11-27-19 Emerald Media - Gameday Edition

GAMEDAY 11.27.19

SEWELL STRONG PENEI SEWELL’S INTENSITY ON AND OFF THE FIELD HAS CULTIVATED A SENSE OF TOUGHNESS AND BROTHERHOOD THAT OREGON’S PROGRAM HAS LACKED IN RECENT YEARS

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Account Executives Matty Leech Jordenne DeGraw Emma Swanson Noah Mayers Sam Lax Paige Vizza Fritz Hergenhan Patrick McCumber

ON THE COVER

Ducks offensive lineman Penei Sewell (58) sprints on the field during practice. (Marissa Willke/Emerald)

OREGON

OREGON STATE

OREGON OFFENSE Penei Sewell Shane Lemieux Jake Hanson Dallas Warmack Calvin Throckmorton Hunter Kampmoyer Juwan Johnson Jaylon Redd Johnny Johnson III CJ Verdell Justin Herbert

No. 58 No. 68 LG No. 55 No. 75 No. 54 No. 48 No. 6 No. 30 No. 3 No. 7 No. 10

OREGON STATE OFFENSE

LT

So. Sr.

C RG RT TE WR WR WR RB QB

Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr.

No. 5 No. 34 No. 99

DE NT DT STUD

No. 41 No. 35 No. 4 No. 6 No. 16 No. 23

Fr. Jr. Jr. Sr.

MLB WILL NICKEL/SAM So. CB CB S S R-Fr.

So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr.

No. 63 No. 42 No. 49

LS P PK

LT LG C RG RT TE WR WR WR RB QB

R-Sr. Sr. R-Jr. R-Sr. R-So. R-Sr. R-So. Sr. Jr. So. R-Sr.

Issac Hodgins Elu Aydon Simon Sandberg Avery Roberts Shemar Smith Hamilcar Rashed Jr. John McCartan Isaiah Dunn David Morris Jalen Moore Nahshon Wright

No. 90 No. 99 No. 45 No. 34 No. 41 No. 9 No. 6 No. 23 No. 24 No. 33 No. 21

DE DT DE ILB ILB OLB OLB CB S S CB

So. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-So. Sr. R-Jr. So. Jr. R-So. R-Sr. R-So.

OREGON STATE SPECIAL TEAMS

OREGON SPECIAL TEAMS Karsten Battles Blake Maimone Camden Lewis

No. 73 No. 63 No. 64 No. 56 No. 71 No. 81 No. 1 No. 8 No. 17 No. 22 No. 6

OREGON STATE DEFENSE

OREGON DEFENSE Kayvon Thibodeaux Jordon Scott Austin Faoliu Bryson Young No. 56 Isaac Slade-Matautia Troy Dye Jevon Holland No. 8 Thomas Graham Jr. Deommodore Lenoir Nick Pickett Verone McKinley

Blake Brandel Gus Lavaka Nathan Elridge Clay Cordasco Brandon Kipper Noah Togiai Tyjon Lindsey Trevon Bradford Isaiah Hodgins Jermar Jefferson Jake Luton

So. Sr. Fr.

Keegan Firth Daniel Rodriguez Jordan Choukair

No. 37 No.39 No. 46

LS P PK

R-Sr. R-So. R-Sr.

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GAMEDAY

Ducks wide receiver Johnny Johnson III (3) celebrates his touchdown. (DL Young/Emerald)

JOHNNY JOHNSON III IS PROVING HE CAN BE A GO-TO RECEIVER BY: Brady Lim @BradyLim619

Johnny Johnson III had the best game of his career last Saturday night against Arizona State.

He sparked a furious late-game rally that nearly won the Ducks the game, setting career highs in receptions and yards in the process.

The loss for Johnson was, of course, disappointing. But compared to where he was at this point last year, almost single-handedly bringing the Ducks back to win a game in his home state is a testament to the changes he’s made to make this breakthrough season a possibility.

“It was just a mindset change,” Johnson said of his improvement in 2019. “I’ve always been a hard worker, but I’ve implemented a lot of things and just knew it was my time to shine.”

Towards the end of Pac-12 play last season, Johnson had all but fallen out of the receiver rotation and failed to live up to the role that many

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expected him to play. As a result, the passing game became one-dimensional and defenses were able to lock onto Dillon Mitchell, who was, at times, the only real threat at receiver.

During the rapid yet ultimately unsuccessful comeback in Tempe on Saturday, those roles were reversed. This time, it was Johnson who carried the passing attack. For a significant portion of the fourth quarter, he did so all by himself.

