ASU Football: First Look at Oregon State

A first look at Oregon State, and how they stack up against the Sun Devils going into this weekend’s Pac-12 bonus game.

A Season of Highs and Lows

The Beavers’ 2-4 record isn’t entirely representative of their 2020 campaign. While they’ve suffered brutal six-point and three-point losses to Utah and Stanford, they’ve also pulled off dramatic late wins against Cal and in-state rival Oregon.

In a year where any team with a pulse and a COVID-less roster could have punched their ticket to the Pac-12 Championship, Oregon State was a handful of plays away from being firmly in that conversation.

On Offense

Under third-year head coach Jonathan Smith, the Beavers have consistently been able to put points on the board. This season is no different, as OSU is averaging 28.2 points per game, scoring 22 touchdowns and racking up 2,388 total yards in their six contests.

Running back Jermar Jefferson has been a weapon thus far, rushing for 755 yards on 109 attempts, an impressive 6.9 average yards per carry. He’s found the end zone seven times.

With the way these two offenses are built, Sun Devil fans shouldn’t be surprised if we see another shootout like last year’s 35-34 Beaver win.

Weather

If neither defense can put a stop to high-powered offensive attacks, Mother Nature will likely take a shot. As is often the case in the Beaver State this time of year (September-May), rain is expected most of the day and into the night on Saturday in Corvallis.

A wet and cold game will play slightly to OSU’s advantage, as their mediocre pass game already usually takes a back seat to Jefferson and the run.

Arizona State will likely lean heavily on freshman running back Chip Trayanum and quarterback Jayden Daniels will look to add to his rushing total as well.