No Father's Son

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 23 Jan 2026, 15:37

Puts the Kids To Bed...This One's Ugly

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: October 3rd, 2026

I hope our younger viewers didn't stay up too late to watch the massacre the Beavers unleashed upon the Montana Grizzlies, because this one got graphic. And that may be an understatement.

The Oregon State Beavers took care of business against the Grizzlies, jumping out to an early 28-0 lead at the half. A 56-yard kickoff return to open the 2nd half put the Grizzlies in great position and they took advantage, scoring their first touchdown after a 13 play drive covered 52 yards and ended when Tayvian Yearwood slashed in from a yard out.

A 52-yard heave that was caught on a tip by Kenyan Lankford were the only other points the Grizzlies managed as the Beavers overwhelmed the Grizzlies to the tune of five sacks and thirteen tackles for loss, surrendering fewer than 200 total yards and eleven first downs in the 59-14 thrashing.

After the game, Coach Leon praised his teams intensity in a lopsided game while thanking the Grizzlies for making the trip.

•••

Question One: "Coach, Olivia LeRusso, Oregonlive. From top to bottom, your unit manhandled the Grizzlies. How hard is it to keep the team locked in late against an opponent that is from a division conference?"

Armando Leon: "First off, round of applause for the Grizzlies. I've been on that side, going into a game against an FBS opponent and getting your lunch money taken. It's not easy preparing for a matchup like that.

"As for our guys, they did what they're supposed to do. Even so, we've still got some things to clean up. Kyle [Chen] recovered from a blown assignment to bat the deep ball, but we still gave up the touchdown. We can't have mental lapses like that going forward."

Question Two: "Danny Marks, CW Sports. The defense was in the backfield a lot this game, with thirteen more tackles for loss, but still Tarik Roberts and Tayvian Yearwood both averaged 4 yards per attempt. What is happening defensively where despite consistent pressure, you're still giving up yards?"

Armando Leon: "It's a number of things, Danny. Sometimes we're taking wrong pursuit angles, others, the line collapsed when they were supposed to preserve gap integrity. Sometimes? It's just a great play by the offense. We're not going to stop every play, every time, but we would like to see fewer impact runs. We gave up a pair of 20-yard runs in this game, so clearly it's still something we need to address, and believe me, we will continue to do so."

Question Three: "Coach, Olivia again. Let me double down this week. What does it mean having to put on this kind of show with recruits on hand to really see what you're building in Corvallis?"

Armando Leon: "You love getting guys in the building so they can really see what you're about. Dion and Damian both saw that we don't just talk it, we live it. The work is real and so are the results. I spoke with both of them ad nauseum this weekend and while I don't think they're committing anywhere just yet...let's just say I'll be surprised if they aren't in orange and black next year."

•••

If you ask me, Montana came at a perfect time. We've got our bye coming up and the gang is going into the off-week with their confidence at an all-time high. We're coming off a three-game winning streak with some dominant defensive efforts and now we've got two full weeks to prepare for "The Civil War" against the Ducks.

We took care of business in this one and that's all you can ask for against a Division II opponent, especially with some potential "kits" in attendance. It doesn't get any easier from here, especially with the top-ten ranked Ducks coming to town, but now we've got the momentum to build on.

•••

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Montana	0	0	7	7	14
Oregon State	14	14	14	17	59

Q	Team	Time	Play	Montana	Oregon State
1st	Oregon State	5:43	Salahadin Allah, 3 Yd Run	0	7
1st	Oregon State	1:49	Salaadin Allah, 7 Yd Run	0	14
2nd	Oregon State	5:03	Jake Reichle, 1 Yd Run	0	21
2nd	Oregon State	0:39	Malachi Durant, 15 Yd Pass From Kallen Gutrdige	0	28
3rd	Montana	6:28	Tayvian Yearwood, 1 Yd Run	7	28
3rd	Oregon State	6:16	Malachi Durant, Returned Kickoff 97 Yds	7	35
3rd	Oregon State	2:37	Salahadin Allah, 5 Yd Run	7	42
4th	Oregon State	9:06	Logan McCreery, 34 Yd FG	7	45
4th	Montana	7:15	Kenyan Lankford, 52 Yd Pass From Austin Chaney	14	45
4th	Oregon State	1:58	Kallen Gutridge, 3 Yd run	14	52
4th	Oregon State	0:09	David Wells Jr, 39 Yd Pass From Kallen Gutridge	14	59

