The 3-2-1: Oregon State Improves To 5-2 With Win Over WSU

-> Following a very long two weeks on the road, some home cookin' is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Oregon State football team. The loss to Utah certainly took some of the spark out of this team and then the Stanford game was about as emotional of a win as you could have... all that being said, there were times in the past two weeks when the body language and vibes of the football team weren't all that positive.

That wasn't at all the case tonight...

Reser Stadium was equal parts loud and intimidating on Saturday night as the 28,735 fans on hand helped give the team a much-needed boost on both sides of the ball, but most notably on defense. Just as the home crowd made life difficult for Caleb Williams and USC several weeks ago, Cam Ward and the Washington State offense weren't ever able to find much traction against a great game plan drawn up by defensive coordinator Trent Bray...

The Beavers have proven to be very tough to beat at home and tonight was just the latest example of a Pac-12 team struggling to establish their gameplan on OSU's home turf...

2. Jack Colletto Very Involved

-> After having his offensive role slightly reduced in the last two weeks against Utah and Stanford, offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren definitely made sure Jack Colletto's fingerprints were all over this one. Colletto finished with 14 rushing yards and two touchdowns on six attempts while also hauling in a 10-yard pass as well. Monday's snap counts will tell the full story but it really seemed like Colletto was on the field in crucial spots a lot more tonight than we saw the past two weeks. Colletto is so much the identity of who this team is that they have to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. Kudos also to the coaching staff for having Colletto have a few more jet-sweep options available out of the shotgun look as opponents are still having a tough time slowing down the Jack Hammer. Colletto is one of the Beavers' best players and there's no doubt they're at their best when he's playing like he did tonight...

3. Better Quarterback Play Still Needed

-> While Ben Gulbranson helped lead the Beavers to a second consecutive win on Saturday, there's no question that the team needs more productive play from the quarterback spot to be a more well-rounded offense. Gulbranson went 12-of-24 for 141 yards and one touchdown and one interception and did a nice job in the game manager role, but it was still clear that the downfield passing game just doesn't have the same juice as it does when Chance Nolan is under center.

Perhaps that's a bit unfair as Gulbranson just made his second career start, but if Nolan is taking care of the football, he's more efficient in moving the offense. The Beavers got just enough quarterback play to win on Saturday against the Cougs, but they'll need to be better in that department moving forward to be a more efficient offense.

Two Questions

1. Will Chance Nolan Return Next Week?

-> After missing the past two weeks due to a "neck strain" and reportedly being in concussion protocol, quarterback Nolan's status against the Colorado Buffs will certainly be a key development this coming week. Nolan has proven to be OSU's most effective passer, so getting him back in the fold could help improve the passing attack. However, Smith noted postgame that he feels good about both guys, so we'll see what happens this next week...

2. Could Jack Velling Become The Tight End Receiving Threat The Beavers Need?

-> With Luke Musgrave on the shelf and likely on the shelf for a bit longer, Oregon State has needed a tight end to step up and shoulder some of the receiving load that Musgrave was taking on this season. True freshman Jack Velling stepped up in a big way against the Cougars as Velling hauled in four receptions for 63 yards to lead all OSU pass-catchers. If Velling can continue his quick upward ascension the OSU offense could get a big boost...

One Prediction

Oregon State Reaches Bowl Eligibility Next Week

-> With Oregon State reaching five wins in the win over Washington State, the attention now turns to next week's matchup with the Colorado Buffaloes. While Colorado earned its first win of the season under interim head coach Mike Sanford Jr. against Cal this weekend, this is a game that the Beavers should do very well in, especially with last year's result fresh in their minds... Look for the Beavers to punch its postseason ticket with a resounding win over the Buffs next weekend...