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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