Cliff Kirkpatrick

Happy Halloween from the town where orange and black are every day colors. It works well that the Oregon State football team plays its homecoming game today against UCLA.

Follow the blog before, during and after the game for updates and insight. I’ll be on a tight deadline even with a 1 p.m. game because my sons will be waiting for me to go trick-or-treating.

Here’s my PSA of the day with above video. The Horizon OSU plane is flying over the game right before kickoff. So brace yourself Corvallis. If you haven’t been reading the letters to the editor in the GT, the last flyover caused a big ruckus. It mostly from people who were anti-military.

Anyway as for the game, I picked the Beavers to win 28-7 in today’s Game Day edition. I kicked myself after it went to print. I should have picked 28-3 or 28-6 since UCLA mostly scores field goals.

To catch up on stuff going into the game, here’s a link to my main Saturday story focusing on the safeties and how they are doing and improving.

Here’s a link to my five keys to the game, and my players to watch. It’s DT Stephen Paea, who is due for a breakout game, and UCLA S Rahim Moore. He’s the nation’s leader in INTs.

Here’s a link to the UCLA scouting report, and to OSU coach Mike Riley’s view of them here. For some extra reading, here’s a link to a feature story on how Riley has fully handed the offense over the offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf and the off-beat Q&A with Damola Adeniji.

That’s if for now. I’ll use this post the game/pregame thread. So comment away and ask questions. And follow me on at twitter.com/cliffgt.

I leave you with my youngest son’s favorite song every day of the year, but truly fitting today.

Pregame updates
I know you are not shocked by this one: The Beavers are wearing orange jerseys and black pants for the holiday.

First quarter
The crowd is terrible right after kickoff. OSU takes the opening kickoff for 9 plays, 41 yards and Justin Kahut kicks a 48-yard FG. OSU up 3-0,  10:35. That was his fifth of 40 or more yards this season.

MLB David Pa’aluhi (sick) didn’t start. Keaton Kristick is in the middle with Dwight Roberson and Keith Pankey on the outsides. Pa’aluhi appears on the second drive.

QB Sean Canfield looks a little sluggish passing. The second drive ended up in a punt.

Second quarter
This quarter has been pretty boring, but quick so that’s good. Neither team has been doing much. Kahut hit another FG, a 42-yarder. OSU up 6-0, 5:56.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers just threw a 14-yard TD to TE Brady Camp out of the wildcat. It was his first career pass. The play worked so well that there was no one near Camp. The pass as a tight spiral, too. OSU up 13-0, 1:12.

A good defensive stand for OSU allows it one more shot before halftime. Canfield finds James Rodgers for a 43-yard pass to give the Beavers a shot. Kahut hits a 27-yard FG as time runs out. OSU leads 16-0 at halftime.

Third quarter
UCLA gets on the board with a 25-yard FG. Due to penalties that helped, it was victory for the defense. OSU leads 16-3, 9:44

Beavers try a fake FG, but the play was called dead due to a delay call. That pushed OSU back five yards for a 49-yarder. Kahut was one yard short.

Fourth quarter
Beavers trying to run out the clock. All the backup receivers are being used – Markus Wheaton, Casey Kjos and Aaron Nichols. RB Ryan McCants getting some work.

Kahut hit a 31-yard FG to put OSU up 19-3 with 10:10 left in the game.

UCLA picks up a fluke TD with a 53-yard reception by Nelson Rosario, and got the two-point conversion. OSU lead 19-11 with 8:39.

UCLA made it a game. Drove the field and scored a TD with 2:06 left in the game. Taylor Embree catches one on Tim Clark and then a 2-point conversion. Game tied 19-19 with 2:06.

Clark needed help off the field with some injury.

Beavers come back with a 17-yard rushing TD by James Rodgers with 0:44 left in the game. It came off the fly sweep and he pushed through a pack of defenders. OSU up 26-19.

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1. Cliff: Saturday football reading
2. Cliff: Stanford game/pregame thread
3. Cliff: Saturday football reading
4. Cliff: WSU pregame/game thread
5. Cliff: Cincy pregame/game thread