Oregon State @ Colorado preview
Folsom Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 24, 2015 ) Colorado 17, Oregon State 13
Colorado will be out to follow up on one of the biggest wins in the program’s recent history when it hosts Oregon State on Saturday. The Buffaloes entered last week’s game at Oregon as three-touchdown underdogs and backup quarterback Steven Montez under center but came away with an eye-opening 41-38 win in Eugene.
Colorado led for most of the contest and turned back a last-minute Ducks rally with cornerback’s Ahkello Witherspoon’s end-zone interception of a Dakota Prukop’s pass. “In their minds and in their hearts it is a signature statement to them that we can stand toe-to-toe with heavyweight programs,” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre said of his team at his weekly Tuesday news conference. “We need to be a heavyweight again. We used to be a welterweight, (and) I think we stepped up to at least being able to spar with the heavyweights.” Oregon State, meanwhile, will be playing its Pac-12 opener after completing a 1-2 nonconference slate which concluded with last Saturday’s 38-24 home loss to Boise State. “There (are) no more attaboys,” Beavers coach Gary Andersen said at his Monday news conference. “All those things, quite frankly, wear me out. ... And I hope it wears the kids out because I’m not going to talk to them about that stuff anymore. If they don’t do that, then we’re not making strides.”
TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Colorado -18.5
ABOUT OREGON STATE (1-2): The Beavers have lost 11 of their last 12 games overall and bring an 11-game Pac-12 losing streak into Saturday’s contest. Freshman quarterback Connor Blount played the second half against Boise State after ineffective starter Darell Garretson left with a leg injury and led Oregon State to 17 of its 24 points, but Garretson appears on track to start Saturday after taking first-team reps in practice earlier this week. Senior safety Devin Chappell had 11 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles against the Broncos, but the Beavers are looking for a better defensive effort after surrendering 512 total yards, including 274 on the ground.
ABOUT COLORADO (3-1): With senior starting QB Sefo Liufau sidelined with an ankle injury suffered the previous week against Michigan, the redshirt freshman Montez threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 135 yards and another score in his first career start to earn Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. MacIntyre said Tuesday that Liufau, the school’s all-time leading passer, “isn’t completely well right now,” and Colorado isn’t about to rush things with Montez coming off the first 300-yard passing game/100-rushing game in the program’s history. The Buffaloes’ defense, led by senior linebacker Kenneth Olugbode (7 tackles per game) and a play-making secondary, leads the conference in total (306.5 yards per game) and passing (163 yards) defense.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Oregon State has won two of three Pac-12 meetings since Colorado joined the conference in 2011, but the Buffaloes edged the Beavers 17-13 last season in Corvallis.
2. Oregon State has dropped nine straight road games since a 36-31 win in Boulder in 2014.
3. Whomever plays quarterback for Colorado will have a talented trio of wideouts to throw to in Devin Ross, Bryce Bobo and Shay Fields, who have combined for 52 receptions, 874 yards and eight TD grabs so far.
PREDICTION: Colorado 44, Oregon State 23