Oregon State Beavers football explained

Teamname:Oregon State Beavers football
Currentseason:2024 Oregon State Beavers football team
Firstyear:1893
Athleticdirector:Scott Barnes
Headcoach:Trent Bray
Headcoachyear:1st
Hcwins:0
Hclosses:0
Stadium:Reser Stadium
Stadiumbuilt:1953 (Reser Stadium)
Stadcapacity:35,548
Stadsurface:FieldTurf
Location:Corvallis, Oregon
Ncaadivision:I FBS
Conference:Pac-12
Confdivision:North (2011–21)
Atwins:569
Atlosses:629
Atties:50
Bowlwins:12
Bowllosses:8
Conftitles:7 (1893, 1897, 1941, 1956, 1957, 1964, 2000)
Heismans:Terry Baker – 1962
Allamericans:8
Fightsong:Hail to Old OSU
Mascotdisplay:Benny Beaver
Marchingband:Oregon State University Marching Band
Pagfreelabel2:Outfitter
Pagfreevalue2:Nike
Websitename:OSUBeavers.com
Websiteurl:https://osubeavers.com/sports/football

The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893[1] and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference.

Their home games are played at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.

History

See also: History of Oregon State Beavers football, List of Oregon State Beavers football seasons and List of Oregon State Beavers bowl games.

Early history

Football at Oregon State University started in 1893 shortly after athletics were initially authorized at the college, which was then known as Oregon Agricultural College. Athletics were banned prior to May 1892, but when the school's president Benjamin Arnold died, his successor John Bloss reversed the ban.[2] Bloss' son, William, started the first team, on which he served as both coach and quarterback.[3] The team's first game was an easy 64–0 victory on November 11, 1893, over visiting Albany College.[4]

Conference affiliations

The university has been in several athletic conferences. Prior to joining the Pac-12 Conference (then called the Pacific-8 Conference), OSU intermittently played as an independent school.[5]

Conference championships

Oregon State has won seven conference titles, done through four different conferences, although two of them have links to the current Pac-12 Conference, as the conference claims the history of the PCC as their own, and the Athletic Association of Western Universities was the first name for the conference that later became the Pac-12 Conference.[7] [8]

5–1 3–0
Oregon Intercollegiate Football Association Will Bloss 6–0 3–0
8–2 7–2
Pacific Coast Conference 7–3–1 6–1–1
1957Pacific Coast Conference Tommy Prothro 8–2 6–2
1964Tommy Prothro 8–3 3–1
200011–1 7–1
† Co-championship

Other claimed Championships

The 1897 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team compiled a perfect 5–0 record, shut out four of five opponents, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 164 to 8. the team claimed their 2nd league Championship (OIFA)[9]

The Aggies defeated Oregon (26–8) and Washington (16–0).[10]

With those two wins, they then proclaimed themselves regional "Champions of the Northwest".[11]

The 1907 Oregon Agricultural Aggies football team represented Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University) as an independent during the 1907 college football season.

In their second season under head coach Fred Norcross, the Aggies compiled a perfect 6–0 record, did not allow any of their opponents to score, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 137 to 0. The Aggies' victories included games against Oregon (4–0), Pacific University (49–0), and Willamette University (42–0).[10]

Oregon State's victory at Loyola, then known as the St. Vincent's College Saints, was a big deal out West, a Thanksgiving Day matchup of the "Champions of the Northwest" and the "Champions of the California", with the winner taking home the "Championship" of the entire West Coast.[12]

The Oregon Agricultural Aggies' then proclaimed themselves "Champions of the Pacific Coast"[13]

This is still the only perfect season in Oregon State history, and moreover, they did not allow a single point this season.[12]

Head coaches

List of head coaches and tenure.[14]

Bowl games

See main article: List of Oregon State Beavers bowl games. Oregon State University has played in 20 postseason bowl games.[15] The Beavers have also played in the Mirage Bowl, but this was a regular season game and a "bowl" in name only, not a post-season invitational bowl game.[16] The Beavers lost the 1980 edition of the game against No. 14 ranked UCLA 34–3 in front of 80,000 at National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.

The 20 bowl game total does not include an invitation to play in the Gotham Bowl in 1960, when no opponent could be found for Oregon State.[17] The Beavers are 12–8 in bowl game appearances.

Pineapple BowlW 39–6
Lon Stiner W 20–16
Lon Stiner Pineapple BowlW 47–27
Rose BowlIowaL 19–35
Tommy Prothro None Found
Tommy Prothro Liberty BowlW 6–0
Tommy Prothro Rose BowlL 7–34
L 3–34
Oahu BowlL 17–23
Dennis Erickson W 41–9
Dennis Erickson PittsburghL 13–38
New MexicoW 55–14
Mike Riley Insight BowlNotre DameW 38–21
Mike Riley Sun BowlMissouriW 39–38
Mike Riley Emerald BowlMarylandW 21–14
Mike Riley Sun BowlPittsburghW 3–0
Mike Riley Las Vegas BowlBYUL 20–44
Mike Riley Alamo BowlTexasL 27–31
Mike Riley Hawaii BowlBoise StateW 38–23
LA BowlUtah StateL 13–24
Jonathan Smith W 30–3
L 8–40

Home stadium

See main article: Reser Stadium. The Beavers play their home games at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon. It was originally called Parker Stadium when it was constructed in 1953, and had a capacity of 25,000. Parker Stadium was renamed Reser Stadium in June 1999. Major renovations from 2005 to 2016 increased the stadium's capacity to 43,363, where it stood through the 2021 season.[18] Another renovation project, called "Completing Reser", was announced on Feb. 4, 2021.[19] The stadium featured a temporary capacity of 26,000 during the 2022 season[20] and now has an official capacity of 35,548 at the completion of the construction project for the 2023 season.[21]

Rivalries

Oregon

See main article: Oregon–Oregon State football rivalry. Oregon State University's primary rival is the University of Oregon. The two schools enjoy a fierce and long-standing rivalry due to the proximity of the two campuses. The University of Oregon is in Eugene, Oregon, about 40miles south of Corvallis.

The teams first matched up on the gridiron in 1894 and have been playing each other almost every year since. The rivalry game between the two schools is traditionally the last game of each season and was long known under the moniker "Civil War Game." The two schools have played each other 127 times which makes it the seventh-oldest college football rivalry game. Though not officially recognized by the universities, the Platypus Trophy is awarded annually to the winning alumni association.

Washington State

See main article: Washington State Cougars.

The rivalry between Washington State started in 1895 when Washington State defeated the Beavers 41–35. The rivalry between the two schools has transformed after the 2021–2024 NCAA conference realignment made them the only schools remaining in the Pac-12. The Cougars have led the series 57–48 and won the last matchup with a score of 38–35. The Beavers largest margin of victory was 66–13 in 2008, while the Cougars largest margin of victory was 55–7 in 1991. Oregon State's longest win streak against the Cougars is six straight from 1966 to 1971, while Washington State's longest against the Beavers is ten straight from 1983 to 1993.

Northwest Championship

See main article: Northwest Championship. Is a rivalry between Oregon State, Washington State, Washington state and Oregon. The four Pacific Northwest rivals began playing in a round-robin format in the 1903 season. No trophy is awarded to the Northwest Champion, and no organization grants the title,[22] although in 2002, the Washington Huskies wore homemade t-shirts for the Northwest Championship.[23] [24] [25]

Retired numbers

See also: List of NCAA football retired numbers.

111959–1962 [26] [27]

Although not a retired number Oregon State has "AL" displayed opposite Terry Baker's number "11" in Reser Stadium for long time donor/philanthropist/contributor Al Reser.

Individual national award winners

Players

Terry Baker (1962)

Terry Baker (1962)

Alexis Serna (2005)

Mike Hass (2005)

Brandin Cooks (2013)

Terry Baker (1962)

Jack Colletto (2022)

Mike Kline (1961)

Terry Baker (1962)

Terry Baker (1962)

Terry Baker (1962)

Terry Baker (1962)

Anthony Gould (2022)

Terry Baker (1988)

Pellom McDaniels (2015)[28]

Esera Tuaolo (2024)[29]

Coaches

Dennis Erickson (2000)

Mike Riley (2008)

Mike Riley (2012)

Jonathan Smith (2022)

John Cooper (2016)

Individual conference awards

Jacquizz Rodgers (2008)

Bill Swancutt (2004†)

Stephen Paea (2010)

Brandon Browner (2003)

Jeremy Perry (2005†)

Jacquizz Rodgers (2008)

Jermar Jefferson (2018)

Damien Martinez (2022)

Dave Kragthorpe (1989)

Dennis Erickson (2000)

Mike Riley (2008)

Jonathan Smith (2022†)

Joe Francis (1957)

Terry Baker (1962)

Vern Burke (1963)

Pete Pifer (1966)

Terry Baker (1962)

Vern Burke (1963)

Pete Pifer (1966)

Esera Tuaolo (1989)

Inoke Breckterfield (1998)

Bill Swancutt (2004)

Stephen Paea (2008, 2009)

†Shared Award

All-Americans

Oregon State has had 53 first team All-Americans in the history of the program as of the end of the 2023 season, with 8 Consensus All-Americans and 2 Unanimous All-Americans.[30]

† Consensus Selection, ‡ Unanimous Selection[31]

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

The Beavers have had three players and three coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[32]

1982 19601962
1991 Coach 19551964
2008 19631964
2011 19671968
2019 Coach 19992002
2022 20022005

Notable former players

Future opponents

On December 1, 2023, it was announced that the Beavers and the Washington State Cougars would each play six Mountain West Conference opponents, five opponents from the Power Five conferences and one FCS opponent for the 2024 season.[33]

