out the window,” Howard said.
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