Oregon State Football: Keys to Victory vs San Jose State
Trent Bray's Oregon State Beavers need to win two of their final four games this season in order to reach the postseason. With two ranked teams (Washington State and Boise State) coming up in a few weeks, a win this week against San Jose State would certainly help them breathe easier. That will be easier said than done, however, against a Spartans team that has five wins so far this season.
In order to move to 5-4, here are three things that Oregon State will likely have to do against SJSU Saturday at Reser Stadium.
Don't Lose Track of Nick Nash
San Jose State receiver Nick Nash can make an impact in several ways. Nash, who came to SJSU as a quarterback, has been utilized several times in the last few years. This season, he's thrown two touchdowns.
Above all though, Nash is a lethal receiver. He has a receiving touchdown in eight consecutive games, the longest active streak in FBS and an SJSU record. He's up to 12 touchdown catches this season, which leads FBS. However Bray's staff decides to cover Nash, they need to be aware of where he is at all times. Failing to do so could be disastrous.
Make the Right Call at Quarterback
Gevani McCoy has made some big plays with his legs this season. When Jam Griffin was healthy and the offensive line was completely healthy, that was enough. However, it definitely was not against Cal when McCoy was benched after five pass attempts. Bray noted this week that the staff will make a decision on this week's starting quarterback following Thursday's practice.
At this point in the season, with the offense needing a better performance than what we saw in Berkeley, either McCoy, Ben Gulbranson, or Gabarri Johnson need to step up in a big way. Bray and Ryan Gunderson need to identify who of those three gives them the best chance to win two (or more) games.
Protect The Ball
San Jose have forced 19 turnovers this season, the third-most in the nation. 14 of those were interceptions. Yes, the Beavers ultimately need to find a spark in the passing game. However, they really cannot afford to make ill advised throws this week, of which there have definitely been a few during the losing streak. Turning the ball over in their own red zone again also certainly would not help things. In total, Oregon State have turned the ball over nine times in their last four games.
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Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.