The Oregon State Beavers (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) open up conference play hosting the #7 USC Trojans (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12) in a battle of unbeaten teams. USC will try to avenge a 45-27 blowout at the hands of the Beavers last season in Los Angeles.
Saturday’s contest kicks off at 9:30 p.m. EST inside Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. USC is a six-point favorite, and the over/under total is 70.5 points.
What to Know – #7 USC Trojans
USC is off to a hot start under first-year head coach Lincoln Riley. Riley, who was 55-10 at Oklahoma over five seasons, signed a massive contract reportedly worth $110 million dollars. The Trojans have victories over Rice, Stanford, and Fresno State to begin the season.
Starting quarterback Caleb Williams followed Riley to Los Angeles and has continued to thrive in his offense. Williams has thrown for eight touchdowns and rushed for two through the first three contests and has yet to turn the ball over.
Oregon transfer Travis Dye used the extra year to his advantage and headed south down the West Coast to team up with the Trojans. Dye has 227 yards rushing on the year, averaging 7.6 yards per touch. Backup Austin Jones is averaging 8.2 yards per carry and leads the rushing attack with three touchdowns.
The top two wide receivers are a pair of transfers as well in Jordan Addison and Mario Williams. Addison, a fifth-year player from Pitt, leads the receiving core with 18 receptions, 295 yards, and five scores. Williams, another former Sooner, is second on the team with 12 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown.
What to Know – Oregon State Beavers
The Beavers play their third home game in four weeks and look to their undefeated record together. Head coach Jonathan Smith is in his fifth season in Corvallis and sports an 18-28 overall record. Oregon State has beaten Boise State, Fresno State, and Montana State to start 2022.
Junior Chance Nolan has gotten it done at quarterback completing 62.7% of his passes with seven touchdowns and one with his feet. Nolan tossed his only two interceptions in the season-opener and is coming off a four-touchdown effort last week.
Deshaun Fenwick leads the rushing attack for the Beavers, carrying the rock 38 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Backup Damien Martinez has 108 yards on the ground on 23 rushes with one trip to the endzone.
Nolan likes to spread the ball around through the air, but his favorite target has been wideout Tre’Shaun Harrison with 16 receptions for 219 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side of the field, receiver Anthony Gould has hauled in eight passes for 188 yards and a pair of scores too.
The Pick is In
Close for the first half, but the firepower on USC’s offense will be just too much for the Beavers to keep up with.
The Pick: USC Trojans -6.5