Montana                                                Oregon State

Passing               | Stats                          Passing              | Stats
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
Austin Chaney         | 10/22, 108 Yds, TD             Kallen Gutridge      | 17/28, 255 Yds, 2 TD

Rushing               | Stats                          Rushing              | Stats
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
Tarik Roberts         | 11 Att, 41 Yds                 Salahadin Allah      | 27 Att, 132 Yds, 3 TD
Tayvian Yearwood      | 7 Att, 35 Yds, TD              Kallen Gutridge      | 11 Att, 36 Yds, TD

Receiving             | Stats                          Receiving            | Stats
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
Ben McGowan           | 2 Rec, 28 Yds                  David Wells Jr       | 4 Rec, 96 Yds, TD
Eli Lancaster         | 2 Rec, 19 Yds                  Malachi Durant       | 2 Rec, 35 Yds
Kendall Lankford      | 1 Rec, 52 Yds, TD              Zachary Card         | 3 Rec, 22 Yds

Defensive             | Stats                          Defensive            | Stats
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
MLB Brenna Tolbert    | 6 Tkl                          DE Langden Kitchen   | 2 Tkl, 2 TFL, 1.5 Sacks
FS Tucker Houston     | 6 Tkl                          DE Ka'eo Akana       | 5 Tkl, 2 TFL, Sack
DT Emery Ingram IV    | 5 Tkl                          LB Hasson Manning Jr | 6 Tkl, 2 TFL, Sack

Pac-12 Week Five Results
45 Texas State (2-3) @ Kentucky (2-3) 27
6 Washington State (1-4) @ NC State (4-0) 34
15 Rice (3-3) @ Fresno State (2-2) 34

Notable Week Five Results
23 #11 Oregon (3-1) @ #8 Ohio State (3-1) 31
31 #18 Alabama (4-2) @ #14 Missouri (5-1) 32
33 #2 Texas A&M (5-0) @ #15 Tennessee (4-1) 30
7 #13 Indiana (3-2) @ #10 Michigan (3-1) 28

Post by **Soapy** » 23 Jan 2026, 16:27

14 too much

Post by **ShireNiner** » 23 Jan 2026, 22:22

Lucky win

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 23 Jan 2026, 23:20

Soapy wrote: ↑
23 Jan 2026, 16:27
14 too much

I got greedy hunting sacks in the 4th Q and ended up with my SS on the boundary side, but in man coverage on the slot out wide

ShireNiner wrote: ↑
23 Jan 2026, 22:22
Lucky win

if there was a Hater of the Year Award...

you'd lose that one too :troll:

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 23 Jan 2026, 23:21

Chapter Twenty-One: Making A Difference

After the embarrassment against Texas Tech, the team was finally hitting its stride. It felt like the adjustments we’d talked about all spring were finally rounding into form. The blitzes were crisper, the coverage tighter, the reaction time more spot-on. And it showed on the field.

We collected thirteen tackles for loss, six sacks, and three forced fumbles in a gritty 21-7 win in San Diego. Another solid effort in Palo Alto against the Cardinal was nearly wasted after we gave up the game-tying touchdown, the only one surrendered by the defense in the outing, but McCreery was able to save us for the second-time this season as we escaped with a 23-20 win.

After the pair of road wins to boost our confidence, we returned to Reser Stadium riding high and demolished the Montana Grizzlies, 59-14. It was the type of pick-me-up game you imagine when you schedule an FCS school, especially near the midway point of the season, but while the team was celebrating the three-game win streak? I was still as locked in as ever, maybe even more so.

Not only had we developed a penchant for giving up explosive runs, allowing eight rushes of twenty or more yards already in the season, but I knew what was coming.

The Oregon Ducks. No amount of rah-rah speeches or schematic adjustments were going to make up for the Grand Canyon-sized gap between the talent on the two squads. ‘Throw out the record in rivalry games’ they always said, but that doesn’t mean you overlook the talent gap.

I’d spent the entirety of the bye week poring over tape once again, going as far back as last year’s shellacking from when I was the DC at Montana State. It was a tape Jessica was all too familiar with, having played it repeatedly after the loss last year, but now instead of reliving the past, she knew I was trying to prepare for the future.

