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With the Oregon State football team set to kick off the 2023 campaign against the San Jose State Spartans on Sunday, BeaversEdge gives 10 BOLD predictions for the Beavers' upcoming season!
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The Beavers Will Have A Chip On Their Shoulders
While Oregon State has said time and time again this August that they're focusing on themselves, the 2023 season, and what they can control, you have to figure that there will be some extra motivation when considering all the conference realignment drama this offseason.
Simply put, the Beavers and Washington State (and Stanford and Cal, for now) were left in the wastelands after the BIG10 and BIG12 raided the conference...
While I'm sure it's not overly difficult to compartmentalize, you have to figure there are a good amount of guys on the team or even coaches who feel a certain way about what the national narrative has been about OSU throughout this process. Again, largely a feeling as the Beavers have been zeroed in on 2023...
All that to say, I have a gut feeling that the Beavers will have a chip on their shoulder this season and that they would love nothing more than to win the Pac-12 Championship in the final year of the conference as we currently know it.
It won't be the No. 1 rallying cry for the Beavs this season, but to say it won't be some sort of motivation would be foolhardy...
Look for Oregon State to enter matchups with a Boulder on their shoulders...
Damien Martinez Rushes For Over 1,300 Yards
After tallying just over 900 rushing yards last season, it's our prediction that Damien Martinez will crack the 1,300-yard mark in 2023. With an offensive line that ranks amongst the best in the Pac-12 and the country, Martinez should have plenty of pathways to open running lanes...
Even with Deshaun Fenwick and Isaiah Newell getting a decent amount of carries, I still see Martinez being able to have a big-time season.
Rushing for over 1,300 yards would be a statistical feat for Martinez as a 1,300-yard season would place Martinez into the top 10 in OSU school history for a single season.
The last two Beaver backs to cross that mark BJ Baylor (2021, 1,337 yards) and Jermar Jefferson (2018, 1,380) rank 7th and 6th, respectively, on that single-season all-time list.
While I could see Martinez rushing for even more yards, I expect Newell and Fenwick to be a strong part of the rushing attack as well, perhaps limiting just how many yards Martinez can tally.
But make no mistake, Martinez showcased to everyone last season just how special he can be, recording six-straight 100-yard performances, and should be even more efficient in 2023...
