Beavers Return For 2018 Home Opener

Saturday, September 8

Corvallis, OR

5:00 PM

Oregon State

Southern Utah

Tickets

Photo by: Karl Maasdam

September 04, 2018 | Football

Oregon State Notes Purchase Tickets Live Stats TuneIn Media Information

Oregon State and Southern Utah get underway at 5:02 p.m. PT on Saturday

By: Athletic Communications

GAME 2: OREGON STATE VS. SOUTHERN UTAH

Gameday Information

Date: Sept. 8, 2018
Time: 5:02 p.m. PT
Location: Corvallis, Ore.
Stadium: Reser Stadium
Television: Pac-12 Networks
Play-By-Play: JB Long
Analyst: Jeremy Bloom
Radio: Beaver Sports Network (TuneIn)
Play-By-Play: Mike Parker
Analyst: Jim Wilson
Sideline: Ron Callan
Pre-Game: Steve Preece
Satellite Radio: XM Channel 197, Sirius Channel 99
Series History: None
Last Meeting: Never
Live Stats: OSUBeavers.com

The Game —
- Oregon State returns to Reser Stadium for its 2018 home opener when hosting Southern Utah Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 5:02 p.m. PT.
- The game is slated to air on the Pac-12 Networks.
- Every game this season can be heard live via the TuneIn application, which is available online and on smartphones and tablets. To find the game, once the app has been downloaded, search "Beaver Sports Network."
Oregon State and Southern Utah have never met.
- The game marks the sixth consecutive season the Beavers have matched up against a Big Sky Conference team. Over that stretch, OSU has played Portland State twice, Eastern Washington, Weber State and Idaho State. Cal Poly is on OSU's schedule in 2019 while Portland State returns in 2020.
- Oregon State has gone 14-4 in home openers dating back to the 2000 season.
- The game is the first wearing the Orange & Black at Reser Stadium for head coach Jonathan Smith since 2003, when the Beavers defeated Stanford, 43-3. Oregon State was 12-2 at Reser in Smith's two seasons (2002 and 2003) as a graduate assistant.
- Smith was also 2-0 at Reser during his tenure with Washington. He and the Huskies won, 52-7, in 2015 and 42-7 in 2017.
- Oregon State was 18-5 at Reser during Smith's four years as a letterwinner (1998-2001).
- Artavis Pierce rushed for 168 yards and Trevon Bradford caught six passes for 104 yards versus Ohio State. It's the first time the Beavers have had a player hit the century mark through the air and on the ground since 2016 versus Arizona (Ryan Nall and Jordan Villamin).
- Both Pierce and Bradford set career highs against the Buckeyes and scored twice.
- Jake Luton, Conor Blount and Jack Colletto all saw action at QB versus the Buckeyes. It's the first time three quarterbacks have played in the same contest for the Beavers since the sixth game of the 2016 season, a 19-14 loss to Utah.

Versus Southern Utah —
- Despite the fact Oregon State and Southern Utah have never met, the Beavers' coaching staff has crossed paths with the Thunderbirds numerous times.
- Jonathan Smith (at Montana from 2010-11), Jake Cookus (at Weber State from 2005-11), Kefense Hynson (at Montana from 2012-14), Brian Lindgren (at Northern Arizona from 2005-11), Jim Michalczik (at Montana State from 1992-98), Michael Pitre (at Montana State from 2014-17), Legi Suiaunoa (at Portland State in 2010 and Montana from 2011-15) all coached in the Big Sky Conference during their collegiate careers.

Sept. 8 —
- Oregon State is playing on Sept. 8 for the first time since 2012 when the Beavers defeated No. 13 Wisconsin, 10-7, at Reser Stadium.
The Beavers are 2-4 all-time on Sept. 8, also defeating New Mexico State, 27-22, in 2001 at Reser.

Pierce To 1K —
- Artavis Pierce's 168 rushing yards versus Ohio State gave him 1,014 for his career. He's the 34th player in Oregon State history to reach the century mark.
- Pierce is averaging a little better than 5.7 yards per rush during his career, which is just shy of Ryan Nall (2015-17) and J.J. Young (1991-94), who are tied for the all-time school record at 5.8.
- Pierce reached the 168 yards on the strength of 80 and 78 yard runs, respectively. In the past 40 years, Ohio State hadn't given up two runs of 78 yards or more in the same season.

First Time —
- Twenty-three Oregon State players saw their first career action in Saturday's game versus Ohio State.
- Of those 23, 17 are freshmen.
- Five Beavers made their first career starts. They include Teagan Quitoriano (TE), Isaac Hodgins (DE), Miki Fifita (DE), Kaleb Hayes (CB) and Isaiah Tufaga (LB). All five were making their first career appearances.
- The other Beavers who made their collegiate debuts include Kolby Taylor (WR), Jack Colletto (QB), Kase Rogers (RB), Keli'i Montibon (OL), Matthew Tago (LB), Jeffrey Manning Jr. (S), Champ Flemings (WR), John McCartan (LB), B.J. Baylor (RB), Jermar Jefferson (RB), Justin Gardner (CB), Moku Watson (S), Jaelen Bush (DE), Cody Anderson (DL), Brock Wellsfry (OL), Clay Cordasco (OL), Bryce Bramscher (TE) and Isaac Garcia (DL).

Next Up —
- Oregon State returns to the road for its last non-conference game of the regular season for a Sept. 15 matchup at Nevada. That game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. PT kickoff on ESPN3 (ESPN.com).
- Oregon State is 3-0 all-time versus the Wolfpack, winning 15-0 in 1903, 48-6 in 1998 and 28-13 in 1999. That 1999 matchup marked the only matchup in Reno.
- It will be the first Oregon State game to not air over broadcast television since Nov. 21, 2009 at Washington State in Pullman, a 42-10 Beaver win. That was three seasons prior to the first Pac-12 Network broadcast.
- Fans, however, can still watch the game by utilizing the Watch ESPN app or visiting ESPN.com. Subscriptions to ESPN are required.
- Nevada is 1-0 after defeating Portland State to open the 2018 season. The Wolfpack visits Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The Schedule, Part 1 —
- The Seattle Times listed Oregon State's schedule as the third toughest in the Pac-12 this season, behind only Arizona State and UCLA.
- The Beavers, along with Washington, are the only two Pac-12 teams that open the season versus ranked opponents. Oregon State takes on No. 5 Ohio State while Washington plays a neutral-site game with No. 10 Auburn.
- Oregon State is opening the season versus a ranked opponent for the first time since 2012 when the Beavers defeated No. 13 Wisconsin, 10-7, at Reser Stadium.