Staff Predictions: Southern Utah vs Oregon State
Every Friday during game week, the BeaversEdge.com staff will give its predictions for Oregon State's matchup. The Beavs host Big Sky opponent Southern Utah in Reser Stadium at 5pm PT on Saturday.
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BRENDEN SLAUGHTER'S PICK
Jonathan Smith earns his first win of his Oregon State coaching career this Saturday as the Beavers will defeat Southern Utah.
While the Beavers have had a tendency to struggle with FCS teams early in the season, I don’t believe the new coaching staff will let the players take the Thunderbirds any less than Ohio State. We’ve heard all week from OSU that they are treating every opponent this season with the same mindset that they had against the Buckeyes, and if that carries into Saturday, the Beavers should win comfortably.
With defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar telling us this week that OSU will be able to do some more things defensively against Southern Utah, I expect the defense to pressure the quarterback heavily and bounce back from a shellacking at Ohio State.
Offensively, the Beavers will look to come out aggressive early and set the tone in both the run game with Artavis Pierce and Jermar Jefferson and the passing game any one of the two or three QB’s we could see OSU deploy.
Southern Utah 24, Oregon State 45
MIKE SINGER'S PICK
This Oregon State team won't play down to the competition like they did last year against lowly Portland State. The Beavers were much more talented than that PSU team but sunk to their level and squeaked out a win.
The Beavs will look much better this time around, and we'll see a well-coached football team that doesn't shoot itself in the foot very often. Southern Utah is a pretty decent FCS foe, and Oregon State still isn't that great of a Power Five team on defense, so I do think SUU will put up some points.
Oregon State's offense should continue to show signs of improvement though under offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, and the Beavs will put up at least 35 points.
Who will be the quarterback though? I'm sure Jonathan Smith has been playing it coy this week and knows more than he's letting on about who will start. It will probably be clear in warm ups who the starter will be -- if Jake Luton is dressed and taking snaps, he'll be the guy. If he's in street clothes, well, then obviously, he won't play.
Whether it's Luton or Conor Blount, I still think the Beavs win this one comfortably and will have the chance to start the season 2-1 with Nevada coming up next Saturday.
Southern Utah 27, Oregon State 42