Game Preview: Beavers Doomed If They Can’t Establish Run Against Cowboys

After months of misery, it’s finally game day again.

Oklahoma State starts it’s 2019 season with a late-night meeting with Oregon State at 9:30 p.m. Friday night in Corvallis. The teams both had disappointing 2018s, but the expectations leading to that disappointment varied.

The Beavers were 2-10 last season, beating Southern Utah and Colorado in overtime. Meanwhile, the Cowboys streak of 10-win seasons ended, as the Pokes narrowly secured bowl eligibility en route to a 7-6 year. Both teams are 0-0 now with endless possibilities ahead.

Here are some things of note heading into the West Coast matchup.

2018 Offensive Stats

2018 Defensive Stats

Intriguing Battle in the Trenches Looks to Favor Cowboys

Oregon State quarterbacks got sacked 48 times last season. That was the most of any FBS team in the country. Oklahoma State’s defense had 39 team sacks, tied for 12th in the country.

Just looking at those two stats, one would think Beaver quarterback Jake Luton will be picking himself off the turf quite a bit Friday night, but OSU’s defensive line is quite a bit different than it was a season ago.

The Pokes return only 14 sacks from last season to their 2019 roster. Devin Harper had 2.5 of those, but he was absent the first depth chart the team put out after spending time in fall camp with a lower body injury. The Cowboys will also be without Calvin Bundage’s 1.5 sacks from 2018, as reports surfaced Thursday that he didn’t travel with the team after being dinged up for much of fall camp.

The left side of the Beavers’ offensive line (LT-Blake Brandel and LG-Gus Lavaka) returns after starting every game last season. However Oregon State has less experience on the other three spots of the line.

On the first depth chart the Beavers released this year, there was an or between centers Nathan Eldridge (who was injured all last season) and Nous Keobounnam (who primarily played on special teams in 2018). Eldrige is a transfer from Arizona, where he played in 25 games across 2016 and 2017.

Oregon State’s starting right guard, Clay Cordasco played in nine games lasts season, and right tackle Brandon Kipper played in three.

Expect Beavers to Pound the Rock

Whatever deficiencies the Oregon State offensive line had in pass protection last season, the unit tried to make up for with solid run blocking.

Oregon State running back Jermar Jefferson was a freshman All-American last season after running for 1,380 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jefferson was the Beavers’ offense last season, averaging 115 yards a game and finishing his first season of college football 239 carries. Justice Hill and Chuba Hubbard combined for 282 carries last year.

If the Cowboys can stuff Jefferson early and score points on the other end, it could get dicey for Oregon State if the Beavers have to depend on their passing game.