DT Stephen Paea is closing in on OSU’s top-10 sack list. PHOTO/Scobel Wiggins

The Oregon State football team must defeat Southern Cal this Saturday in Reser Stadium for a shot at the postseason, but the Beavers have so much to fix first before that’s remotely possible.

Here’s a link to my story in Tuesday’s GT that talks about how they plan to approach the week. Here’s a link to the USC scouting report. Trojans look like a solid team.

“This team can win the next three games, but that doesn’t matter,” LB Keith Pankey said after Saturday’s loss. “We have to win the next game we play.”

Don’t expect the Beavers to talk much about the end of the season for the rest of the week, and how they must win two of three to go to a bowl game. Coach Mike Riley advised them to just think about USC.

“There’s going to be a lot of talk about bowl eligibility,” Riley said. “I suggest we don’t worry about that until we take care of business. We need to win a game and see what happens after that.”

Here are some notes of interest going into the game:

The USC-OSU series will be paused after this game for two years. They are in different divisions of the new Pac-12. The next time they play will be in 2013 and 2014.

The Beavers are on their first two-game conference losing streak since losing to UCLA and Arizona State in 2007. They haven’t lost three conference game in a row in the same season since 2002 with losses to USC, UCLA and Arizona State.

OSU lost two fumbles last weekend against Washington State. They were the first fumbles of the season. The Beavers are now tied for first in the nation for the fewest fumbles with Maryland, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

During the last two games that were losses the Beavers average 50 plays and 22:04 of time of possession. Opponents average 75 plays and 37:56 in time of possession.

DT Stephen Paea has 12 career sacks and needs one more to break into the top-10 in OSU career list. One more forced fumble and he will take over first place for an OSU career. He and LB Dwight Roberson are tied with three others at seven.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers is tied for ninth in the nation with 15 TDs. He’s third among active players with 49 career TDs. If he meets his career average of 108 rushing yards he would move into 10th place in Pac-10 career rushing. He’s 12th with 3,586 yards.

WR Markus Wheaton could have a big game against USC. PHOTO/Scobel Wiggins

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