Oregon State didn’t quite set the world on fire offensively in this one but it was a solid win against the first team that played them tough for all four quarters and should be a good warm-up for their game on the road this next Saturday against the only other team left in the PAC-12, Washington State. After forcing the Aztecs to punt on their first possession the Beavers took the ball downfield 60 yards in 10 plays but bogged down after a 15 yard penalty that left them 1st and 25 at the San Diego State 36 yard line. Unable to move the chains they settled for an Atticus Sappington 48 yard field goal to go up 3-0 half-way through the 1st Qtr. The Aztecs tried a field goal of their own from the same exact distance 10 plays later but missed. Oregon would go up 6-0 on another Sappington field goal at the beginning of the 2nd Qtr from 44 yards out. After holding San Diego State to a three-and-out on their next possession the Beavers would finally get into the end zone on a Joshua Gray rushing TD but the score would only move up six points to 12-0 as they missed a 2-point conversion try. One more field goal attempt by each before the break with San Diego State making theirs and Sappington finally missing one leaving the score 12-3 at the half.
Having deferred to start the game the Beavers got the ball first to start the 3rd Qtr but were held to a three-and-out by the Aztecs who didn’t do much better on their drive—punting after just five plays. On Oregon State’s next drive QB DJ Uiagalelei and RB’s Damien Martinez and Silas Bolden combined on running and passing plays to take it all the way down to the SDSU 1 yard line where Uiagalelei would run it in to go up 19-3. Three more possessions including a three-and-out by each team and Oregon State would turn it over to the Aztecs on an interception leading to a TD five minutes and 57 yards later on a Jaylon Armstead 6 yard run to make it 19-9 after a failed 2-point conversion. It would take the Beavers less than 15 seconds to get it back on a 75 yard TD pass from Uiagelelei to Anthony Gould to go up 26-9 where the score would stay after an interception each and yet another missed field goal in what has to be one of Oregon States sloppiest games in a few years.
Uiagalelei ended up connecting on less than 50% of his passes for 284 yards, 1 TD, and 2 interceptions in addition to another score on the ground while rushing 3 times for 17 yards. RB Damien Martinez who is averaging over 100 yards per game so far this season rushed 15 times for 103 yards in this one with Senior Deshaun Fenwick adding on another 49 yards on 10 attempts to combine for most of the Oregon State total rushing yards of 191 yards and 2 TD’s. For the Aztecs, QB Jaylen Hayden completed 20-of-32 for 256 yards, 0 TD’s and 1 pick with most of the 70 total rushing yards for San Diego State picked up by Junior RB Jaylon Armstead and Senior Kenan Christon. Could have been a lot closer but in spite of the sputtering Oregon State offense in this one their defense held the line with six sacks and nine tackles for loss. The Beavers go on the road out to the Palouse to take on a very motivated Washington State Cougar team whose QB, Cameron Ward, is currently ranked 8th in the nation having connected on 77-of-107 for 990 yards, 9 TD’s, 0 interceptions, and another 2 scores while rushing for 95 yards so far this season.