The Oregon State football team moved to No. 20 in the AP and coaches polls and No. 19 the BCS poll.
The Beavers have won three straight and five of the last six games. Winning the last two games of the season enhances their postseason game, possibility as high as the Rose Bowl.
“We’re glad to be ranked, but we’d like to make it better,” coach Mike Riley said Sunday night. “We have improved. We’ve gotten ourselves in a good position and dug out of a hole. We want to keep that going with momentum.”
Riley said he didn’t figure out the possibilities for the Beavers to reach the Rose Bowl, and didn’t address them with his team. He just figures if his team wins the last two games they did their part.
Injury update
RB Jacquizz Rodgers (glute stinger) worked out with the team Sunday, and will be ready for practice Tuesday.
LT Michael Philipp (strained knee), WR Damola Adeniji (elbow), S Jordan Poyer (shoulder) and LB Devin Unga (stinger) took it easy but will be ready for this week’s game.
DT Castro Masaniai was sick and skipped the workout.
Pulling the starters
There was some grumbling from Washington on Saturday about OSU not pulling the starters earlier in the game.
And there’s some history against Washington State about throwing a late TD pass last year and running up the score with the backups.
“I don’t worry about that because I know our intentions,” Riley said. “We are only playing the game. How we play the game is our business. We try to do what’s right for the game and our team. It’s a valid argument we could have substituted a series earlier. We didn’t talk about it. We were just playing the game.”
Will you do that earlier against Washington State?
“We’d like to be able to do that,” Riley said. “We don’t go into a game thinking when that will be. We just go in to win it.
8 comments
beavsfan10 says:
Nov 16, 2009
While I agree with Coach Riley that how they play the game is certainly their business it does seem to me that getting some younger players in a couple of series earlier might help us avoid slow starts at the beginning of seasons. And with Riley knowing we will be breaking in a new QB next year it would be nice to see Katz get some reps to go into next season with. I can EASILY see a possibility of Katz getting an entire half of work against WSU if Riley will let him this week.
psyco_orange says:
Nov 16, 2009
I agree with the above comment but my primary concern is avoiding injuries. It's one thing to get injured when the outcome of the game is still unknown but to get hurt when it serves no purpose is questionable coaching.
beeverluv says:
Nov 16, 2009
You want your first team to get a good amount of reps in so they don't lose their edge for the next week. I think Quon's return to open the second half ruined that whole rhythm thing we were looking for. There would have been one less series with the first team had that never happened.
It's hard to explain, but your week is lost unless your athletes first meet then overcome 'the wall.' If you're a runner, you know what I'm talking about. There is no satisfaction in running half a race.
WebTraveler says:
Nov 16, 2009
Pretty weird the game time and TV situation is not set.
FSN has announced ASU-UCLA as the FSN game. That game is the battle for 9th place in the conference, I realize two big tv markets, but common!! OSU – WSU at least has some implications.
I know for UW they received permission from FSN to broadcast the the UW-OSU game instead of Stanford – USC. But that word came out sooner than now….will it happen again??
mxpx5678 says:
Nov 16, 2009
I didn't even get to see the UW-OSU game as I am in the Bay area and they showed the Stanford-USC game
RenoNVBeavr says:
Nov 16, 2009
Webtraveler – The only implications for the OS – WSU game are 1) Will WSU actually score more than 7 pts; 2) How much will OS starters play and 3) Will the weather force the Beavs to don an extra pair of warm clothes. In short, there are no implications. UCLA and ASU, as hard as it is to believe, still have postseason aspirations.
mxpx5678 says:
Nov 16, 2009
WSU game won't be televised, it is a 2pm game, no TV. oh well.
Cliff: More WSU briefing « Cliff Kirkpatrick says:
Nov 17, 2009
[...] (shoulder) to the injury list. It’s not serious because he lifted weights. Everyone noted in Sunday night’s injury report will be ready for Saturday’s game, Riley [...]