With the Oregon State football team bowing out to Utah in blowout fashion, BeaversEdge.com writer Keenan Puncocher gives five important takeaways from the contest as the Beavers will look to flush this contest and move on.

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After Oregon State exploded to a 21-0 lead against UCLA last week, the Beavers flipped the switch against Utah, allowing the Utes 21 points in the first quarter. Utah was able to take control of the game within the first 15 minutes and never looked back. In the first quarter alone, OSU allowed 257 yards to Utah, 91 of those yards by way of an impressive run by Zack Moss to go up 14-0. OSU was able to dictate the pace and held all momentum against UCLA. The Utes were ruthless on offense and Oregon State failed to show up for the entire game in all phases. Tonight was a painful reminder that the Beaver rebuild is going to take longer than many fans would like. Head coach Jonathan Smith reminded us in the press conference that rebuilding this program is going to come with its ups and downs. This makes those flashes of greatness, like the spectacular team play against UCLA, all the more memorable.

The Oregon State offense has looked very impressive at times throughout the season. Quarterback Jake Luton and receiver Isaiah Hodgins have had a clear connection while running back Artavis Pierce has gotten a chance to shine in the absence of Jermar Jefferson. Among the many offensive woes for the Beavers against Utah, one that particularly stood out was a third-down success rate of 2-13 (15%). Before tonight’s performance, OSU was sixth in the nation at a 53 percent success rate. Luton’s first interception of the season occurred in the second quarter and was made worse when Utah’s Devin Lloyd returned it 64 yards for a pick-six. If one Oregon State offensive stat tells the story, it’s that OSU managed just 169 passing yards against the Utes. We knew Utah was going to make it challenging for the Beavers to run, couple that with an anemic performance through the air, you can’t be surprised by the lopsided outcome.

The Beaver secondary has struggled for most of the season. While the run defense was improving through the midway point of the season, the secondary continues to look lost. I think the defensive coaching staff and the defensive players are both to blame against Utah. Regardless, Oregon State allowed Utah to look like an offensive juggernaut en route to 503 total yards - 247 through the air. The Beaver schedule does not get any easier in the coming weeks. Unless significant improvement is made in the secondary, quarterbacks like Justin Herbert and Anthony Gordon, to name a few, will have a field day against the Beavers.

On paper, the Beavers had only four penalties for 26 yards, half as many committed by Utah. Despite this, each penalty occurred when Oregon State needed eight yards or more to convert for a first down. The penalties were both drive-killers and further prevented the OSU offense from gaining any traction. I have written in previous weeks that penalties continue to be a reoccurring theme that punishes the Beavers. This is a case when the stats don’t tell the whole story. Most coaches would be happy if a team commits just four penalties, but when they occur early in the game when Oregon State still had a chance to make it competitive, the penalties will drive you crazy.

When skimming through the stats from tonight’s game, I was surprised to see that Utah managed just one sack against the Beavers. Maybe it’s just me but I saw a Luton that was harassed often and made uncomfortable throughout the game. He was able to make several good scrambles under pressure, avoiding what could have easily been six or seven sacks for Utah’s defense. A key component of Oregon State’s success against UCLA was the offensive line’s ability to give Luton the necessary time to make accurate throws. On the play that Luton threw his first interception of the season, he was facing inside and outside pressure which resulted in an ill-advised throw. The offensive line, like several positions on the team, has had their ups and downs this season. Tonight they struggled to provide Luton enough time to throw and could not open any running lanes whatsoever.