“Excited to get your lick back against Oregon?” she asked while sliding into the chair beside me, holding a plate with enough cheesecake on it for the both of us.

“No,” I quickly said before she shoved a gargantuan bite of cheesecake into my mouth, cutting me off before I could continue.

“I know, you’ve got that look on your face again,” she sighed. When I raised my eyebrows to question what she meant, mouth still full of cheesecake, she sighed harder this time before continuing.

“It’s the look you get when you can’t figure something out. Like last summer, when the dishwasher broke and instead of calling for a repairman, you spent three full nights taking it apart and re-assembling it, before finally admitting defeat and calling a repairman.”

“Don’t forget,” I interjected, having finally finished off the heaping bite of cheesecake, “I watched him like a hawk when he was here. We ain’t calling no repair man again. Call me Fix-It-Mando,” I added a smile for good measure, knowing I was trying to ward off a lecture about taking it too seriously.

“Yeah, yeah. Flyboy has to do everything himself,” she half joked, giving me a playful slap on the chest. “But, seriously. You aren’t going to win every game-“

“If you don’t prepare to win, then you’re setting yourself up to lose,” I interrupted, quoting one of my favorite coaching lines. Clearly annoyed at this point, Jessica didn’t speak back up. Not until I gave her a quick apology kiss, gesturing to continue, did she resume.

“As I was saying. You aren’t going to win them all. That doesn’t mean you don’t prepare like you are,” she quickly added, seeing me tense back up to retort once again, “Just that you enjoy the ride too. That’s all.”

Before I could continue arguing my point, she quickly changed the subject, but not before funneling another gigantic piece of cake into my mouth to keep me from arguing.

“Besides, I didn’t come in here for another one of your coaching cliches. I want to know how the recruiting visit went.”

The shift in my expression was immediate, although I didn’t clock it until much later, but the tense pressure building between my shoulders suddenly relaxed, my smile quickly rose, and my mood was instantly better.

“These guys are gamers,” I began, before delving into a full scouting report for both. About midway through me raving about Dion Doucet’s measurables, I realized I’d fallen right into her trap. Did she care about the recruits? Maybe, if nothing more than in an effort to be supportive. But what she was really doing was easing the stress of planing for Oregon, if it was only for a moment. I continued my analysis, but felt the slow warmth spread in my heart again. The one that I felt when I realized how deeply I loved the woman sitting across from me, and how lucky I was that she was in my life.

“That’s great, honey,” she piped in, clearly half listening to the breakdown until it got to the part she was truly interested in. “How did the conversation with Damian go, though? That’s what I’m really curious about.”

The shift caught me off guard, although I should have seen the question coming. One of the things that had stood out to me about Damian was his natural ability, he simply played corner like he belonged there. The more I watched his tape from junior year, the more I saw elite potential in him. Out of curiosity, I’d reached out to Chaparral High to see if there was any tape from his freshman, or sophomore seasons. Surprisingly, there was none.

What I was able to find out was Damian had transferred to Chaparral in Temecula, CA the summer before his junior year and had never been enrolled in high school previously, having spent his freshman and sophomore years at the Southwest Juvenile Hall in Murrieta, California.

Turns out, our natural athlete had quite the track record off the field. Multiple arrests as a pre-teen, a possession arrest at 12 that landed him in the diversion program, another arrest while on probation that got him 60 days in detention. But the big one? An arrest at 15, still on probation, as part of a wider operation targeting drug distribution for the Yarbrough Park Gangster Crips. This time, not only was Damian holding, but it was enough to charge him with intent to distribute with gang enhancement.

“So, not only did he have a criminal history, but he only had one year of tape,” I continued explaining to Jessica, who was admittedly more interested in Damian’s story than the scheme analysis. “That’s why despite what stood out on tape, he was a fringe 3* prospect.”

We’d tabbed Damian early in the recruiting process after seeing him on tape against one of California’s top receivers, but as soon as the questionable background came back, Coach Smith halted the recruitment.

“He’s too much of a risk,” stated Smith, like he was playing a hand of cards, not dealing with real kids’ lives, “He has flashes on tape, but he’s raw. And has baggage.”

“Ya know, if Coach Sukut back in Havre thought the same way, we might never be having this conversation,” I countered, trying to sound casual despite the gravity of the conversation.

