Plenty of strange things have happened to the college football landscape in recent years, but for me the story of Oregon State and Washington State tops them all. Almost overnight, the two PAC-12 schools were left homeless. Now two games into the 2024 season both are undefeated and preparing for their biggest rival games of the season this weekend against Oregon and Washington.
Every school deals with some unexpected roster turmoil in the world of the transfer portal, but none have had to navigate it while trying to juggle the future of their program. That has been the reality for the Beavers and Cougars since the conclusion of the 2023 season. They watched star players like Cam Ward, DJ Uiagalelei, Damien Martinez, Josh Kelly, Jack Velling and Aiden Chiles transfer, the Beavers saw their head coach leave, and both schools had to piece together a 2024 schedule. But through it all they persevered.
Washington State was able to retain head coach Jake Dickert and while the loss of Cam Ward was a big one, chances are that he would’ve transferred no matter the situation. Luckily for the Cougars, they seem to have quickly found an exciting replacement.
After showing some flashes last season as a redshirt freshman backup to Ward, John Mateer has been one of the more intriguing players in the country through two games. First against Portland State he completed 11 of 17 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for 55 yards and one touchdown on only two carries. Then against Texas Tech he flipped the script by completing only 9 of 19 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown, but rushed for 197 yards, a school-record for a quarterback, and one touchdown on 21 carries.
At Oregon State, the Beavers have continued to impress via their defense. This shouldn’t come as a surprise though as defensive coordinator Trent Bray took over the program after Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State. Coming off a 21-0 victory at San Diego State, players like defensive back Skyler Thomas, linebacker Nikko Taylor and defensive lineman Thomas Collins have all stepped up their game. On offense, the running back duo of Jam Griffin and Anthony Hankerson and quarterback Gevani McCoy have thrived in the Beavers ground-and-pound offense.
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Now both have a huge opportunity this weekend. Washington State travels to Washington, while the Beavers host Oregon. These are games against long-time in-state rivals that bolted the PAC-12 for greener pastures. Tensions will be high, especially in Corvallis, which will have a wild atmosphere. And both have the potential to win.
Washington is dealing with a complete roster and coaching overhaul, and while their defense hasn’t given up a touchdown in two games, the offense is still developing its identity. Oregon is a more interesting story, as the disappointing play of their offensive line may eventually hijack their season.
The opportunity is there for Washington State and Oregon State to make a national statement on Saturday while showing everyone that they survived the recent chaos.
