Oregon State vs. Boise State: Q & A with One Bronco Nation Under God

Our friends over at One Bronco Nation Under God were friendly enough to answer a few questions and chat about the upcoming game this Saturday. They also wrote a pretty hilarious article where they turned made Oregon State’s roster into anagrams check it out here.

Q: Boise State played at one of the fastest tempo's in the nation in 2015. Are they continuing that trend this season and will they be able to wear down an Oregon State defense that is lacking considerable depth?

A: While they are playing at a quick tempo, it's not so fast that you might miss a play if you press the "skip forward" button on your DVR remote (although I haven't had a reason to put this to the test yet). In the last game, they were running a play every 23-24 seconds, so maybe it is quicker. The most interesting thing about the play-calling of last game was how it seemed custom-made for a very formidable WSU air attack, and if the trend continues, I would expect them to scheme around Oregon State's defense as well. If this means playing no-huddle and wearing out the defense, then I will politely forward this article to Coach Harsin.

Q: Your QB, Brett Rypien, is talented but young. He threw three interceptions against Washington State last week. Do you think Boise State will lean more on the running game highlighted by talented back Jeremy McNichols and try to test Oregon State's front seven?

A: A phrase that has been circulating around the OBNUG boards lately is "teachable moment." Rypien had many teachable moments in the last game, and I'll be honest, I thought he had taken a step back from where he was in the season opener. But the coaches still let him sling the ball, despite his mistakes. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they let McNichols have a few more touches, as well as freshman Alexander Mattison who is quickly becoming a fan-favorite.

...Rypien will still chunk it downfield, though.

Q: Oregon State's offense is still trying to find its identity. Ryan Nall who was supposed to be a workhouse out of the backfield has been banged up and the offensive line hasn't provided ample time for Garretson work in the pocket. How good is Boise State's pass rush/front seven?

A: Considering we lost a bit of talent last season (See: Kamale Correa), I would expect there to be a slight decline in quarterback pressuring. Unfortunately, we haven't really had a chance to see our full potential against a quality team. Last game, they usually only rushed three to prevent the Air Raid attack from blowing us up for huge yardage. It gave WSU's QB plenty of time, but their receivers were covered so well by the secondary, it often didn't matter. (Except for when it did.) I'd look for more blitzes this time around.

Q: Who are some under-the-radar players Beaver fans should be on the look-out for this Saturday in Corvallis?

A: I don't think it's much of a secret anymore, but Cedric Wilson has come out of nowhere to be a really reliable #2 receiver after Thomas Sperbeck. Same with the aforementioned RB Mattison. On defense, SLB Tanner Vallejo seems to be everywhere on the field, but WLB Ben Weaver led the team in tackles last game (15, 8 solo).

Q: Boise State always has a chip on its shoulder and is excited to play another Pac-12 team. What's your prediction for the game on Saturday?

A: Those chips on the shoulder are just remnants of Tostitos back when they sponsored the Fiesta Bowl. To be honest, beating Oregon State may not be as satisfying as beating stupid-head Oregon, but any win against a Pac-12 team would be a quality win for us. Then we become your biggest fans throughout the remainder of the season, unless you're Oregon, because Oregon.

I'm going to take the Vegas line on this one and say Boise State 46.2, Oregon State 13.8 (They must not know how scoring works in football.)

Check out our responses here.

Big thanks to OBNUG for taking the time to answer some questions and it warms my heart to have a common enemy. Best of luck on Saturday but as always, Go Beavers!