Jonathan Smith told me Saturday night that the 54-53 loss to WSU was hard to swallow. The fourth-down that failed to connect no doubt cost the Beavers. But I like the aggressive nature of what the Beavers have become. No fear, go for the win at all times. Don't try the try not to lose format.
Oregon State sits at 5-6. The bowl dream is still alive. The Ducks are in a bowl but now must accept the fact that a two-loss Pac-12 team is not going to the CFP. Maybe the Rose Bowl but Utah looms on the horizon.
Utah is by far the best conference team I have seen in 2019. Can the Ducks recover from their debacle in Tempe? Can they get fired up to play their rival at home on Saturday? Vegas has established them as a 17.5 point favorite.
Oregon State is seven points away from being 8-3. A three-point loss at Hawaii. A three-point loss to Stanford and a one-point loss to Wazzu. Year two of the Jonathan Smith era has the team kicking itself knowing how much better they have become.
Watch the above highlights from last weekend. Do the Beavers have enough talent to beat Oregon? I don't know but they have made Civil War #123 pretty darn intriguing!