“God damnit, Mando,” Coach Smith said with an exhale, “Fine. Keep recruiting the kid, lord knows we need the talent and if he ends up being a gem in the rough, even better. But when we bring him in for a visit, I want you to talk to him. See if he’s really trying to turn things around, or if he’s playing the part until he’s off the hook.”

And that’s how Damian Skaggs and I ended up in my office on a chilly October afternoon, one day before the Beavers welcomed the Montana Grizzlies into Reser Stadium. But rather than talk football and break down passing concepts, we were talking about life.

“Listen, Damian. I’m going to be straight with you,” I said directly, holding eye contact with the 6’ cornerback sitting across from me. “We love what you’ve put on tape,” I began as Damian began to sit straighter in his chair, pride showing through.

“But,” I quickly added. Even a blind man could read his body language, the slump of the shoulders, the worry etched in his face, and the hard swallow as he awaited the rest of the sentence.

“We don’t love the rap sheet. We know what’s in it,” I continued, naming off the list of his previous charges. “What I don’t know, is your story. But before I ask you to spill your secrets, I’ll lead. Wouldn’t be right to sit here and judge you on your mistakes, without laying mine on the table.”

I didn’t tell him about my father, for now that tidbit of information stayed close to the visit. I did tell him about the moving after we were abandoned by him, the petty theft that led to my arrest in Jamestown, North Dakota, and then the commitment to hard work that set me on my path to the Air Force.

“When I tell you I’ve been there, I mean it, Damian. But if we’re going to take a flyer on you, I’ve got to know you’ve got the desire to put in the necessary work. It’s not easy, but it will be worth it. So long as you’re willing.”

He sat there, chewing the information I’d given him, slowly processing it as his jaw worked, before finally clearing his throat to speak.

“My Dad was cliqued up with YPC before I was born. My older brother Dame, all my cousins. So when I was old enough to carry weight, it felt like it was what I was supposed to do,” he sighed, stuck between the past and the present, before taking a sip of the sparkling water on the table and continuing.

“But my Dad got plugged in 2020, same year I was in that diversion program. Dame got slimed two years ago, three weeks before I got out of SJH. I got home and the two men who helped raise me were gone,” he paused after that, and while he was looking at the floor, I knew the look. He was fighting back tears.

Once he composed himself, he sat up in his chair a little straighter. “I decided the streets weren’t for me. I saw how broken up my mama was about pops and Dame, I wasn’t going to be another reason she was slow singing at the funeral service. So we got up out of there.

“You can ask my PO, I’ve been straight, Coach. Straight As, complete my community service on time, hell even did extra. Clean piss, clean livin. Haven’t talked to a crip since splitting from Lake Elsinore, honest.

“I just want a chance, Coach. A shot to prove I can make it out, that there’s more to life than what my pops showed me.”

I’d already made up my mind midway through his story, I could hear the truth in his voice, see the conviction in his eyes. But still, I made him sweat, acted like I was weighing the decision.

“I already talked to your PO, he’s telling me the same thing. Said, and I quote, ‘Damian is a kid that only knew crime, he never had a shot to avoid it. But he’s taking responsibility for those actions, even as an 18-year old.’ If that isn’t a young man that deserves a shot, I don’t know what is.”

He went for a handshake and instead was met with a dap, followed by a hug. “I know you’ve got to talk to your PO still, get the details worked out,” I told him, still holding the friendly embrace, “But if you need someone to speak on your behalf, I’d be honored.

“Just don’t announce it yet, until you get the details ironed out,” I added, pulling away to take my seat, “Otherwise, it gets messy. But you’ve got a spot here, whenever you get the logistics figured out.”

While I’d rehashed the events to Jessica we’d slowly made our way from my office, discarded the cheesecake plate in the kitchen, and had ended up in the bedroom, half undressed and wrapped up into each other and the sheets by the time I was finished.

“You can’t win them all, Flyboy,” she said, turning her gaze up to meet my eyes, “But as long as you win the important ones, you’re doing alright.

“I’d say that’s your biggest win of the season, regardless of what happens against Oregon this weekend.”

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 24 Jan 2026, 01:18

Beavs Miss Out On A Pair Of Prospects, Still Land 3* CB Damian Skaggs

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: October 10th, 2026

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows on the Beavers bye week, but it ended on a sweet note. FS Titus Bhargava, who was on campus for the Beavers 59-14 demolition of the Montana Grizzlies, and athlete Emmett Silva both committed elsewhere for next season.

