Oregon State Beavers vs. BYU Cougars in the Las Vegas Bowl
by Dave D
Tuesday, December 22nd
Sam Boyd Stadium (Las Vegas, NV) - 8:10 PM ET
College Football Spread: Oregon State -2.5
Oregon State: The Week That Was
The Beavers – intent on securing the Rose Bowl berth that evaded them in 2008 – were denied once again by their archrival, the Oregon Ducks. Oregon State stood on the short side of a 37-33 decision in a spirited Civil War.
The Beavers lost because they made too many mistakes. A total of 10 penalties – many of them in red zone situations – created too many field goals for a team that needed touchdowns against Oregon’s high-octane offense. OSU quarterback Sean Canfield was outstanding, going 24-of-36 for 306 yards with no interceptions, but a critical overthrow of receiver James Rodgers deprived OSU of a touchdown midway through the third quarter. The accumulation of missed opportunities haunted the Beavers, whose bold effort was undone by uneven execution.
BYU: The Week That Was
The Cougars didn’t win the Mountain West title, but they had much to be happy about after ending their regular season with a 26-23 overtime win over Utah in a bitter confrontation.
BYU quarterback Max Hall has made no secret of his dislike for the rival Utes, who ruined BYU’s 2008 season with an emphatic 48-24 triumph in which Hall was intercepted five times. This year, the Cougars’ field general got back at Utah by tossing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Andrew George in the first overtime period. After the Utes took a 23-20 lead on their offensive possession, Hall’s scoring strike gave BYU a walk-off victory and a 10-2 mark for the season.
to start betting on Oregon State -2.5 vs BYU!
The Week That Is:
The key to this game – as is the case in most bowl games – is the motivation level of the two squads. BYU could be grumbling in Sin City because coach Bronco Mendenhall is leading his Cougars to the Las Vegas Bowl for the fifth straight season. BYU might not view this trip as a pleasure cruise, due to the fact that this event has become somewhat stale for the program.
Oregon State’s big challenge is to treat the Vegas Bowl as an opportunity, despite the fact that the Beavers sorely wanted to travel to Pasadena, Calif., for a Rose Bowl date with Ohio State. If Oregon State sulks, BYU is definitely good enough to take advantage, but if the Beavers decide to play ball, their playmaking talent and overall speed should be too much for BYU. Running back Jacquizz Rodgers and his older brother, receiver James Rodgers, are superior to any offensive performers BYU can offer. Riley’s coaching credentials also overshadow those of Mendenhall. Oregon State is better on paper; the only question is, “Will Oregon State be enthusiastic about playing this game?” The answer should be yes.
Football Betting Pick: Oregon State -2.5
