OSU goes for the big upset today.
The Oregon State football team fights to avoid bowl game elimination this afternoon in Reser Stadium against No. 4 Stanford.
The Cardinal, however, hopes to gain momentum for next weekend’s game against Oregon to determine the Pac-12 Conference North Division champion.
Here’s my main story in Saturday’s GT. The Beavers say, why not just play well and shock the world.
Here are my three keys for an OSU victory. It’s less about matchups, and more about luck.
3. Win the line of scrimmage
The OL must open running lanes for RB Malcolm Agnew and protect QB Sean Mannion. If the OL doesn’t win its battles there’s no chance. And the DL can not be pushed around like it was last Saturday at Utah, or it’s going to be a long day.
2. Stanford mistakes
When facing an efficient Stanford team with talent on both sides the ball, Oregon State hopes this is the game that everything falls apart on the opponent. There’s no matchup that favors Oregon State if everything goes as usual.
1. Start fast
There no way for this team to come back if there’s a slow start against a potent No. 4-ranked Stanford team on Saturday. The offense must score early and keep scoring, while the defense can not let quick scores happen. Momentum must be gained early and maintained.
My pick? Stanford 35, OSU 7.
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5 comments
Aaron says:
Nov 5, 2011
What do I think? It feels just like it did in 1995 when I was in college on game day. Eventually all this complaining will stop. Probably just like it did around 1974. And how was that 1975 season? Even the students didn’t care after a while…. this problem needs to be examined on a macro level.
Matt says:
Nov 5, 2011
Is that 35-7 pick the final score? Or the score after the 1st quarter?
OS_Beaver says:
Nov 5, 2011
I predicted 45-14 because OSU can’t hold Stanford under 35 IMO but Stanford averages in the 40s and won’t want to lessen that against an inferior opponent. They need to keep it rolling if they want the best chance to get in the National Championship game in case Oklahoma St. beats Oklahoma in Bedlam. Atleast 42 points is pretty important for them and I went with them getting 45 because I don’t think our defense can stop the precision of Andrew Luck. I felt giving OSU 14 points was slightly generous, but I think we pick up one touchdown in slop time or something and maybe for Homecoming we can pull off 2 TDs.
I must say I am bothered by Riley saying he is not letting the losses bother him. I did track in high school and in my sophomore year I placed 4th in my 3 events. It bothered me because I was inches from placing in all all 3. I used the belief of knowing of ways I could improve my times and made it a primary personal goal that the following year I would be ready and give it my very best and knew that it would produce good results. I placed first in all those events the following year. Riley took a disappointing 2010, poorly adapted and followed with a likely 2-10 outing in 2011. You are supposed to let it bother you. If it doesn’t and you don’t care you won’t find what you need inside you to make sure you know losing is unacceptable and you are going to do everything it takes to get the results you want.
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Aaron says:
Nov 5, 2011
Well put. And I believe ties in well with what I wrote. I’m 50% on the buss with the Rilley dissenters. If something big doesn’t happen in the next few weeks we need to get very vocal and be clear with the administration this trajectory isn’t acceptable.
maffu72 says:
Nov 5, 2011
I did not read the same thing about losses “not bothering” Riley. You have to learn from it & let it go. If you keep the past with you (being “bothered” by it), you’re not living in the present.
Same deal with winning. You have to learn what was effective (what you did that made you win), keep that, & forget the rest – move forward. If retain elation (in my view, the opposite of being “bothered” or upset) from the past, you’re not living in the present, either.
Keep the lessons, lose the rest.
Go Beavers… We Believe!!!