Cliff: BSU game thread

BOISE, Idaho — I’m rested and ready to go as the No. 24 Oregon State football team faces No. 3 Boise State.

Check out my Saturday story in the GT to set the stage of the game. Here’s my report from ESPN’s Game Day.

ESPN’s picks were all for Boise State. Even my in the GT today had the Broncos winning 42-21. OSU’s offense should do well, but the defense has to prove it can stop a talented team.

I’ll be updating this blog throughout the day. The postgame blog will be up after my print deadline.

Maybe AD Bob De Carolis’ idea of painting the practice field blue worked. The first two times I was here the blue burned my eyes. Not now.

It could be because the color has dulled over the years. That, or the new press box is so far up now there’s enough distance between the field and me to save my vision.

The Beavers are in all white uniforms. And, of course, the Broncos are in all blue on the blue field.

Here’s something to pay attention to during the game. WR James Rodgers needs 77 yards to become the all-time, all-purpose yardage leader in OSU history.

FIRST QUARTER
Oregon State was worried about how it started the game, and it was as bad as could be expected. QB Ryan Katz was sacked twice and P Johnny Hekker gave Boise State a short 44-yard field.

The Broncos made it look easy on the way to a touchdown. They even added a trick play for the score when WR Austin Pettis threw a 6-yard TD pass off a reverse to TE Tommy Gallarda.

Hekker pinned BSU on its 1-yard line with the help of Jordan Poyer downing the ball. The defense then forced a punt. Rodgers returned it 54 yards to for a touchdown to tie the game.

Rodgers just tied Ken Simonton for the OSU all-time, all-purpose yardage lead on the punt return.

SECOND QUARTER
The Broncos drove the field at the end of the first quarter, but was stopped on the goal line at the beginning of the second quarter. They settled for a 21-yard FG by Kyle Brotzman.

OSU punted on the next possession and the Broncos quickly drove 89 yards for a TD. QB Kellen Moore hit Pettis on a 17-yard strike. Long passes and missed tackles set up the score.

CB Brandon Hardin missed a sack on a blitz, Moore completed long. BSU completed long over Hardin again. It wasn’t pretty.

BSU tried to kick away from Rodgers, but Poyer returned the ball long . That set up a 41-yard FG by Justin Kahut to make it 17-10 with 6 minutes, 8 seconds left in the half.

Broncos came back quick on a 76-yard drive. Moore hit Titus Young on a 41-yard TD. CB Brandon Hardin shoved Young out of play and let him get wide open deep.

Kahut missed a 25-yard FG in the final minute of the half. BSU went into halftime with a 24-10 lead.

THIRD QUARTER
OSU makes a crucial defensive stop, and score a hard-fought TD. Rodgers was shaken up while throwing a block and was hit helmet-to-helmet.

WAC officials just lost control of the game. No flag of throwing Quizz down with no helmet. Almost turned into a fight.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers scored on a 4-yard TD. That capped off a 14-play, 81-yard drive. Dirty play by BSU highlighted the drive. Some flags thrown, but not enough.

A 55-yard run set up the next BSU quick score. Moore hit Tyler Shoemaker for a 22-yard TD. However, Boise State fumbled OSU’s next punt and couldn’t put the game away.

Rashaad Reynolds recovered the ball. Katz hit WR Darrell Catchings for a 31-pass. He fumbled and Halahuni recovered the ball in the end zone for a TD.

Fourth Quarter

Heading down to the field. I’ll be back.