“It was just out of not being denied,” Johnson told 247 Sports of his role in the late comeback bid. “That was our mentality coming out for those last few drives. We almost got it done.”

Despite the crushing loss, the Ducks still have big goals to play for. Two wins are all that stand between them and the program’s first Rose Bowl appearance since the 2014 season. And for Johnson, his breakout in 2019 has completely redirected his trajectory as a playmaker in

Oregon’s offense.

“As a grown man, you just keep your head high,” he said. “We still got football games to play and that’s all that matters.”

In Pac-12 play last season, Johnson caught a total of 11 passes for 81 yards and zero touchdowns. On Saturday alone, he caught 10 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson is just a junior now, and if he chooses to stay for his senior season, he figures to be the best receiver on what should be another highly ranked Ducks squad. He may have played his way into an opportunity at the NFL, too, if he so chooses. That alone would have seemed unthinkable just one year ago.

In the age of the transfer portal, Johnson chose to stick it out with the Ducks after a rough season.

That decision has paid off, and goals that seemed unattainable not long ago are now a reality.

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GAMEDAY

IN A SEASON PACKED WITH EXCITING WINS,

DUCKS PREPARE TO BOUNCE BACK FROM A LOSS

BY: Clayton Franke @clayfranke1

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert at play. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

When the Ducks got on the plane to head home after an upset loss in Tempe, Arizona, last Saturday, they were almost dead silent.

“That’s as quiet of a plane ride as I’ve ever been on, and not by a little,” head coach Mario Cristobal said in a press conference Monday. “And you know what, it should be that way.”

The unranked Arizona State Sun Devils — led by a monster game from freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels — had just defeated the then-No. 6 ranked Oregon Ducks, crushing any chance that Oregon had of reaching the College Football Playoff. The loss also meant the Ducks would fail to become the first undefeated team in conference play in Pac-12 football history. This feeling of defeat was something the Ducks hadn’t felt since the heartbreaking loss to Auburn in the opening week of the season, and that feeling took full effect on Saturday night.

“After a game like that, you’re going to be upset.

You’re going to be down,” Cristobal said. “If it wasn’t that way, I would be really disappointed and I’d say we got the wrong guys. That was the mood.”

While the 9-2 Ducks haven’t had much experience bouncing back from losses this year, they haven’t had much trouble refocusing in preparation for the Civil War. The team’s mentality has been rooted in ignoring distractions all season, and it’s no different this week.

That being said, the Ducks will have to make

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some adjustments on the field if they want to avoid another upset loss.

Oregon State is second in the Pac-12 North with a 4-4 conference record this season, which is significantly improved from its 1-8 conference record from last season. The Beavers even beat ASU two weeks ago and lost in a 54-53 shootout to a Washington State team that the Ducks beat on a last-second field goal.

The Beavers have a high-powered offense featuring the lethal combination of quarterback Jake Luton and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins.

Hodgins will be matched up against a secondary that allowed 408 yards through the air last week, including two passing touchdowns of over 50 yards.

“We feel confident in our guys back there,” Cristobal said of his secondary. “We feel real confident in being able to correct and schematically enhance those things.”

Per usual, Oregon is trying to get healthy this week. The Ducks have a number of injuries heading into the Civil War. Wide receiver Jaylon Redd made the trip to Tempe and suited up for the game but didn’t see the field due to a rib injury he suffered in the game against the Arizona Wildcats.

However, Cristobal said Redd was healing well and is “probably going to play” this Saturday. Mycah Pittman is still out with a broken arm, so the Ducks need Redd to add depth to the receiving corps.

Cristobal said he also felt confident about the

health of center Jake Hanson, who left the game in the first half on Saturday. Senior right tackle Calvin Throckmorton moved to center in Hanson’s absence and provided an array of precarious snaps in the second quarter. Having Hanson back will anchor an offensive line that is currently a bit banged up.

CJ Verdell was injured after the game due to his physicality in the pass-blocking game, but Cristobal is expecting him to play Saturday. Freshman Kayvon Thibodeaux went down late in the game and is also expected to play.

In their preparations for the Civil War, the Ducks don’t need any extra motivation. They’re coming off an upset loss, facing their significantly improved arch rivals, and for many of them, it will be their last game at Autzen Stadium.

“You only have a certain amount of snaps in your career, and you’d like it to be that with every snap, you show that this thing means more to you than the people you are playing against,” Cristobal said.