Bhargava was a particularly disappointing loss according to DC Armando Leon, who confirmed that Bhargava informed him of his intent to sign with the Cal Golden Bears despite taking a visit to Corvallis in Week Five. The Spokane, Washington native was the 588th ranked player in this year's class and the 17th-ranked safety.

Another recruit who was on hand for the Grizzlies game, CB Damian Skaggs, decided that he saw everything he needed and more during his visit to Corvallis, officially announcing his intent to enroll with the Beavers next fall.

"Damian had some personal matters to clear up before he could officially announce his decision," revealed a source close to the situation, "but he had his mind made up after the Week Five visit. He immediately got the process going upon his return to Temecula."

Skaggs is an intriguing prospect, to say the least. The 6'0", 181lb corner doesn't have a ton of tape, having only played one season at Chaparral High, but the work he's put together speaks for itself. He's put together an impressive senior campaign, tallying five interceptions while holding two top California wide receiver prospects; Floyd Marshall (4*, 418th NAT, Texas commit) and Klay Steinmetz (4*, 38th NAT, uncommitted) below 50 receiving yards while keeping both out of the end zone.

"He's got great instincts and uses his size to his advantage; he shields the receivers from the ball without drawing pass interference in the process. He needs to become more fluid in press coverage, he tends to overcommit and can get burned by double moves, but for someone with less than two seasons under his belt, he has all the tools to succeed at the next level," confirmed one Mountain West scout.

The scout doubled down on the glowing assessment, stating that if he were a junior, not a senior, he would easily be an upper 4* prospect next year.

Defensive coordinator Armando Leon was clearly excited about Skaggs commitment, retweeting the cornerbacks announcement tweet on X with the hashtag #BuildtheDam.

After Thursday's practice, the same day Skaggs posted his announcement on X, Leon was quoted saying that "Skaggs is a fighter, someone who's willing to put in the work to change his circumstance. That's what we need here in Corvallis. Not only guys willing to buy into the work, but ones who embrace it. Can't wait to get him in the facility."

I'm not one to get too rah-rah over the 1,284th-ranked prospect, but the tape doesn't lie. Skaggs clearly has some off-field challenges he is working through and that may be more of a determining factor than his ability when it comes to his development, but if he keeps improving? Worst case, he's a great nickel corner and in today's college football landscape one thing is for sure—you can never have enough corners.

•••

Oregon State Beavers' 2026 Big Board

Ranking	Position	Name	Ht	Wt	Hometown	Tendency	NAT/STA/POS	Stage	OSU Rank
	MLB	Deon DeBose	6'0	209	Barrington, IL	Signal Caller	407/17/36	Top 5	1st
	G	Rico Stubbs	6'2	275	Upland, CA	Pass Pro	467/41/25	Top 3	2nd
	CB	Mario Magnifico	6'2	193	Santa Ana, CA	Bump and Run	540/49/47	Top 3	1st
	FS	Titus Bhargava	5'11	191	Spokane, WA	Hybrid	588/12/17	Committed	Cal
	MLB	Dion Doucet	6'2	222	Lake Oswego, OR	Thumper	798/4/50	Top 3	1st
	EDGE	DeMarcus Talbot	6'4	237	Bellflower, CA	Pure Power	894/79/89	Top 8	1st
	ATH	Floyd Flanagan	6'0	220	Burien, WA	Thumper	904/14/55	Top 8	1st
	QB	Shakim Procter	6'4	194	Bothell, WA	Backfield Creator	976/16/58	Committed	Washington
	HB	Derek Metropulos	5'8	203	West Hills, CA	Contact Seeker	1006/87/116	Top 8	1st
	QB	Kyle Johnson	5'11	183	Sammamish, WA	Dual Threat	1127/18/64	Top 5	1st
	EDGE	Danny Johnston	6'1	236	Bellflower, CA	Speed Rusher	1158/104/99	Top 8	1st
	LB	David Kongbo	6'0	210	San Mateo, CA	Thumper	1191/111/105	Top 8	1st
	ATH	Leo McGinnis	6'3	259	Corona, CA	Power Rusher	1283/118/110	Top 3	1st
	CB	Damian Skaggs	6'0	181	Temecula, CA	Field	1284/119/106	Committed	Oregon State
	ATH	Max Waggoner	6'2	240	Bothell, WA	Pure Possession	1378/21/80	Top 5	1st
	ATH	Emmett Silva	6'3	193	Olympia, WA	Contested Specialist	1387/22/219	Committed	Washington State
	G	Enrique Esparza	6'1	284	Las Vegas, NV	Pass Pro	1412/14/70	Top 8	1st
	T	DeMarco Alabi	6'6	316	Gray, GA (JUCO)	Raw Strength	1426/124/100	Top 5	1st
	CB	Dante Slay	5'10	164	Compton, CA (JUCO)	Boundary	1511/138/121	Top 5	1st
	CB	Rico Darr	6'1	188	Sumner, WA	Bump and Run	1526/24/124	Top 8	1st
	HB	Sharrif Slack	5'10	163	Somerset, KY	Backfield Threat	1647/12/185	Top 8	1st
	T	Kevin Marciano	6'5	288	Bellingham, WA	Raw Strength	1775/29/120	Committed	Oregon State

