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Reser Stadium / Fox College Sports Pacific / KEJO 1240 AM / KPAM 860 AM (Streamed)
Replay on BYUtv at 7 PM & ROOT NW at 7:30 PM
BYU (4-2) visits Oregon St. (1-4, 1-2) in a rematch of the 2009 Maaco Las Vegas Bowl, in which the Cougars downed the Beavers 44-20.
Riley Nelson completed 14 of 24 passes for 219 yards, and 3 touchdowns, though he did throw a pair of interceptions, and he ran 9 times for another 65 yards, last week in his first start at quarterback for BYU, as the Cougars conquered San Jose St. 29-16.
Other than a 54-10 loss to Utah in the Holy War, which was fueled by 7 BYU turnovers, it was the first game that hasn't gone down to the wire for the Cougars. Before being blown off of their own field by Utah, BYU had played a pair of one point road games, defeating Mississippi 14-13, and falling 17-16 at Tetxas.
Since the meltdown against the Utes, the Cougars have bounced back to win three in a row, all in Provo. BYU, playing as an independent for the first time this season, defeated the University of Central Florida from Conference USA 24-17, and then narrowly escaped a challenge by Utah St. with a 27-24 win, in which Nelson replaced Jake Heaps, and threw 2 fourth quarter touchdowns, including the game winner to Marcus Matthews with 11 seconds left.
Lance Mitchell and Clayton York both earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors, on defense and special teams, with their performances as Oregon St.'s defense and special teams complimented a 2 touchdown performance (both to last week's ticket featured player Joe "The Tank" Halahuni) by Sean Mannion, and a 99 yard rushing day by Jovan Stevenson, who also had a touchdown, in a balanced Beaver effort that produced a 37-27 win over Arizona.
The victory ended a 6 game Oregon St. losing streak, and ended 'Cats coach Mike Stoops' stay in Tucson, as it extended Arizona's run of futility against FBS teams to 10 consecutive games.
The Cougars will be a tougher task, but one the relatively few more experienced Beavers, are looking forward to. BYU thoroughly beat a thoroughly unprepared Oregon St. squad that turned in an uninspired performance in Las Vegas, the hangover from which carried over through last year's 5-7 season.It was the second of what would be 13 losses in the 18 games that preceded last week's victory over Arizona.
Here's the place to chat about the game as we find out if Oregon St. has turned a corner, or if former Beaver Bronco Mendenhall, now the BYU coach, really has his alma mater's number.
Buildingthedam.com will be at the game, and be back after wards, with complete coverage and analysis.
Go Beavs!