Beavers to Host Civil War at Sold Out Reser

Saturday, November 26

Corvallis, Ore.

1:00 PM

Oregon State

Oregon

Tickets

Photo by: Mark Hoffman

November 22, 2016 | Football

Complete Game Notes

By: Oregon State Athletic Communications

CIVIL WAR SERIES/GAME FACTS
• Saturday is the 120th meeting in the Civil War series, presented by PacificSource Health Plans, Spirit Mountain Casino, Safeway/Albertsons and Your Local Toyota Dealers, that dates back to 1894.
• At 120 games, the series ranks as tied for the fourth-most contested in FBS history. Games through the 2016 season – 126, Minnesota vs. Wisconsin; 121, North Carolina vs. Virginia; 121, Cincinnati vs. Miami (OH); 120, Missouri vs. Kansas; 120, Civil War; 120, Auburn vs. Georgia.
• Oregon has a 63-46-10 advantage and has won eight straight in the series.
• OSU's last win in the series was in 2007 at Autzen Stadium, 38-31 in overtime. Current OSU graduate assistant coach Lyle Moevao started in that game – Moevao was the quarterback, completing 20 of 37 passes for 245 yards with one rushing touchdown.
• The series has the distinction of having the last scoreless tie in college football (1983).
• Notable current records in the series by OSU or against OSU: First time OSU had two backs with over 100 yards rushing (Bob Cornelison, 123 & Sam Baker, 111 – Nov. 25, 1950); Most points kicking (20, Alexis Serna (11/20/04); Longest INT return (94 yds, Jay Locey, Nov. 22, '75); co-most TDs scored rushing at Reser (4, Ken Simonton, Nov. 21, '98); Most points 2 teams at Reser (103, Nov. 29, 2008); Co-field goals made (5, Alexis Serna, Nov. 20, 2004); Largest Attendance at Reser (47,249, Nov. 24, 2012).
• Current Beaver running back Ryan Nall accounted for the most yards rushing (174) ever by a Beaver against the Ducks at Autzen Stadium last year.
• Oregon defensive coordinator Brady Hoke was an assistant coach at OSU from 1989-94, working with the linebackers and defensive linemen.
• Oregon passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach Matt Lubick was an assistant coach under Oregon State offensive coordinator/then Cal-State Northridge head coach Dave Baldwin in 1996 and again at San Jose State 1997-98. During the 1999-2000 seasons Lubick was the defensive backs coach/recruiting coordinator at OSU under head coach Dennis Erickson.
• Oregon passing game coordinator/secondary coach John Neal was OSU's defensive backs coach from 1987-89.

A GLANCE AT NEXT YEAR: As of November 18, 2016, Oregon State plays its first two games of the 2017 season at home – Sept. 2 vs. Portland State and Sept. 9 vs. Minnesota. The third non-conference game is Sept. 23 at Colorado State – which will be the second game in the Rams' new stadium. The two straight home games to open the season is the first time for the Beavers since 2013 and the second time since 2005. The Pac-12 schedule for 2017 is expected to be released no later than mid-January.
NEXT YEAR II: The Beavers, as of Nov. 18 (press time) return at least 277 combined starts from this year's team heading into the '17 season if the roster were to stay accurate to the date. The team will still be on the young side again heading into next year with 22 seniors on the roster that heading into this week's game had combined for 136 starts.

DREAM COME TRUE: Oregon State Athletics and Unitus Community Credit Union have teamed up to grant wishes each game. Through Unitus' Dreams Come True program, the Beavers will welcome a children facing serious illness to Reser Stadium for the ultimate fan experience every home game during the 2016 season. Recipients will be recognized on the video board during the game, receive tickets, pre-game sideline passes, a chance to interact with the players on game day, a football signed by the OSU football team and a personalized game jersey. To learn more about the Dream Come True program visit osubeavers.com/dreamcometrue.

