This upcoming weekend is a battle between two states in collegiate football — Idaho and Oregon. With a mere 30 minutes separating the games, the University of Oregon faces the University of Idaho, and Oregon State plays Idaho State. With both Oregon teams hosting their Idaho opponent, the gameday vibe will be prominent in Oregon this weekend.
But for the Beavers, this game marks a new era — being conferenceless. Although their schedule is filled with Mountain West opponents, Oregon State and Washington State are in unknown territory. For the Beavers, that unknown territory begins against the Bengals on Saturday.
Oregon State and Idaho State have only played each other twice, in 2007 and 2016, so the teams don’t really have a storied history. The Beavers dominated both of these games, winning 61-10 in 2007 and 37-7 in 2016. Additionally, both games were played in Corvallis, so this third matchup will continue that tradition.
Given last year’s records, this year’s rosters, and what each team brings to the table, Oregon State should get its first win of the season against the Bengals.
Idaho State is coming off a 3-8 record, besting only Northern Colorado, Eastern Washington, and Portland State in the 2023 season. Additionally, when the Pac-12 was a fully-fledged conference, the Bengals did not have a great track record. In fact, quite the opposite, with a 0-9 record against Pac-12 opponents.
The Beavers, on the contrary, are coming off a solid season despite all of the question marks surrounding the future of the program. Finishing with an 8-5 overall record, Oregon State proved itself a worthy opponent within the Pac-12. It only lost by two points to CFP runner-up Washington, three to University of Arizona, and dominated opponents like Stanford and Colorado. So, while the caliber of competition won’t be as high as the Beavers are used to in the Pac-12, that doesn’t diminish the caliber of the team.
While one could see the matchup as an easy win for Oregon State, there’s more to the game than meets the eye. Idaho State is coming off of a rough season, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have talent within its roster. While new to Oregon State, Beavers head coach Trent Bray has experience playing against the Big Sky Conference and has relatives who have coached within it. He has cited the Bengals for having a solid offense that will keep their opponents on their toes with a passing game and a unique defensive system.
That said, the Beavers’ roster has been recognized to have more talent than Idaho State’s. The defense is planning to focus on its physicality, as it has during the off-season. Oregon State has a relatively inexperienced defensive roster, so playing against a solid passing game offense will be good practice for future opponents. Additionally, the Bengals are still deciding who their starting quarterback will be this season, requiring the Beaver defense to adapt to different play styles.
And Idaho State isn’t deciding between two players for the starting spot — it’s choosing between four.
Oregon State has officially decided on its starting quarterback, Gevani McCoy. Ironically, McCoy is a transfer from Idaho, so he’s likely familiar with the Idaho State play style and can clue the rest of the Beavers’ roster on how to tackle the Bengals best.
With a new coach at the helm, a new schedule, and many questions regarding Oregon State’s status within the college football national rankings this season, the Beavers are in unknown territory. However, one known thing is the past between these two teams meeting at Reser Stadium and the talent Oregon State heralds on its roster.
While Idaho State may have some tricks up its sleeve, the Beavers should be ready for anything thrown their way and start their season with a win.
