The two state schools of the Pacific Northwest will go head-to-head in a Pac-12 matchup when the Washington State Cougars take on the Oregon State Beavers. Washington State is 0-2 in conference and has only one win this season against Duquesne. The Cougars fell short last weekend on the road against Utah State 17-16. They led the game 14-3 before allowing Utah State to score 14 unanswered second-half points. This team has been competitive despite their record, with their most notable effort coming in a 34-24 loss against Arizona that came down to the final quarter. Oregon State has gotten off to a strong start in the conference with a record of 2-0. The Beavers have won their last four games overall, scoring 33 or more points in all four contests. Their most recent win was a dominating 66-14 win over San Diego State. Quarterback Granden Atkinson threw for 409 yards and 5 touchdowns in the win. Atkinson, who leads college football in passing yards (2,257) and touchdowns (21) will look to continue this team's dominating offensive run against Washington State.
Oregon State’s offense has been dominating opponents, yet no one has really noticed the Beavers yet. They have averaged 51.8 points per game in their last four wins, and they have won by an average of 35.8 points per game. Atkinson has an incredible touchdown-to-interception ratio of 21-to-2, and he has completed 70% of his passes. This will be a difficult matchup for a Washington State team that has struggled to move the football consistently this season. The Cougars are only averaging 282.3 total yards per game this year, including 158.7 passing yards. Quarterback Caden Pinnick has only thrown for 952 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions in his first six games. Pinnick has needed to play under pressure this season, with Washington State struggling to protect their quarterback. In a game where Washington State needs to control possession and keep the ball out of Atkinson’s hands, quick three-and-outs and sacks could prove to be the Cougars' downfall in this matchup. With how dominant Oregon State’s offense has been, I have a hard time picking against it. Washington State is a similar talent level to Oregon State’s last four opponents that the Beavers beat by an average of 35 points. I’m taking the Beavers to continue their run as they gain national recognition.
Washington State vs Oregon State prediction: Oregon State -17.5 (-110) available at the time of publishing. Playable to -20 (-110).