Deuce2223 · Post by **Deuce2223** » 24 Jan 2026, 01:23

FInally got caught up. Not a bad start for a team that won just 2 games last year.. Will be nice to actually see someone build OSU into winners.. Are you just rolling with the 9 team Conference or did a miss the post where you added someone. Or what's your plan with the Pac-12 moving forward.. Invite Stanford and Cal back? I assume you will play Oregon every year even if they stay in the Big Ten.

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 24 Jan 2026, 11:43

Deuce2223 wrote: ↑
24 Jan 2026, 01:23
FInally got caught up. Not a bad start for a team that won just 2 games last year.. Will be nice to actually see someone build OSU into winners.. Are you just rolling with the 9 team Conference or did a miss the post where you added someone. Or what's your plan with the Pac-12 moving forward.. Invite Stanford and Cal back? I assume you will play Oregon every year even if they stay in the Big Ten.

I haven't though about any futures changes to the conferences, but I don't think if I do make some changes it'll be anything drastic. Stanford and Cal back would probably be the move, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Oregon on the docket every year for sure

Not sure how long we'll be in Corvallis tho, I want to have it be at least a few seasons, but not sure what kind of offers I'll get as a DC opposed to an OC

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 24 Jan 2026, 11:44

2026 Week Seven Preview - #9 Oregon (4-1) @ Oregon State (4-1)

Ricky McKinley // Dam Daily • Published: October 14th, 2026

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is it. The Civil War. Oregon vs Oregon State.

It's a rivalry the Ducks have dominated for the most part, but the Beavers have managed to knock our big brother down three times in the last ten years. Each of those three wins came at Reser Stadium. And where is this year's battle?

Reser Stadium.

Now I'm not saying we're going out there and serving charred Duck this weekend...I'm just saying there's a chance.

Here's a quick look at the numbers before we get Coach Leon's take on his first taste of The Civil War in "Leon's Lowdown."

•••

Oregon State Beavers (4-1)             | Description                   | #9 Oregon Ducks (4-1)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
77 Overall // 76 Offense // 79 Defense | Team Rating                   | 93  Overall // 91  Offense // 96  Defense
Jonathan Smith (46-50)                 | Head Coach                    | Dan Lanning (19-4)
Pro Style                              | Offensive Scheme              | Spread
3-3-5                                  | Defensive Scheme              | Base 3-4

Oregon State Beavers               | Description     | Oregon Ducks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25-32                              | Combined Record | 39-20
@ Houston (2-3) W 41-39            | Week One        | Boise State (2-3) W 32-31
Texas Tech (6-0) L 47-13           | Week Two        | BYE
@ San Diego State (1-4) W 21-7     | Week Three      | FCS W 45-3
@ Stanford (1-4) W 23-20           | Week Four       | UCLA (5-2) W 37-10
Montana W 59-14                    | Week Five       | @ Ohio State (4-1) L 31-23
BYE                                | Week Six        | Nebraska (4-1) W 35-17

Oregon State Beavers                                                Oregon Ducks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LT Jacob Strand (77) Partial MCL Tear (2 Weeks)   | Injuries      | N/A
RG Ryan Berger (79) Dislocated Ankle (3 Weeks)    | Injuries      | N/A

