Cliff: TCU game thread

ARLINGTON, Texas – Welcome to the first game blog of the Oregon State football team season.

Check here before and during the game for updates. Feel free to comment and ask questions. I’ll get to them if I can. I’ll have a postgame post once I deal with my print deadline.

Let’s start with the first look at Cowboys Stadium. It’s is as impressive as everyone says, and more. Check out the photos.

The top photo is view from the press box. It’s just like the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco for bad views from the end zone. However, the big screen allows you to watch with a better view.

People around here say it’s better to watch the TV over the stadium than what’s on the field. If that’s the case, why even come to the game. Just watch it on TV. That’s why the ticket sales are so slow for this game.

Arlington is a sweet place. It has The Ballpark (below) for the Rangers across the road, there’s Six Flags and a monster water park. I’ll have take my sons here for baseball and fun.

The word is OSU’s new home game entrance video will be played on the big screen here. I’ll try to get it on video for a preview for those at home.

The Beavers came out in all white uniforms. Here’s a picture from them warming up.

A sign coach Mike Riley is worried about the defense? Beavers won the toss and asked for the ball. They always defer to get the ball in the second half.

Here’s the opening video for home games. It was show at Cowboys Stadium. It includes the players coming out of the tunnel.

FIRST QUARTER
Oregon State opened the playbook on the first play for a deep pass from Ryan Katz to James Rodgers. It was incomplete, but that was a sample of what was to come.

The Beavers scored first on a 30-yard TD pass from Katz to Rodgers on their second possession. TCU forgot to cover Rodgers, who was wide open over the middle.

Safety Lance Mitchell set up the score with an INT of Andy Dalton on TCU’s 48-yard line. Mitchell returned it to the 31.

The Horned Frogs came back on the next drive with a nine-play 84-yard jaunt, highlighted by a 52-yard pass to Skye Dawson. Dalton scrambled in from 6 yards out.

Place-kicker Justin Kahut missed a 47-yard field goal wide left on OSU’s next drive. Game tied 7-7.

SECOND QUARTER
The Beavers received a punt on the first play and took the ball 81 yards in seven plays for a TD pass by Katz to Jordan Bishop. The play before that punter Johnny Hekker hit cornerback Jordan Poyer on a 23-yard pass play on fake punt. Beavers go up 14-7.

TCU tied the game in seven plays on 74-yard drive. Pass interference and offside penalties aided Dalton as he hit Jeremy Kerley on a 1-yard TD pass.

A poor 35-yard punt by Hekker allowed Kerley to return the ball 34 yards. A short 23-yard field was easy for TCU. Ed Wesley scored on an 8-yard inside run to go ahead into halftime 21-14.

THIRD QUARTER
LB Dwight Roberson saved the Beavers on the first drive. TCU dominated the line of scrimmage, but Dalton went to the air. Roberson snagged the ball on the sideline in front of the intended receiver.

The Beavers go 87 yards on eight plays to tie the game with 5:33 in the quarter on a 1-yard by Jacquizz Rodgers. TE Joe Halahuni made a big grab for 25 yards to keep the drive alive.

TCU returned to pounding the ball up the middle and running the option. OSU’s defense couldn’t stop it on a 4-minute, 28-second drive and Dalton scored on a 3-yard run with 0:59 left to go up 28-21.