LAST GAME AT RESER: Seventeen Beavers will take part in in Senior Day festivities Saturday afternoon marking their last game in Reser Stadium. All 16 are expected to graduate by the end of the summer term. The group includes: OL Gavin Andrews (economics, December), WR Victor Bolden Jr. (public health, March), S Devin Chappell (economics, December), RB Tim Cook (sociology, August), K Ian Crist (economics, December), CB Treston Decoud (liberal studies, March), CB Rahmel Dockery (sociology, December), LB Kyle Haley (Public Health, June), OL Sean Harlow (human development and family studies, December), OL Bobby Keenan (finance, March), LS Ryan Navarro (speech communication, August), TE Ricky Ortiz (agricultural sciences, March), LB Caleb Saulo (sociology, December), Dustin Stanton (business administration, December), DT Noke Tago (human development and family sciences, December) and OL Sosaia Tauaho (liberal studies, December).

TOUGH SLEDDING: Oregon State's schedule through 11 games ranks as the eighth-most difficult in the country per USA Today's Sagarin Rankings. The top 15 most difficult schedules features a who's who of the Pac-12 Conference with Oregon (1), Stanford (3), Arizona (4), USC (6), California (7), Arizona State (12), UCLA (5) and Colorado (19).

ONLY THE BEAVS: Oregon (6) is the only team in the nation to have played against more current Associated Press top 25 teams than Oregon State, which has faced five ranked teams (No. 5 Washington, No. 9 Colorado, No. 19 Boise State, No. 20 Utah and No. 23 Washington State).

ZERO: That's the number of times OSU opponents have converted a first down on 3rd and more than 10 yards (0-22). Last year, opponents went 5-26 against the Beavers on 3rd and long.

CREATING HAVOC: The Oregon State defense has shown marked improvement creating big plays in 2016. The Beavers have created 19 turnovers (seven interceptions & 12 fumble recoveries). In 2015, OSU caused just 12 turnovers (eight INTs & four fumble recoveries) on the season.

TACKLING MACHINES: Senior LB Caleb Saulo is third in the conference with 7.9 tackles per game (11 games, 87 tackles) and junior LB Manase Hungalu ranks fourth at 7.4 (10, 74). If the duo continues the rest of the season it would be the first time since 2011 that the Beavers have had two players ranked among the top 10 in the Pac-12 Conference in tackles per game when LB Feti 'Unga was sixth with 7.4 (9, 67) and S Anthony Watkins was ninth with 7.1 (12, 85). Further, the Beavers have not had a player finish the season among the top three in the league in tackles since S Greg Laybourn led the league with 113 tackles in 13 games in 2008. It is also noteworthy that senior S Devin Chappell is tied for 14th in the conference with 6.6 tackles per game (11, 73).

THE KICKING GAME: The Beavers kicking game has taken on a unique form late in the season. Junior kicker Garrett Owens, who is a perfect 73-73 in his career on PATs handles that aspect, but redshirt freshman Jordan Choukair took over field goal duties at UCLA. Choukair hit his only try from 20 yards out. True freshman Adley Rutschman is OSU's kickoff specialist.

TWO OF THE BEST: Starting wide receivers Victor Bolden Jr. and Jordan Villamin have been spending the season climbing Oregon State's career receiving yards records list. Currently Bolden Jr. moved up to 9th all-time at OSU with 1,849 receiving yards while Villamin is 16th with 1,487 yards. In addition, Bolden Jr. is sixth on OSU's all-time like with 167 career receptions.

MR. DO-IT-ALL: Victor Bolden Jr. has quietly moved up to third on Oregon State all-time career all-purpose yards list. Bolden Jr. has accounted for 5,152 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return and interception return) trailing only OSU greats James Rodgers (2007-11) and Ken Simonton (1998-2001).