“And that’s the way this senior class is defined.”

It’s already been established that the 2019 Ducks know how to win, but their newest test is bouncing back from a loss. They bounced back from the loss against Auburn with nine wins, and they hope to harvest the same energy out of the loss to ASU. Thankfully for the Ducks, they get to return to Autzen Stadium one last time on Saturday, where the silence from the plane ride is sure to be broken.

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SEWELL’S TONE-SETTING PLAY HAS EARNED HIM RESPECT BOTH IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND NATIONAL STAGE BY: Shane Hoffmann @shane_hoffmann

The Ducks celebrate a play. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

If you were at Oregon’s game in Tempe, Arizona, against the Sun Devils or watching it on TV, you might have noticed something out of the ordinary. As pregame warmups came to a close, a majority of Ducks players huddled around one of their peers as he delivered a passionate hype-up speech.

While the act itself was a normality, the individual doing it was someone you may not have expected. It wasn’t the soft-spoken Justin Herbert, nor was it defensive captain Troy Dye. For that matter, it wasn’t even an upperclassman.

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Sophomore offensive tackle Penei Sewell stood in the midst of a group of his teammates as they swayed back and forth listening to his words.

Offensive linemen don’t usually end up being captains, let alone give pregame speeches, but Sewell isn’t your typical offensive linemen.

In just his second year, he’s garnering attention as perhaps the nation’s best lineman, giving postgame interviews on national TV, and he’s in the running for a variety of awards.

Most of all though, Sewell has helped elevate the Oregon program

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to heights it hasn’t reached since 2014 — furthering the toughness and brotherhood of the program along with it.

As a freshman, the American Samoa native joined a veteranlaiden offensive line and took up the most important position of all: guarding Herbert’s blindside.

Despite relative inexperience compared to his fellow linemen, Sewell wasted no time asserting himself as perhaps the best of the unit.

“Experience is overrated in my opinion,” offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said. “Experience has

nothing to do with preparation. You still got to prepare whether you’re a guy who’s started 38 games, like some of these guys have, or you’re a guy who’s only started 13 or five or whatever it is. … Experience is what happened in the past, not about what you do now or going forward.”

First-year starters often struggle given the nuance and technique required of the position. Sewell didn’t — and in the process became the first true freshman offensive lineman to start the first game of the season for Oregon since 1997.

“He was a guy who played above

The Ducks celebrate a play. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

I WAS GOING CRAZY. I JUST WANTED TO GET OUT THERE AND PLAY THE SPORT I LOVE. …

[I LEARNED] PATIENCE AND [AN INCREASED] VISION OF THE GAME. I SEE MORE THINGS OUT THERE, MORE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.” PENEI SEWELL

his years,” Mirabal said. “He’s just dominant.”

Sewell only played in seven games before his season was cut short due to an ankle injury, but with him in the lineup, the Ducks were 6-1. In his 450 snaps, he didn’t commit a penalty and only gave up one sack.

The 6-foot-6, around 320-pound tackle helped establish Oregon’s power run game and a level of toughness the program had lacked in recent years, collecting plenty of accolades along the way.

He earned Freshman All-American honors from both USA Today and 247Sports and was rated the top freshman offensive lineman overall, the No. 2 offensive lineman in the Pac-12 and the No. 7 tackle in the nation with an 84.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.

After rehabbing throughout the offseason, it became clear that Sewell was ready for yet another breakout, this time on a national scale.

“The next step is to become dominant play in and play out,” Mirabal said of the second-year tackle. “That’s the thing, the consistency of it, the durability. He has a higher level of expectation for himself now that he’s done it for a year. He’s the one who’s continuing to push himself to get better … He’s very very hard on himself.”

Sewell wants to be the best and thus far, he has been.

He has allowed a mere six pressures all year, and has yet to allow a sack. His 94.7 run blocking grade leads the nation, and his overall PFF grade is on pace to be the best ever for a tackle. He’s also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which is

given annually to the nation’s best college interior lineman on either side of the ball.

“I was going crazy,” Sewell said. “I just wanted to get out there and play the sport I love. … [I learned] patience and [an increased] vision of the game. I see more things out there, more attention to detail.”

He excels in pass protection, bringing an unmatched combination of strength and agility.

His strong hands and sound technique make it hard for edge rushers to gain a favorable angle and pressure the quarterback. It’s when he can get out and flash his elite speed that Sewell’s at his best, though.

