A new era begins at Oregon State: Beavers vs. Idaho State game preview (2024)

And, finally, it begins.

After a turbulent offseason littered with conference uncertainty, coaching turnover, transfer portal madness and, in the end, hope, the Trent Bray era will officially begin when the Oregon State Beavers host the Idaho State Bengals on Saturday at Reser Stadium.

The Beavers are a decisive favorite against their inferior FCS foes, but the matchup offers plenty of intrigue because — like all beginnings — there will be a flurry of firsts.

It’s Oregon State’s first game since the demise of the Pac-12 Conference. It’s Gevani McCoy’s first game as the starting quarterback for the Beavers. It’s offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson and defensive coordinator Keith Heyward’s first game calling plays. And, of course, it’s Bray’s first stab as a head coach.

Here’s a preview:

Idaho State Bengals at Oregon State Beavers

Time: 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Reser Stadium

Coaches: OSU’s Trent Bray (first season) vs. Idaho State’s Cody Hawkins (second season)

Latest line: Oregon State by 27½ (FanDuel)

TV channel: The CW (Channel 32 in Portland)

On the air: Radio on KEX (1190), KPOJ (620), Sirius XM 162/201, Sirius XM App 963

A LOOK AT IDAHO STATE

Hawkins begins his second season at the helm in Pocatello, Idaho, and if one thing defined his first season it was passing. Lots and lots of passing.

The Bengals featured the No.1 passing offense during the 2023 regular season, throwing for an average of 330.1 yards and 29.6 completions per game. The prolific output included a 523-yard outburst in an upset victory over No. 22 Eastern Washington in October, which finished as the highest single-game total for any team last season.

The eye-popping passing did not lead to much success — the Bengals finished just 3-8 in Hawkins’ debut season — but there’s little doubt the Beavers’ secondary will be put to the test in the season opener. Perhaps the biggest question for the Bengals entering Saturday involves who will guide their lethal attack in 2024.

Hawkins listed four quarterbacks atop his debut depth chart (junior Jordan Cooke, senior Hunter Hays, redshirt freshman Jackson Sharman and redshirt senior Kobe Tracy), casting an air of mystery over the Beavers’ game prep. Cooke and Hays split time last season.

Whoever wins the job, odds are Christian Fredericksen will be his top target; the senior wide receiver recorded a career-high 791 receiving yards last season.

While the offense sparkled in Hawkins’ first season, the defense sputtered, finishing 121st nationally in total defense. The Bengals return 11 key players on that side of the ball, however, including standout defensive lineman David Rowe and star defensive back Calvin Pitcher.

Hawkins overhauled the Bengals’ roster following his first season, adding 21 transfers — including 11 from Division I programs — and 33 freshmen.

MULTIPLE OSU QUARTERBACKS?

The Bengals might not be the only team to use more than one quarterback in the season opener.

McCoy, the Beavers’ “king of the jungle,” won the starting job thanks to his dual-threat ability and consistency in preseason camp. But it wouldn’t be a shock to see two, or even three, Oregon State quarterbacks see the field Saturday.

“I’m not going to just tell Idaho State exactly what we’re going to do,” Gunderson said, when asked if there were plans to play Ben Gulbranson and Gebarri Johnson Saturday. “But, yeah, I hope we can find ways to get them in there. I think they’ve all done a great job for us ... I think they’ve all improved. They’re learning. They’re all competitors. And you want to see what guys can do in a real game when they’re live, too. So, I hope, but I’m not going to really talk about what the plan is right now.”

A NEW PLAYMAKER

Virtually every important piece of the 2023 Oregon State offense bolted in the offseason, as the transfer portal, draft and graduation decimated that side of the ball. The most painful departure, of course, was the spring transfer of two-time all-Pac-12 running back Damien Martinez.

But Gunderson has a wealth of weapons to work with and it will be fun to see who emerges as the Beavers’ new playmakers.

Jam Griffin and Anthony Hankerson will anchor the backfield. Trent Walker, Darrius Clemons, Jeremiah Noga and Taz Reddicks bring a mix of speed, size and athleticism to the wide receiver room. And Jermaine Terry II headlines a deep crop of tight ends.

Who will become McCoy’s go-to target? Who will blossom as the Beavers’ next playmaker?

It’s just another reason to tune in Saturday.

THEY SAID IT

“They’ve got a number of quarterbacks who could play and then, just looking at their depth, you really don’t know who’s going to play. So at the end of the day, really, it’s about us and the way that we’ve been practicing, with our effort, our physicality, and again, just the execution. So that’s how it’s going to be all season long. It’s really about how we prepare us, understanding our job, how we fit within the scheme and understanding how the offense is trying to attack us. If we just do that, we’ll be fine.” — Oregon State defensive coordinator Keith Heyward.

SERIES HISTORY

This is the third meeting between the teams and first since 2016. Oregon State, which defeated the Bengals 61-10 (2010) and 37-7 (2017) in the first two games, is looking to improve to 3-0 in the series.

RANDOM NOTES

• The Bengals are 1-11 in their last 12 meetings against FBS opponents. The lone win came in 2017, when Idaho State defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack 30-28.

• The Beavers have won nine consecutive games against FCS foes, outscoring them by an average of 29.9 points during a streak that dates to 2012.

• Joshua Gray, who has been a mainstay along the offensive line in recent seasons, will make his 45th career start at Oregon State on Saturday, moving him into eight place on the Beavers’ all-time list.

• The Beavers are 16-2 at Reser Stadium over the last three years and their losses have come by a combined five points.

— Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to The Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories