Oregon State still searching for road success
No one said it would be easy. That’s about the only thing that’s gone as expected for Oregon State this season under first-year coach Jonathan Smith.
The Beavers (1-6, 0-4 Pac-12) hit a new low last week in falling 49-7 at home to California, scoring a season-low in points and managing just 241 yards. And that was against a Cal team that had lost its last three games and was arguably OSU’s best remaining chance for a victory this season.
Things get a lot harder from here on out, starting with Saturday’s game at Colorado. It’s the first of three road games in the next four weeks, with OSU’s five remaining opponents sporting a combined record of 25-11.
“We need a spark, we need some momentum,” Smith said Monday at his weekly press conference.
OSU’s trio of losing streaks now sit as follows: 13 consecutive games against Pac-12 opponents, 17 in a row against FBS competition and 22 straight on the road. The Beavers’ last road victory came at Colorado, on Oct. 4, 2014.
That win was against a Buffaloes team that went winless in the conference that season but since then has played in a Pac-12 title game and is in the South Division race this season. That improvement can be used as a source of motivation for OSU, Smith said, as long as his players continue on the path he’s laid out.
“You’ve got to learn and improve from every opportunity on Saturdays,” he said. “That’s been the same approach, to learn from each game, and then get ready for the next opponent.”
OSU’s preparation for Colorado will again include major uncertainty at quarterback. Senior Jake Luton, who has battled an ankle injury for weeks, is getting close to returning after missing the last four games, and his potential return comes as sophomore Conor Blount’s status is uncertain after he suffered a concussion against Cal.
Sophomore Jack Colletto, who has appeared in four games and was 11 of 20 against Cal in relief of Blount, is the only healthy QB for the Beavers.