Oregon State Brings Nation's Top Passing Attack to UTEP on Friday Night
The short version
- Oregon State (1-2) plays at UTEP in El Paso on Friday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. PT on MW+.
- The Beavers lead the nation with 385.7 passing yards per game after their first win, over Montana on Sept. 19.
- QB Braden Atkinson is second nationally with 1,120 passing yards; WR Jesse Legree leads the country with 476 receiving yards.
- UTEP is 0-3 with losses to Oklahoma and Michigan and a win over Texas Southern.
The Beavers, off their first win of the year behind record-setting aerial numbers, visit El Paso for a 6 p.m. PT kickoff on MW+.
Oregon State hits the road this week, heading to El Paso, Texas, for a Friday night matchup with UTEP. Kickoff from the Sun Bowl is set for 6 p.m. PT on Sept. 26, with the broadcast available on MW+ and radio coverage on the Beaver Sports Network.
The Beavers arrive at 1-2 after notching their first win of the season, a Sept. 19 home victory over Montana. That night also marked the Corvallis debut for first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard, who took an 8 p.m. kickoff in all-black uniforms as a chance to stage a full production, complete with an orange glow ringing the stadium, fireworks, marching band planning and player and family video features. "I've tried to put our mark on every detail surrounding this entire football team," Shephard said.
Oregon State's two losses have come against ranked foes Houston and Texas Tech, but the offense has been the story. The Beavers sit atop the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards per game at 385.7, roughly 20 yards clear of second-place SMU.
Sophomore quarterback Braden Atkinson ranks second nationally with 1,120 passing yards, trailing only USC's Jayde Maiava, who has played four games. Atkinson's eight touchdown passes rank among the top 15 in the country, and he was named Pac-12 offensive player of the week. His six-touchdown night against Montana matched a single-game school record, and his three-game total is Oregon State's highest since Sean Mannion in 2013.
Freshman receiver Jesse Legree leads all of college football with 476 receiving yards and has hauled in four touchdowns, also a top-15 national figure. His 28 yards per reception rank second among receivers with at least 10 catches. Legree, a three-time Pac-12 freshman of the week, has posted three straight 100-yard receiving games, the first such streak by a Beaver since Brandin Cooks in 2013.
The production is spread widely. Fourteen different receivers have caught passes through three games. Sophomore Aeryn Hampton has 172 yards on 12.3 yards per catch, running back AJ Newberry has 11 grabs for 127 yards, and tight end Eric Olsen has added at least 10 catches for 92 yards and a score. "It's not just a strategy, it's a philosophy of our football team," Shephard said of distributing the ball.
UTEP enters at 0-3, but every Miners game so far has featured at least 50 total points: a 51-0 loss to Oklahoma, a 51-10 win over Texas Southern and a 52-17 defeat at the hands of Michigan. Quarterback EJ Colson Jr. has completed 27 of 42 passes for 377 yards while adding 54 yards on the ground, and fellow quarterback Raymond Moore III has run for 160 yards on 18 carries. Running back Tavorus Jones has 162 yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts, and five different receivers have topped 40 yards even though none has more than six catches.
Shephard expects a test from the Miners, calling their defense extremely athletic and pointing to two strong cornerbacks, a three-man safety rotation and edge linebacker Jayden Wilson as someone who could take over a game. "Their offense is one where they generate some really explosive plays," he said, noting UTEP's mix of downfield passing shots and a productive rushing attack.
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