Idaho StatePortland StateSacramento StatePortland StateIdahoSan Jose StateOle Miss
Oregon[34] Fresno StateTexas TechNew Mexicoat New Mexicoat San Jose State
Purdueat Texas Techat San Diego Stateat Ole Miss
at Boise StateHoustonat Houston
California (tentative; location TBD)
Virginia (tentative; location TBD)
Washington State(TBD)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oregon State Historical Data . cfbdatawarehouse.com. 2012-01-25. 2012-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20120106080919/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/oregon_state/index.php. dead.
  2. Web site: Forgard . Benjamin . The Evolution of School Spirit and Tradition at Oregon State University . 25 Oct 2021.
  3. Web site: Edmonston . George Jr. . The Birth of OSU Football . OSU Alumni Association. 30 May 2012. 17 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131017233421/http://www.osualum.com/s/359/index.aspx?sid=359&gid=1&pgid=539. dead.
  4. Bear and Forbear, "College Column," Corvallis Times, vol. 6, no. 39 (Nov. 15, 1893), pg. 3.
  5. Web site: Athletics . The Orange & Black.
  6. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33939327/northwest_intercollegiate_athletic/ "League of Colleges,"
  7. Web site: Pac-12 Football Champions . https://web.archive.org/web/20141017044511/http://pac-12.com/content/football-pac-12-championships . dead . October 17, 2014 . Pac-12 Conference. September 24, 2017.
  8. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40034553/the-football-rage-brief-review-of-the/ "Football,"
  9. Web site: football team, 1897.
  10. Web site: 2016 Football Media Guide . Oregon State University . 148–149. September 20, 2016 . September 22, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160922212730/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/oregonstate.sidearmsports.com/documents/2016/9/7/2016_Oregon_State_Media_Guide.pdf?id=4146. dead.
  11. Book: Welsch, Jeff . Tales from Oregon State Sports . Sports Publishing . January 2003. January 3, 2008 . 1–10 . 978-1-58261-706-0.
  12. Web site: 1907 College Football Top 25 . tiptop25.com.
  13. Web site: Barometer Football Number, 1907 . oregondigital.org.
  14. Web site: Oregon State Beavers Coaches.
  15. Web site: Oregon State University Football Media Guide: Bowl Game History . 2007-02-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131229091201/http://www.osubeavers.com/pdf7/39516.pdf?ATCLID=153842&SPSID=27968&SPID=1952&DB_OEM_ID=4700 . 2013-12-29.
  16. Web site: Oregon State Bowl History. 2007-02-09. 2006-10-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20061029223318/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/oregon_state/bowl_history.php. dead.
  17. Web site: Gotham Bowl inaugural off . Register Guard. 18 April 2012.
  18. Web site: Reser Stadium . osubeavers.com. 21 November 2016.
  19. Web site: OSU receives $50 million lead gift to complete Reser Stadium, enable year-round university programs . 2022-12-18 . Oregon State University Athletics . en.
  20. Web site: Lindblom . Jeffrey . Reser Stadium renovations will continue past Beavers' home opener . 2022-12-18 . www.kptv.com . 30 August 2022 . en.
  21. Web site: Soon to be coming your way: a full stadium in Corvallis . 2022-12-18 . Kerry Eggers . en-US.
  22. Web site: Huskies eyeing mythical Northwest title . Fans of other schools cried that the Northwest Championship was strictly mythical, just another devious Neuheisel ploy. But the Huskies didn't care, and proudly laid claim to it again last year when, in the midst of one of the most chaotic seasons in school history, the lone highlight was beating Oregon State, Oregon and Washington State by a combined 61 points. . Condotta . Bob . The Seattle Times . October 12, 2004 . January 8, 2022.
  23. Web site: Tale Of Two T-Shirts . https://web.archive.org/web/20201225071205/http://www.espn.com/ncf/columns/maisel_ivan/1466409.html . dead . December 25, 2020 . Washington is content with its unofficial Northwest Championship. "It had to be enough," quarterback Cody Pickett said Sunday. "Everybody left us for dead. We had to rally around something." . Maisel . Ivan . ESPN.com . November 25, 2002 . January 8, 2022.
  24. Web site: How the Arizona Hotshots ended their losing streak to become the AAF's hottest team . "We just found something to play for. We had games against Oregon State, Oregon and Washington State, so we created a 'Northwest Championship.' We found a rallying cry. We had little shirts with check marks on them," he said. "And we knocked them all off." ... At Washington, Neuheisel found the best way to motivate his players was the perfect storm of playing their top three rivals in successive weeks. . Kercheval . Ben . CBS Sports . April 1, 2019 . January 8, 2022.
  25. Web site: Silence was Golden, and purple: Remembering when UW last won at Oregon in 2002 . That completed what Neuheisel had dubbed the Northwest Championship, with the Huskies closing out the season with successive victories over Oregon State, Oregon and WSU (after losing to USC, Arizona State and UCLA the three weeks prior). Neuheisel even had T-shirts made up with blank boxes to check off after each win. [...] The Huskies wore those T-shirts as they marched back onto the Autzen Stadium turf for their postgame brouhaha. . Jude . Adam . The Seattle Times . October 5, 2016 . January 8, 2022.
  26. Web site: Terry Baker (1988) – Hall of Fame . 2021-02-01 . Oregon State University Athletics . en.
  27. Web site: Terry Baker – Football | Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum . 17 November 2018.
  28. Web site: NCAA honors McDaniels with Silver Anniversary Award . 2015-01-20 . news.emory.edu . en. 2020-01-02.
  29. Web site: 2024 NCAA Inspiration Award: Esera Tuaolo . December 6, 2023 . National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  30. Web site: 2012 Football Media Guide – All-Americans . OSUBeavers.com . PDF . 138. 2020-06-10.
  31. http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009Awards.pdf
  32. Web site: Hall of Fame . Inductees by College . CFBHOF . November 8, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141107172533/http://www.cfbhall.com/ . November 7, 2014.
  33. Web site: Mountain West announces football scheduling agreement with Oregon State, Washington State . Kevin . Kelley . December 1, 2023 . FBSchedules.com.
  34. Web site: Oregon State, Washington State football schedules shaping up, per report . Kevin . Kelley . December 7, 2023 . FBSchedules.com.