Blount rallies Beavers in OSU debut

Saturday, September 24

Corvallis, Ore.

12:30 PM

Oregon State

1-2

Boise State

3-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Boise State

Oregon State

Freshman QB Conor Blount threw for 138 yards in his OSU debut

Photo by: Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics

September 24, 2016 | Football

Box Score Game notes Stats

By: Athletic Communications

Corvallis, Ore. – Freshman quarterback Conor Blount rallied the Oregon State football team in the second half but the Beavers fell 38-24 to Boise State on Saturday before a crowd of 42,846 at Reser Stadium.

A walk-on from Waukeska, Wis., making his college debut, Blount led the Beavers to 10 third-quarter points as they trimmed a 31-3 halftime deficit to 31-17 heading into the fourth quarter. However, they were unable to sustain that momentum in their nonconference finale.

Blount completed 11-of-18 passes for 138 yards and sophomore tailback Ryan Nall scored on runs of 14 and 1 yards for his first multi-touchdown game to spark the Beavers.

Sophomore Seth Collins added nine receptions for 106 yards, both career highs, and Victor Bolden Jr. returned a kickoff 99 yards for his fourth career return touchdown.

OSU (1-2) outgained the Broncos (3-0) 220-77 in the second half and the Beavers outscored BSU 17-7 while not allowing an offensive touchdown.

"It was an absolute beatdown in the first half first half but the kids fought and battled back and did some good things" in the final 30 minutes, OSU coach Gary Andersen said. "We competed hard but all that stuff doesn't matter. We are in this thing to win, that's the bottom line. We didn't get it done today."

Blount entered the game to start the second half in relief of starter Darell Garretson, who Andersen said was not at 100 percent. Blount led the Beavers to a touchdown on his second drive and to a field goal on the next drive after the Beavers recovered an onside kick to draw with 31-17.

However, OSU could draw no closer and it completed its nonconference season with a 1-2 record. It opens Pacific-12 Conference play on Oct. 1 with an 11:30 a.m. (PDT) game against Colorado at Folsom Field in Boulder. It will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.

Bolden Jr. also had a 59-yard kickoff return and finished with 206 yards on four returns. He has touchdown returns of 100, 99 and 98 yards on kickoffs, and a punt return touchdown of 78 yards, for four such special-teams TDs in his career.

Senior co-captain safety Devin Chappell had one of his finest games as a Beaver, with 11 tackles, a sack, and two forced fumbles. He became the first Beaver to force two fumbles in a game since Rashaad Reynolds did so at Washington State on Oct. 12, 2013. His 11 tackles tied a career high-set vs. UCLA in 2015.

Junior safety Brandon Arnold added a career-high 10 tackles, two more than he had through the first two games.

For information on season tickets, including access to The Terrace, please contact the OSU ticket office at 1-800-GO-BEAVS during weekday business hours or beavertickets.com

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