Oregon State Rolls at San Jose State
The beginning of the DJ Uiagalelei era at Oregon State could have gone better, but not much. The Beavers left points on the field, and gave up a couple on scores they shouldn't have, and Uiagalelei even misfired a couple of times. But when you still win on the road by 25 points, it was still more than a pretty good day.
In fact, it was the first season opening win on the road in 24 years, the most points scored by Oregon State in an opener in a decade, and the best win, 42-17, in an opener anywhere over an FBS team since beating Nevada 48-6 a quarter century ago. Check off several more boxes on Coach Jonathan Smith's list of things to do for the first time in a long time, if ever.
The first half was not great, or flasy, but Uiagalelei threw for a touchdown, to Jack Velling, and rushed for 2 more, on short runs that were shades of Jack Colletto, for a 21-3 lead at the break. DJ had 107 yards passing, as well as conribluing to 128 yards rushing, as Damien Martinez was almost to 100 yards already.
Meanwhile, the Oregon State defense had only allowed a decent San Jose State offense 108 yards.
The key was outstanding line play, especially the offensive line, and it would improve in the second half.
It was signature Jonathan Smith football, solid and steady.
Unfortunately, the second half started with another Smith signature, not only eschewing a makable field goal, but running a 4th down play that actually worked, a completion, but did not pick up first down yardage.
Fortunately, San Jose St coach Brent Brennan returned returned the favor with a low percentage, and unsuccessful, 4th down gamble. The failure set up Oregon State nearly at midfield, when a punt could have pinned the Beavers deep. Something they had already demonstrated the ability to do.
Uiagalelei completed a 31 yard touchdown, which covered nearly 50 yards in the air, after about 6 seconds to size up the throw, courtesy of tremendous protection by the offensive line, to Jeremiah Noga, to extend the lead to 28-3 in the 3rd quarter.
A blocked punt on a late punt late in the period led directly to a San Jose State touchdown to start the 4th quarter that gave the Spartans a glimmer of hope.
But Uiagalelei led a 65 yard drive to answer, capped by a 28 yard strike to Anthony Gould, who sprinted past 2 Spartan defenders, this while Oregon State was deftly picking up a safety blitz that rebuilt the lead to 4 scores.
Aiden Chiles got a drive, and looked good passing and running, and Deshaun Fenwick got a touchdown, but the Beaver defense backups give up a TD with 4 seconds left, resulting in a 42-17 win that should not have been that close.
The 5 scores Uiagalelei figured in tied his career high at Clemson, and put himself in the OSU record book in his first game. Martinez finished with 145 yards on 18 carries, and Fenwich added 33, and the touchdown, on 8 carries.
The Beavers fell just shy of 200 yards rushing, due to the game ending kneel down, and rolled up 473 yards.
Spartan quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, the reining Mt West Conference offensive Player of the Year, threw for 143 yards, and ran for 26 more.
"There was a lot to like", Coach Smith said of the effort. "That guy (Cordeiro) is a good player, and we contained him pretty well."
The Beaver defense held the Spartans to 56 yards rushing, and 279 total yards, 75 of which cane against the backups on the final scoing drive of the game.
Uiagalelei completted 20 of 25 passes, 80%, for 238 yards, and had a QB rating of 199.9.
"DJ was really solid. He can do a lot," Smith added.
The secondary was the question mark for Oregon State coming into the game, due to the number of palyers who departed to the NFL from last year's Pac-12 best defense. And JC Transfer CB Tyrice Ivy got a rude introduction to FBS football, and was flagged several times. But Jaden Robinson led the team in passes defended, and while there is work to be done before the Beavers are ready for the likes of Pac-12 quarterbacks, there is time to work on it. It could well have been a lot worse, and it wasn't.
And the protection and blocking by the offense overall, o-line and tight ends, was the best unit performance on the field.
"We came down here with the goal of winning the game," Smith said, and the Beavers not only did, they did it better than most probably thought they could in a road opener.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com