Oregon State Does Utah Things To Utah
19th ranked Oregon State did what Utah usually does to others, and the Beavers did it better than the 10th ranked Utes did it in Friday night's Orange Light rock fight, to the tune of a 21-7 win at Reser Stadium. That doesn't happen very often to the 2 time defending Pac-12 Champions.
"No it doesn't," OSU QB DJ Uiagalelei said. "But we did."
It wasn't a stellar night for Uiagalelei, who completed only 14 of 25 passes, and for just 204 yards, against the Ute defense, though he did have a 17 yard run as well.
That was a lot better than his Utah counterparts though. Nate Johnson, who was starting the 5th game in a row in place of Utah star Cam Rising. Johnson completed only 8 of 23 passes, for just 101 yards. Bryson Barnes, who took as try at the OSU defense in relief of Johnson for a while in the second half, didn't fare much better. Barnes completed 5 of 8 passes, but for only 40 yards.
The rushing side of the game wasn't great for either team either.
Damien Martinez got only 65 yards out of his 16 carries, but his hard running did produce a 4 yard touchdown in the latter part of the 1st quarter, for what would be the only points of the first half.
Utah's Jaylon Glover, by comparison, got just 58 yards out of his 16 carries, which was 1 more yard than the Ute's net rushing total for the game.
The game was a bounce-back effort by the Beaver defense, which had problems in Pullman the prior week. But without the kind of speed in the receiving corps the Cougars possess, Oregon State was able to clamp down on Utah all night.
The difference in the game was Silas Bolden who got going in the second half for the Beavers.
Bolden had a game high 6 catches, including a 27 yard catch and run for a touchdown just over 4 minutes into the 3rd quarter, which opened a 14-0 Oregon State lead. Bolden also had a team long catch for 40 yards.
But it was Bolden's 45 yard run just over a minute into the 4th quarter that opened the lead to 21-0. On 4th and 1, Bolden lined up at tailback, took the pitch from Uiagalelei, and outran the Utah defense that was anticipating probably an Uiagalelei dive around the right side and, easily outdistanced everyone to the endzone.
Johnson found Thomas Yassmin for a 41 yard touchdown pass, the longest completion of the night, and Utah's best and longest play of the game, with 5 minutes left, but by that point, Oregon State, operating without starters DT Thomas Rawls and LB Calvin Hart, both ejected from the game, and the first half of next Saturday night's game at California, as a result of controversial targeting calls, was operating in clock-clearing mode.
Utah and Oregon State are both now 4-1, and 1-1 in conference. The Beavers are now 14-1 in Reser over the last 2 1/2 seasons. It was also the first win in 7 tries against a ranked Utah team for OSU.
Cue the Fight Song!
Andy_Wooldrige@yahoo.com
Photos by Andy Wooldridge