Head coach:
Dirk Koettter (Sixth season)
(Career: 64-41 | At ASU: 38-31)
Current ranking: NR
Current record: 5-3, 2-3 in the Pac-10
Streak: Two game winning streak |
Head coach:
Mike Riley (Sixth season)
(Career: 33-33 | At OSU: 33-33)
Current ranking: NR
Current record: 5-3, 3-2 in the Pac-10
Streak: Three game winning streak |
Last time
Oregon State and Arizona State met...
Sept. 24, 2005 in Corvallis - Arizona State 42, Oregon State 24
Arizona State and Oregon State opened Pac-10 play at Corvallis with the
18th-ranked Sun Devils outgunning the Beavers 42-24 in an offensive shootout.
The teams combined for an even 1,000 yards total offense, with much of it coming
through the air. ASU passed for 380 yards and four TDs on the way to 475 yards
total offense. OSU topped that with 525 yards, including 381 passing, but a
turnover differential of 6-0 swung things the Sun Devils way ...
more from
BF.com | Post-game
notebook
Last time
Arizona State played...
Oct. 28, 2006 - Arizona State 26, Washington 23
It wasn't pretty but Arizona State squeaked out an overtime 26-23 win in their
first trip to Husky Stadium since 1999.
After leading 20-6 at the beginning of the 4th quarter, Sun Devil miscues
allowed the Washington Huskies to get back into the game by scoring 14
unanswered points to force an extra period. After a 47 yard field goal by Husky
placekicker Michael Braunstein, quarterback Rudy Carpenter found
tight end Brent Miller for a 25-yard game winning touchdown in the corner
of the endzone. Minutes later, the Sun Devil players and coaches jubilantly
celebrated the 26-23 win with the visiting ASU fans in the corner of the stadium
... more from
DevilsDigest.com
Last time
Oregon State played...
Oct. 28, 2006 - Oregon State 33,
USC 31
Oregon State (5-3, 3-2 Pac-10) pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the
year as they forced four turnovers and held on to defeat the No. 3 USC Trojans
33-31 in Reser Stadium.
The Beavers held
a 23-point lead in the third quarter before QB John David Booty and
company staged a furious comeback. After scoring a touchdown with seven seconds
to play the Trojans needed a two-point conversion to tie the game. Booty dropped
back and let a pass loose towards the corner of the end zone, but DE Jeff Van
Orsow got his hands in the air knocking the pass into the turf and sending
Beaver Nation into a frenzy ...
more from BF.com |
Post-game notebook
Series
history (ASU leads 23-8-1, 6-5-1 in Oregon, 5-3-1 in Corvallis).
The Sun Devils and Beavers have met 32 times since 1961 with ASU
holding a 23-8-1 advantage. This is just the third time since 1997 that
the Sun Devils have traveled to the Mid Valley. OSU has actually only won
seven games in the series as Arizona State was forced to forfeit a 45-0 win in
1979. With the forfeit, the Beavers have only defeated ASU twice since
1971 after after winning five of the first six meetings.
ASU currently has
a two game winning streak against Oregon State and has won nine of the last.
The Sun Devils have won four of their last six trips to Corvallis. The
last time the OSU won was in 2003 when the Beavers defeated ASU 45-17 in Reser
Stadium. The previous time was in 1993 when Jerry Pettibone's squad won
30-14. ASU has a 15 game winning streak at home against Oregon State.
Arizona State connections.
ASU safety Jeremy Payton is the brother of Oregon State free
safety Bryan Payton. Starting safety Zach Catanese is the
brother of former Beaver Brandon Catanese. ASU cornerbacks coach
Al Simmons coached at OSU from 2001-02.
Continuing to shine.
Wide receiver/punt returner Sammie Stroughter earned his second
Pac-10 Player of the Week honor after his role in the win over No. 3 USC.
Stroughter is third in the Pac-10 and eighth in the NCAA for receiving yards per
game (96.3) and is the team leader for overall receptions (42).
Stroughter’s 223
yards receiving vs. Washington is the second-most in the Pac-10 this season and
the fourth-highest in OSU history (Pac-10 Player of the Week). He is also second
in the nation and first in the conference for punt return yards per attempt at
(19.7) and is the only player in the nation with three returns for touchdowns
(matches Pac-10 record).
Stourghter
already has the school record for punt return yardage in a season with 374.
Win streaks.