QUICK SIX: Senior Victor Bolden Jr. has been all over the field for the Beavers through four games - as a wide receiver, running jet sweeps and reverses, and returning punts and kickoffs. In 2016, Bolden Jr. has punished teams for failing to account for him resulting in big plays for the Beavers. Bolden Jr. is the only player in the NCAA with two plays of 90+ yards - 92-yard jet sweep (second-longest rushing play in OSU history) against Idaho State and a 99-yard kickoff return against Boise State. He now has four plays of 75 yards or more this year with a 75-yard touchdown run (at Washington) and a 75-yard touchdown reception (at Stanford).

AIMING FOR THE CYCLE: Senior do-everything player Victor Bolden Jr. is one of 16 players in the nation to have scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and as a kick returner in 2016. Bolden notched a receiving touchdown in the season-opener at Minnesota, had a 92-yard touchdown run against Idaho State in Week 2, and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Boise State in Week 3. Others that have accomplished the feat are Antonio Callaway (Florida), Jarred Craft (Louisiana Tech), Keion Davis (Marshall), Carlos Henderson (New Mexico), Darrell Henderson (Memphis), Quadree Henderson (Pittsburgh), Adrian Killins (UCF), T.J. Logan (North Carolina), Tim McVey (Air Force), Joe Mixon (Oklahoma State), Charles Nelson (Oregon), Rashaad Penny (San Diego State), Tony Pollard (Memphis), John Ross (Washington), Aregeros Turner (Northern Illinois) and Juwan Washington (San Diego State).

FIRST ONE, NOW TWO: Entering the game against Washington State, Victor Bolden Jr. was the first OSU player with two rushes of 75 or more yards - 92 vs. Boise State & 75 at Washington) in the same season since Steven Jackson in 2002 (75 vs. Fresno State & 80 vs. UCLA). After gashing the Cougars for an 89-yard touchdown jaunt Ryan Nall has joined the fray. Nall ran 80 yards to paydirt against California as well.

BECOMING THE NORM: OSU has accumulated more first downs via the rush than the pass for the second straight season. The Beavers have converted 89 first downs on the ground versus 85 through the air. Prior to 2015 the last time Oregon State had finished a season with more first downs on the ground was 2000.

READY OR NOT: The OSU rushing attack through 11 games has been effective to the tune of 5.5 yards per carry (389 carries for 1,990 yards). That is a record-setting pace for a full season. The current record is 4.9 ypc (474 for 2,336) set in 1960. The Beavers have spread the rushing gains around as well with four different players exceeding 100 yards in a game – Ryan Nall, Victor Bolden Jr., Darell Garretson and Tim Cook.

MISSING IN ACTION: Every football team suffers injuries as the season wears on. For Oregon State 14 players that began the season as expected starters OR became starters due to injury have combined to miss 54 starts. Among the starters to miss at least one game are: WR Seth Collins (1), OL Yanni Demogerontas (4), LB Titus Failauga (6), QB Darell Garretson (5), OL Sean Harlow (3), LB Manase Hungalu (1), CB Jay Irvine (7), OL Fred Lauina (2), RB Ryan Nall (2), TE Ricky Ortiz (1), LB Joah Robinett (5), TE Noah Togiai (9), LB Bright Ugwoegbu (2) and CB Dwayne Williams (7).

DONE FOR THE YEAR: The list of Beavers considered out for the season has grown to 15 including: WR Seth Collins, OL Sam Curtius, S Jonas Dahl, QB Darell Garretson, CB Jaydon Grant, CB Jay Irvine, DL Thor Katoa, OL Bobby Keenan, S Jalen Moore, S Landry Payne, LB Shemar Smith, TE Noah Togiai, TE Kenny Turnier, LB Bright Ugwoegbu and DE LaMone Williams. In addition, injuries and illness have prevented several others from playing through the first half of the season including: OL Gunnar Braden, CB Charles Okonkwo and OL Robert Olson.