Oregon State Beavers                                          | Pos | Oregon Ducks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SO(RS) Kallen Gutridge (78/129 (60%), 980 Yds, 8 TD, 6 INT    | QB  | SR(RS) Noah Fifita 104/174 (59%), 1,335 Yds, 14 TD, 2 INT
JR Salahadin Allah 113 Att, 607 Yds, 4 TD                     | HB  | SO Jordan Davison 86 Att, 577 Yds, 6 TD
JR(RS) David Wells Jr 17 Rec, 268 Yds, TD                     | WR  | SR Kyler Kasper 25 Rec, 345 Yds, 6 TD
SO(RS) Malachi Durant 21 Rec, 260 Yds, 4 TD                   | WR  | SR(RS) Justius Lowe 24 Rec, 347 Yds, 3 TD
SO(RS) Exodus Ayers 28 Tkl, 4 TFL, INT                        | DEF | SR(RS) LB Devon Jackson 28 Tkl, 2 TFL, Sack, INT
SR(RS) DE Ka'eo Akana 17 Tkl, 9 TFL, 4.5 Sacks                | DEF | SR DT A'Mauri Washington 15 Tkl, 5 TFL, 3 Sacks
SR(RS) MLB Jalen Woods 13 Tkl, 11 TFL, 2 Sacks                | DEF | SR(RS) DT Bear Alexander 13 Tkl, 3 TFL, 2 Sacks
SR SS Kyle Chen 37 Tkl, 2 TFL, Sack                           | DEF | SR(RS) MLB Harrison Taggart 25 Tkl, TFL, INT

Pac-12 Week Seven Schedule

► Show Spoiler

Notable Week Seven Matchups

► Show Spoiler

•••

Leon's Lowdown

RM: "Alright, Coach. I hope you guys are refreshed, because it doesn't get any bigger than 'The Civil War', but this isn't your first showdown with the Ducks, correct?"

AL: "Thanks, Ricky. Hope you took care of yourself over the bye week. But to answer your question, I wouldn't call it a showdown with Oregon. The Bobcats travelled up to Eugene last year and it was a bloodbath, I've kind of blocked the whole thing out, to be honest, so hopefully I don't have a bout of PTSD on the sideline this weekend. laughs

"But, real talk. Oregon is a top dog in the country for a reason. They're talented, well coached, and don't make many mistakes. They're arguably better than Texas Tech, so to think we can just out-hustle them would be asinine. We're going to do our best to make this program proud in the rivalry game, but I'm not going to sit here and write checks my boys can't cash."

RM: "That's fair, Coach. We'd never ask you to put the boys in the crosshairs. Let's say if—puts hands up in defense—and I know that's a big if, but if the Beavs pull off the upset, what needs to happen?"

AL: "I sound like a broken record, Ricky, but the formula is the same. It starts in the trenches. If we can control the line of scrimmage and force them into second-or-third-and-long, we've got a shot at making some big plays that can swing momentum. We got out of form a bit towards the end of the Montana game, started hunting big plays instead of playing sound football. We can't lose that discipline against the Ducks, or it will be Charred Beaver, not Duck, on the menu tonight."

RM: "Before we let you get back to prepping for The War, one last note, Coach—congratulations on securing the first defensive recruit as a Beaver!"

AL: "Hopefully the first of many, Ricky. We're very excited about adding Damian Skaggs next year. He's a fluid athlete with great size for his position, but we're really excited about his ball skills. He plays with great pace and balance, so that when the ball does come his way, he's ready to make a play. That's what we need on our defense, guys who can go stride-for-stride with the opposing receivers and impact the game with their playmaking ability."

•••

Okay, folks. Coach Leon didn't give me much to go on there, but understandably so. He's gone to war with the Ducks before and it didn't end well. I've gone back and forth with this prediction over the last two weeks. Part of me wants to think we've got the edge this year. It's in Corvallis; we've got momentum, and I believe in Coach Mando.

But Oregon is also filled with five-star recruits and have gone toe-to-toe with the best. We already saw how we stacked up against Texas Tech, who also shellacked us at home.

59-10. I'm sorry, Beaver Nation. I've been wrong before and I'm hoping this is my biggest swing and miss of the year.

redsox907 · Post by **redsox907** » 24 Jan 2026, 15:12

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