Oregon State is riding its first three-game win streak within Pac-10 action
since the 2004 season (UW, WSU, UA). The program has not won four straight since
the 2003 campaign (NMSU, Boise State, ASU, Cal) and hasn’t won four straight
within league play since 2000, when it won six consecutive. The Sun Devils are
looking for their first three-game conference win streak since 2002 (OSU, UO,
UW).
National
champs to be honored.
The 2006 Oregon State University national championship baseball team will
receive their title rings at halftime of Saturday’s game. The team will also be
involved in the Homecoming Parade beginning at 9 a.m. at the corner of 1st and
Jefferson Streets in downtown Corvallis. The parade route concludes at the Dixon
Recreation Center -- NE of Gill Coliseum.
Beaver dam.
Oregon State enters Saturday’s game second in the Pac-10 for total quarterback
sacks with 28 (six more than last year), accounting for a conference high 211 yards lost. OSU is
fifth in the
nation for sacks per game at 3.5. The defense also has 68
tackles-for-loss (40 non-sacks), accounting for a national best 335 yards in losses, which averages to
8.5 per
game, good for second in the NCAA behind Florida International
who averages 8.9 TFLs a contest.
Here are some
more facts about the Beaver "D:"
- Eleven
Beavers have a sack or more
- 16 of OSU’s
26 sacks have been acquired in the last four games.
- Five
different players have three or more sacks
- The defense has
held its last three opponents under 100 yards rushing
- The unit ranks
second in the NCAA in third-down conversion percentage allowing 25.3-percent
- Opponents
are just 7 of 48 (15%) when facing 3rd and 9-plus yards.
- The three
starting linebackers, Derrick Doggett, Alan Darlin and Joey LaRocque have
combined for 85 tackles over the last two games, including 13.5 for losses and 6
sacks
Another fiery
defense.
Arizona State has been thriving on defense as well. Here's a look at some of
their numbers.
- Their 24 QB
sacks are two more than the Sun Devils recorded all of last year
- Have allowed
their opponents an average of 132.3 yards in total offense in the second
half of games
- Returned
three interceptions for touchdowns
- Has given up
an average of only 120.7 passing yards in its last three games while
allowing opposing QBs to complete only 40 percent (33-82) of their passes
during that span.
- Have yielded
just three touchdowns in its last 10 quarters of play plus one overtime
period.
- Allowing an
average of only 8.5 points in the second half of games this season,
including a total of only 13 points in the third quarter.
Many weapons.
Arizona State is known for airing out, but has relied on an effective running
game this year. Here's a look at some stats on offense.
- Have rushed
for 396 yards the last two weeks.
- Ranks second
in the conference (behind Oregon) in rushing offense at 172.6 yards per game
- TB Keegan Herring has rushed a modest 15 times in the last two games but has made
the most of it with 128 yards and four touchdowns.
- QB Rudy
Carpenter has completed better than 80% of his passes over the last two
games (30-of-37)
- TB Ryan Torain currently ranks No. 3 in the Pac-10 in rushing, averaging 89.0
yards per game. Torain has scored eight touchdowns for the Sun Devils in
2006 (five rushing and three receiving).
Additional
notes.
- The Sun
Devils need one victory to reach bowl eligibility with its sixth win in
their 12-game season, while the Beavers
still need two wins to reach seven in their 13-game schedule
- The Football
Writers Association of America selected Oregon State as its National Team of
the Week.
- Oregon State
has had some serious issues with turnovers in the last two meetings with
Arizona State. The Beavers have nine in the combined two games, while ASU
has zero.
- Oregon State
received nine votes (31st overall) in this week’s Associated Press Poll and
four votes (36th) in the USA Today Poll. The program hasn’t appeared in the
top 25 since the week of Oct. 20, 2003 -- the team lost that week at
Washington State 36-30.
- Oregon State
has scored (all touchdowns) on its first possession in six of its first
eight games. Only Cal and WSU have held the Beavers scoreless on their
opening drive.
- Oregon State
and Arizona State have a propensity to score quickly; the Sun Devils have
nine scoring drives of two minutes or less, while OSU has eight. ASU also
has 10 touchdown drives of fi ve plays or less, while OSU has eight.
- Oregon State
is 5-0 this season when a tailback rushes for 100-plus yards. The Beavers
are averaging 160.6 yards per game on the ground in their victories, 59.3 in
their losses.
- This week’s
game at Oregon State culminates a seven-game stretch in which the Sun Devils
have played five times on the road.