November 24th 2024.
The city of Corvallis, Oregon was buzzing with excitement as the Oregon State football team emerged as this season's unofficial Pac-12 champions. After a thrilling back-and-forth game, the Beavers secured their victory with a 55-yard field goal from Everett Hayes in the final seconds. The team had been struggling with a five-game losing streak, but this win marked a turning point for them.
The game had been a nail-biter from the start, with both teams putting up a fight. Oregon State's quarterback, Ben Gulbranson, who had missed the previous game due to a concussion, came back strong and threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Trent Walker was a standout player for the Beavers, catching 12 passes for 136 yards. Hayes, who kicked the game-winning field goal, reflected on his crucial role in the game, saying, "It kind of gets to a point in the game where you kind of look at the score and you realize, 'Wow, it's going to come down to me.'"
Unfortunately for the Washington State Cougars, this was their second consecutive loss. They had been hoping for a chance at an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff, but their hopes were dashed after their defeat against New Mexico last weekend. The Cougars had been ranked as high as No. 18 in the CFP rankings before their loss.
The Beavers and the Cougars were the only two teams left in the Pac-12 after last year's realignment. While they had a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West for this season, their games did not count towards the Mountain West standings.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 31-31. The Cougars' quarterback, John Mateer, ran for a 4-yard touchdown to give them the lead. But the Beavers fought back, and on their next drive, Gulbranson's pass was intercepted by Taariq Al-Uqdah, who ran it back for a touchdown, putting the Cougars in the lead once again.
With just under three minutes left in the game, the Beavers tied it up at 38-38 with a touchdown from Darrius Clemons. But it was their defense that really shined in the end. Exodus Ayers recovered a fumble from the Cougars, giving the Beavers the ball back on the Washington State 47-yard line. The Beavers went for it on fourth down to keep their drive alive, and Hayes sealed the deal with his 55-yard field goal. The Cougars tried to make a last-minute comeback, but it was too little too late.
Hayes spoke about his confidence in the team and his role in the game-winning field goal, saying, "I think when we tied it at 38, I kind of saw the clock and I was like, 'All right, all we've got to do is get one stop and just get me in range, and hopefully we'll get that done and I'll make the kick.' I have a lot of confidence in the team."
Mateer had a strong performance for the Cougars, passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushing for 85 yards and two more scores. Despite their loss, their coach, Jake Dickert, was proud of his team's effort, saying, "First and foremost, our guys gave us everything they had. I'm proud of them. I loved the way they responded this week, I thought we had a great week of practice. I appreciated their effort. This is a players' game and they made one more play down the stretch."
The game had started off with a bang, as Gabarri Johnson, filling in for Gulbranson at quarterback, ran for a 15-yard touchdown for the Beavers. But the Cougars quickly answered back with Mateer's 28-yard pass to Carlos Hernandez. Both teams continued to trade points, with the Beavers taking a slight lead into halftime with a score of 21-17.
In the second half, Hayes kicked a 46-yard field goal to extend the Beavers' lead. But the Cougars fought back, with Mateer connecting with Kyle Williams for a 57-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24-24. However, Gulbranson and the Beavers responded with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Terry II, setting the stage for the deciding fourth quarter.
The Pac-12 had undergone major changes in the past year, and the Beavers and the Cougars had been working together to rebuild the conference. In 2026, five Mountain West teams, along with Gonzaga for basketball, will be joining the new Pac-12. But there is still one more football member needed to meet NCAA requirements. The scheduling agreement with the Mountain West was not renewed for next season, so the Beavers and the Cougars decided to play each other twice, once at home and once away.
In the end, Washington State's record-breaking quarterback, Mateer, had 26 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns for the season. For the Beavers, Gulbranson returned to the field after missing the previous game and led the team to victory. But they also utilized Johnson in certain situations, including his first touchdown of the game.
Next week, the Cougars will be hosting Wyoming, while the Beavers will be facing off against Boise State on Friday. Fans can stay updated on the AP Top 25 throughout the season by signing up for poll alerts and updates. Don't miss out on all the exciting action of college football!
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