“Screens,” he said. “That’s probably my favorite block. It gets me going. It’s just knowing that I can use my ability and run through somebody.”

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COVER

Not only does Sewell dominate his own man, but he can often be found down field throwing his body around, often pancaking multiple defenders in one play, allowing running backs to streak through open holes. “[I feel] so different,” Sewell said. “I can finish the game out better. Everything [is] more comfortable. I can move faster, more conditioning. Last year I was still trying to get plays here and there.This year I know it in and out, so I’m trying to add some of my things to it.”

Sewell has become the face of Oregon’s offensive line, but that’s not to say the others aren’t talented in their own rights.

While Sewell’s a rare talent, he also benefited from a rare situation. He was able to learn and grow alongside a group of upperclassmen who, similar to himself, had been starters for almost their entire careers.

With the four linemen to his right executing their jobs near-flawlessly, it’s far easier for Sewell to succeed.

“The synergy in that group, nothing will come between them,” Mirabal said. “They do not allow the competition to come between the brotherhood that the whole group has.”

A competitive brotherhood atmosphere isn’t

new to Sewell. He grew up around the sport and has two brothers who play as well.

“On the sand growing up as little kids,” he said, “we played sand football with a bottle with some sand in it. It was just fun. I don’t know, I think it shaped me into the man I am today.”

Penei wasn’t always the largest Sewell brother.

In fact, his eldest brother Gabriel — now a senior linebacker at Nevada — was the bigger, stronger brother. It didn’t last, though, as Sewell recalls eighth grade being the last year he wasn’t the biggest of the brothers.

Their younger brother, Noah, a recent Oregon commit and five-star linebacker is big too. He’s 6-foot-2 and 265 pounds, but moves like he’s much lighter. Just like his brother Penei, he’s a dominant athlete, ranking in the top-20 for SPARQ score nationally in his class.

When Mario Cristobal took over as head coach two seasons ago, he set out to create a brotherhood. Now, although there’s much work to do, his roster reflects this — both figuratively and literally — as the presence of another Sewell adds to a roster which already harbours three sets of brothers: the Dyes, running back Travis and linebacker Troy; the Herberts in quarterback Justin and freshman tight end Patrick; and the

The Ducks offensive line faces their opponents. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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Faolius, Andrew and Austin, both defensive linemen.

Given the history of brotherhood both past and current, it’s not surprising that Noah elected to continue his playing career alongside his brother, especially when you factor in the relationship Penei and his family have to Cristobal.

“Definitely more love is shown our way,” Sewell said when asked what it’s like to have a former offensive lineman as their coach.

The similarities have helped the young tackle and former Miami tackle create a strong bond, and Cristobal isn’t shy about making it known how bullish he is on the young talent.

“He’s the best i’ve ever coached, or very well has the chance to be,” Cristobal said.

Although he’d likely be a top-5 pick in the NFL Draft if he left this year, Sewell is required to play at least one more season. While the Civil War, Pac-12 Championship Game and potential Rose Bowl appearance are still on the docket for this year, the challenge of next season looms large as Sewell will be the lone returnee along the line.

He will no longer have a support system to lean on and instead will be forced to take on a more complete leadership role as the next generation of Oregon linemen come into their own.

GAMEDAY

PLAYERS TO WATCH IN OREGON’S 2019 CIVIL WAR MATCHUP BY: Charles Gearing @GearingCharlie

Oregon JUSTIN HERBERT / QUARTERBACK / OREGON Senior quarterback Justin Herbert had one of the worst games of his collegiate career last week in the Ducks’ shocking loss to Arizona State. The Eugene native and potential top 5 NFL Draft pick threw a season-high two picks in the game.

Herbert had a very slow start in the passing game on Saturday, creating most of his offensive momentum in the fourth quarter.

Of Herbert’s 304 passing yards, 177 came in the final three offensive drives. He went on to complete 20 of his 36 pass attempts on the night,

in stark contrast to his performance against Arizona in the week prior, in which the senior completed 20 of 28 attempts and generated 333 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

While the Ducks’ 2019 Playoff hopes are gone, they can still take home a Pac-12 championship and end the season on a high note.

But to do so, Oregon will have to bounce back in this weekend’s home matchup against a tough Oregon State Beavers squad.

DEOMMODORE LENOIR / CORNERBACK / OREGON The Oregon secondary struggled mightily on its trip to Tempe, allowing quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Arizona State offense 408 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Nobody on the Ducks defense suffered more than junior cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.