FRESH FACES: So far in 2016 Oregon State coaches have called on 21 young players to make their OSU debuts. Nine true freshmen have played so far in 2016 including: QB Conor Blount, WR Trevon Bradford, LB Andrzej Hughes-Murray, OL Gus Lavaka, RB Artavis Pierce, LB Joah Robinett, K Adley Rutschman, LB Shemar Smith and LB Shemiah Unutoa-Whitson. In addition, redshirt freshmen DT Elu Aydon, WR Andre Bodden, Ol Blake Brandel, K Jordan Choukair, CB Xavier Crawford, WR Tyler DeLashmutt, S Omar Hicks-Onu, LB Hamilton Hunt, CB Jay Irvine, S Jalen Moore, CB Shawn Wilson and TE Tuli Wily-Matagi have seen playing time for the first time in their careers.

12 MORE FIRST TIMERS: Nine transfers have also been called upon to contribute including: RB Tim Cook, QB Darell Garretson, WR Timmy Hernandez, OL Brayden Kearsley, DE Phillip Napoleon, S Landry Payne, LB Wesley Payne, DT Paisa Savea and CB Kyle White. Juniors OL Sam Curtius and RB Marcus Greaves as well as sophomore OL Yanni Demogerontas have also taken their first college snaps this season bringing the grand total of 2016 first-timers to 33 players making their collegiate debut for the Beavers.

FIRST TIME STARTERS: Sixteen Oregon State players have registered the first starts of their careers. First-time starters include sophomores OL Yanni Demogerontas and LB Adam Soesman, redshirt freshmen DT Elu Aydon, OL Blake Brandel, CB Xavier Crawford, CB Jay Irvine and S Jalen Moore. True freshmen LB Andrzej Hughes-Murray, OL Gus Lavaka, RB Artavis Pierce, LB Joah Robinett and LB Shemiah Unutoa-Whitson have also made starts in 2016. Junior college transfers RB Tim Cook, WR Timmy Hernandez, DE Phillip Napoleon and DT Paisa Savea have also registered starts in recent weeks. In addition, juniors QB Darell Garretson and OL Brayden Kearsley have also made their first OSU starts. Both players had started at their previous schools, Garretson arrived at OSU with 11 starts under his belt at Utah State and Kearsley had four starts at BYU. The Beavers' five true freshmen that have started a game ranks tied for second in the nation behind only South Carolina with seven.
TEAM CAPTAINS: The 2016 team is captained by seniors Victor Bolden Jr., Devin Chappell, Sean Harlow, Caleb Saulo, Dustin Stanton and junior Darell Garretson.

NEW COORDINATORS: The Oregon State football program is one of five in the nation (Bowling Green, Hawai'i, UCF and Utah State) that has had a different offensive AND defensive coordinator in each of the last three seasons. On the offensive side, the Beavers have been led by John Garrett (2014), Dave Baldwin (2015) and Kevin McGiven and T.J. Woods will co-coordinate in 2016, while on the defensive side it has been Mark Banker (2014), Kalani Sitake (2015) and now Kevin Clune (2016). Bowling Green is the only team to have had four different coordinators on both sides of the ball in the last four years. In point of fact, Danny Langsdorf was the offensive coordinator for the previous 10 seasons before Garrett's stint under then-head coach Mike Riley.

SCHEDULE QUIRK: The Beavers have two separate two-game stretches at Reser Stadium - one is complete (Cal and Utah) and the second closes out the season for the Beavers (Arizona and Oregon). The last time OSU played a pair of league two-game home stands in one season was 1991.

NEW HOME FOR THE BEAVS: The Valley Football Center remains a construction zone but various areas of the Victory Through Valley project have come online in recent weeks with the equipment room and loading dock area becoming fully functional, a barber shop facility in the players' lounge and a new coaches locker room opening. Just this week a new media interview and work room was completed and will be used today for the Beavers' postgame press conference for the first time. The Beavers moved into their new locker room in August. Other completed parts of the renovation include an expanded athletic medicine facility, expanded equipment operations, renovated offices for the coaching staff, and an academic/career development office. Still under construction are a football hall of fame, lobby and auditorium. For more on the $42 million project go to www.ourbeavernation.com.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, WIN THE GAME: Over the last 159 games, Oregon State is 52-17 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, 12-44 when committing more and 17-18 when even.