Oregon State Hosts Colorado For Homecoming

Colorado (3-4, 0-3) at Oregon St. (2-4, 0-3) / Reser Stadium, Corvallis / 7:30 PM PDT / Pac-12 / KEJO 1240 AM / KEX 1190 AM / Pac-12 Stream

Game Notes / Colorado Game Notes

Oregon State returns home for the first and only time this month, for Homecoming, tonight, and its Colorado that is coming to visit.

It's just the 3rd meeting between the Beavers and Buffs since Colorado came into the conference, thanks to the Pac-12 schedule rotation, both Oregon State wins, and though the series dates back to 1931, this is just the 8th meeting ever, and only the second time Colorado has come to Corvallis, though the Buffs twice came to Portland to play.

Oregon State holds a 5-2 series edge, including a 16-0 win in Portland in that Depression era initial meeting. Colorado didn't face Oregon State again until 1963, when they again visited Portland, and got clobbered 41-6. The Beavers made their first trip to Boulder the following year, and got a 14-7 win.

The next two meetings were also in Boulder, during the Oregon State dark ages, and both were Buff wins, a 38-14 rout of Joe Avezzano's 1983 team, and a closer 28-21 win over Dave Kraigthorpe's team in 1988.

The Beavers won the first Pac-12 meeting 2 years ago at a windy and rainy Reser that didn't suit the Buffs at all, by a 44-17 score, and got out of Boulder with a 36-31 win last year, staving off a late Buff rally.

Last week, and all month really, didn't go as expected for either team, and both come in on 3 game conference losing streaks, after both had winning non-conference campaigns.

Oregon State got almost run out of Martin Stadium in the first half, as Luke Falk threw for a conference record 6 touchdowns, and led 7 scoring drives, as Washington State opened a 45-17 halftime lead. The Beavers got some things straightened out defensively during the break, but still fell to the Cougars who coasted home to the 52-31 Homecoming win.

Colorado couldn't hold off Arizona in Tucson, as the Wildcats ran off 3 4th quarter touchdowns in a row to come from behind for a 38-31 win over the Buffs last week.

It's going to be rare step in the right direction, and win, in conference play for one of the teams, as Colorado has lost 14 in a row against Pac-12 opponents, and while Oregon State's conference losing streak is only 5 games, the Beavers are 2-15 in the Pac dating to this weekend 2 years ago.

Injuries are central to the story this week, as Oregon State will be without senior captain CB Larry Scott, who suffered a sprained ankle in the first half against Washington State, which furthered mixed up an already planned shake up of the Beavers' secondary.

Colorado also has a sprained ankle situation to deal with, as WR Shay Fields, easily the Buffs' best big play threat, is also out, having sprained an ankle late in the game at Arizona. The Buffs are also without LB Addison Gillam, who is gone for the season after knee surgery this week.

It's a return to #Pac-12LongAfterDark for Oregon State tonight, after consecutive 1 PM games, but Beaver Nation won't get any sympathy from the Buffs, who are playing their 4th game in a row that will start after 7 PM locally, and that doesn't even count the delay of over an hour that lightning caused for their game against Oregon.

Oregon State is a narrow favorite tonight, with the line ranging between 2 & 3 1/2 points since opening, and depending on which line you are looking at.

BuildingTheDam will be at the game, and back late (very late) with full coverage and analysis.

Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com