Lenoir was the culprit on two of the Sun Devils’ three passing touchdowns, both of which went for massive chunks of yardage. The first touchdown to Lenoir’s side took place in the fourth quarter, when Daniels hit wideout Frank Darby with a deep ball right on the money in tight coverage. The second — and

perhaps the most costly play of the game — came in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, when Daniels struck again, throwing a long ball to Sun Devils receiver Brandon Aiyuk that resulted in an 81-yard touchdown, effectively ending the game.

While Lenoir and the Oregon secondary struggled in Tempe, there is still hope for a positive ending. The Ducks have a massive opportunity to rebound against Oregon State, but it won’t come easily. If Oregon is to finish its season with a win against the Beavers, the secondary will undoubtedly play a huge role.

Oregon State ISAIAH HODGINS / WIDE RECEIVER / OREGON STATE The Oregon State passing attack has reached a new level in 2019.

With senior quarterback Jake Luton at the helm, the Beavers have put up 2,714 yards through the air this season. The Beaver offense has relied heavily on one player in particular: junior wideout Isaiah Hodgins.

Hodgins has built quite the stat line in 2019, generating 1,086 yards

on 78 catches and a 13.9 yardsper-catch average. The Oakley, California, native leads the Pac-12 in receiving touchdowns with 13 on the season. Hodgins also ranks extremely well in receiving yards per game, sitting at No. 4 in the conference with a 98.7-yard average.

Hodgins will go toe-to-toe with one of the most talented defenses in the nation on Saturday in Eugene.

HAMILCAR RASHED JR. / LINEBACKER / OREGON STATE Beavers linebacker Hamilcar Rashed Jr. has been explosive this year. With 14 sacks so far in 2019, the junior has proven himself to be one of the top pass rushers in the nation.

Rashed has tallied 60 total tackles on the season, including 22.5 tackles for a loss.

Rashed has put pressure on quarterbacks throughout the season, tallying multi-sack performances in five of the Beavers’ 11 games so far. His season high came in the Beavers’ 21-17 win over Cal, when he

recorded seven tackles and got to the quarterback on three occasions.

Despite being listed as active, Rashed wasn’t on the field during last week’s matchup with Washington State for unknown reasons.

Rashed, assuming he suits up, will take on a multi-faceted Oregon offense that features a strong group of running backs, a pro-ready quarterback and a veteran offensive line in what could be his biggest test to date.

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GAMEDAY

MATCHUPS BY: Noah Noteboom @noah_boom23

Tight End Noah Togiai vs.

Linebacker Troy Dye

The Ducks offensive line makes a play. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

With Oregon State’s loss to Washington State, tight end Noah Togiai might be playing his last game in a Beavers jersey when they head to Eugene.

The winner of that game — Washington State — remained bowl eligible, but the Beavers have one last chance against the No. 14 Ducks.

Togiai is one of Beavers’ quarterback Jake Luton’s favorite targets. He has caught 40 passes this season, which is second on the team behind star receiver Isaiah Hodgins.

As of late, Togiai has been a key component in the Beavers’ offense, averaging just over 38 points in their last four games. He has had at least five receptions and a touchdown in three of the Beavers last four games. Togiai will have the experienced Oregon Ducks

linebackers to deal with when the Beavers come to Eugene.

Troy Dye has been playing with a cast on his right hand after he broke his thumb in the win over Washington in week eight. Refusing to let the injury stunt his production, Dye has recorded 25 tackles in the last three games for the Ducks. He is elevating his game at the most inopportune times for Oregon.

In losses, Dye is averaging 14 tackles a game, but when the Ducks win, he is recording just over four tackles per contest.

It’s going to be hard to get any interceptions with the club on his hand, but if anyone is going to be able to limit Togiai’s production, it’s going to be Dye. He is quick enough to track players out to the edge and strong enough to tackle any player on the field.

ADVANTAGE: TROY DYE Defensive back Isaiah Dunn vs.

Oregon’s receiving corps

The Ducks play the Beavers in the Civil War game at Reser Stadium. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

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Junior cornerback Isaiah Dunn is one of six Beavers who has recorded at least 40 tackles this season. What separates Dunn from his teammates is his ability to break up passes. The 6-foot Dunn has defended seven passes this year, which leads the team by a sizable margin, and he forced the first fumble of his career in OSU’s most recent 35-

34 win over Arizona State.

The Beavers will proceed with caution, because in that same game, Dunn suffered a concussion and was placed on concussion protocol. His ability to get between passes is unmatched, and OSU will need that if it hopes to put up a fight against Oregon’s athletic receivers.

D

AL EMER

g n i h t y r Eve

s t n Eve

The Duck poses for the camera. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

Injuries and breakout games have encapsulated Oregon’s receiving corps. Between Jacob Breeland and Mycah Pittman’s season-ending injuries and Juwan Johnson’s three-touchdown performance against USC, it has been a rollercoaster of a season for the Ducks’ receivers. Despite the ups and downs, 10 players have registered double-digit receptions this season, which is tied for most in the Pac-12.

Juniors Jaylon Redd and Johnny Johnson III have been Oregon’s most dynamic wideouts this season. Between the two, they have 87 catches, 1,088 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. A struggling Oregon State secondary has given up 373 passing yards per game in November.

With the Ducks’ Playoff hopes dead, Oregon is now playing for the Pac-12 Championship and a potential Rose Bowl berth.

ADVANTAGE: OREGON’S RECEIVERS

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DEEP DIVE INTO OREGON STATE BY: Oscar Duyck

The Ducks face off with the Beavers at the start of the game. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)

Oregon State has been a stand-in for mediocrity in the Pac-12. The Beavers have not had a winning record since the 2013 season. In 2018, Oregon State finished 2-10 and expectations heading into 2019 were at an all-time low, and it seemed liked Oregon State was destined to be the bottom feeder of the Pac-12 North indefinitely. But Oregon State has turned their fortunes around — they’re one of the two top teams in the North. Now, Oregon State will square off against the Ducks at Autzen Stadium in a suddenly intriguing matchup.

This is not the same Beavers team as in years past. Under second-year head coach Jonathan Smith, Oregon State is only one win away from its first bowl since the 2013 season.

Despite that, though, it hasn’t been all positive for the Beavers. Their defense is sitting at No. 10 in points allowed in the conference, but at 5-6, the Beavers have taken serious strides.

Oregon State dropped a marquee non-conference game with a loss

to Oklahoma State 52-36. But the Beavers suffered a far more troubling loss to Hawaii, a Mountain West foe, the following week. With the Beavers failing to beat Group of Five teams, it was reasonable to assume that Oregon State would struggle once again in conference play. An inconsequential win against Cal Poly in Corvallis did little to improve Oregon State’s reputation.

The turnaround began against Stanford. Down 21-0 to the Cardinal, the Beavers launched a comeback and tied the game at 28. However, last-minute defensive mistakes cost the Beavers and they lost 31-28.

Although far from ideal, the Beavers got their mojo back.

Jake Luton and Isaiah Hodgins showed the strength of their connection against UCLA as Luton threw for a career-high five touchdowns — three of which were caught by Hodgins. The Beavers earned a conference win on the road, 48-31.

After that, the Beavers suffered a 52-7 loss to Utah. It was a game

that displayed Oregon State’s worst characteristics: poor defensive play and an inability to compete with elite competition.

Oregon State then went on the road and defeated Cal 21-17, winning back-to-back road games for the first time since 2013.

The Beavers have trended upward in the last five games and have leaned heavily on their offense, which ranks fifth in the conference in points per game. Their offensive explosiveness was on full display against Arizona in a 56-38 victory, when running back Jermar Jefferson ran for 105 yards and three scores.

The Beavers then outdueled Arizona State in Corvallis for their first conference home win of the season. Luton threw for four touchdowns and the Sun Devils missed a critical two-point conversion, leading to 35-34 win for the Beavers.

Oregon State’s shot at a bowl game dimmed last weekend, as the Beavers lost on a last-second touchdown to Washington State, 54-53.

Luton’s 400-yard, five-touchdown performance and Jefferson’s 132 rushing yards were not enough, as Oregon State’s defensive woes came back to haunt them.

Oregon State’s biggest issue this season is defense. The Beavers are ninth in the conference in total defense giving up 453 yards per game. They are especially bad against the run, ranking 10th in the Pac-12, giving up 167 yards per game. The issues cost the Beavers a bowl game berth last weekend when they gave up 54 points to Washington State.

The Beavers have a lot to play for on Saturday. Although they can no longer play spoiler to Oregon’s national championship hopes — as Arizona State beat them to it — they still have an opportunity to earn a signature win for the program. A bowl game, regardless of destination, would be a massive achievement for Oregon State as a program.

Oregon will need to play with urgency against Oregon State, as they cannot afford a post-loss hangover against a motivated Beavers squad.

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