Montana State at Oregon, 1 pm PT, Eugene, OR

Eugene, Oregon – On Saturday, August 30, we hit the Oregon Trial for our first time starting with Montana State Bobcats at Oregon Ducks. The TV scheduling couldn’t have worked out better for us than this! Following this game kicking off at 1 pm Pacific Time, we venture 48 miles north from OU’s Autzen Stadium to Oregon State’s Reser Stadium in Corvalis. In our 7:30 pm nightcap, the OSU Beavers host their former PAC-12 rival, the California Golden Bears, now in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Universities now take the lead to confuse our sense of geographic reality through conference realignments. Heading west to the Pacific Ocean to see an Atlantic Coast Conference team. Unbelievable.

A first for collegefootballfan.com in our 714th game

For us, we always revered the number “714” for Babe Ruth’s HR prowess. For Collegefootballfan.com, we display some prowess marking our first adventure ever of any kind in “The Beaver State” and beyond. We add the state of Oregon as our 42nd to ever attend a game in. The two stadiums this Saturday will become our 99th and 100th FBS stadiums attended among the 136 venues playing at this level today. Montana State (15-1 in 2024) will be visiting Eugene as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) runner-up from a year ago. Like last year, we will be seeing the Bobcats open their season on the road against an FBS program. Last season, MSU pulled a late, 35-31, upset over New Mexico. The No. 3 Ducks (13-1 a year ago), seek to again win The Big Ten and grab a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the national title.

Our Montana State and Oregon Histories

Both are short and sweet. The Bobcats won the only game as mentioned when we saw them last season at New Mexico. One personal note regarding an MSU connection. Former Bobcat HC Rob Ash coached the program there from 2007-2018 to a record of 70-38. He won three Big Sky championships in Bozeman and led them into four FCS playoffs. Twice, his team made it as far as the quarterfinals. Prior to this, from 1980-88, a year after I graduated from D3 Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA, he coached the then Indians to a 56-31-3 record before moving on to Drake. In 1980, I watched him coach my Juniata buddies in a game at CW Post in Greenvale, NY. CW Post prevailed, 28-10. Since then, CW Post upgraded to the FCS now known as the LIU Post Sharks of the Northeast Conference.

Compliments of Kermit the Frog, I saw the Oregon Ducks play Penn State in the 1995 Rose Bowl. You can read this story in my book, Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly. The Ducks stand 1-1 in the annals of Collegefootballfan.com history as we didn’t see them play again until last season. At Wisconsin, they held off the Badgers to a 16-13 win. They finished the regular season at 12-0 before defeating Penn State in the Big Ten Championship, 45-37. Like the other three CFP teams with byes in the first round, they fell in the next round. Eventual champion Ohio State dominated them, 41-21.

Bobcats’ huge hole to fill

Montana State returns some key talent after their great season a year ago. However, the biggest void to fill comes at quarterback. Last year’s starter, Tommy Mellott, moved on to the next level selected by the Las Vegas Raiders. Under HC Brent Vigen the last four years, MSU with Mellott at QB, went 33-8. He completed 63.7% of his passes. He threw for 6,016 yards and ran for 3,517. Fifty-five passes and 43 runs resulted in touchdowns. He threw only eight INTs. Pretty big shoes to fill for sure. As of this writing, JR Chance Wilson probably has an early start as his replacement. Among others, Grant Vigen, son of Brent, joins the roster as a freshman.

Despite the graduation of Mellot, the Bobcats loom as favorites once again to win the Big Sky championship in 2025. RB Adam Jones returns with 1,172 rushing yards and 14 TDS from a year ago. WR and punt returned Taco Dowler caught 38 passes for 597 yards and 11 TDS. OL Tilan Fleischman and DL Kenneth Eiden IV return as preseason All-Big Sky first team selections.

Oregon up for the FBS hunt once again

HC Dan Lanning’s team also lost well-travelled, Heisman candidate QB Dillon Gabriel (3,857 passing yards, 30 TDs and 6 INTs) from last season. To replace him, Dante Moore, a UCLA transfer who joined OU last season steps in. He’ll reap the benefit of having eight returning starters around him. Defensively, the Ducks return six starters. At RB, Noah Whittingham replaces Jordan James who went to the SF 49ers last year as the number four draft pick overall. Whittingham trudged for 540 yards and six TDs and looks to be the key cog for OU in the rushing department. WR Evan Stewart and TE Kenyon Sadiq return as leading receivers as key targets for Moore. Four starters from their OL moved on including two first round picks. Transfers from reputable programs step in, but they will be learning to work together for the first time.

Defensively, Oregon returns Key EDGE rushers in Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti. ILB Bryce Boettcher returns as leading tackler, and Ole Miss transfer Jadon Canady reinforces the BUs. However, they lost four starting DBS, although two transfers join in from other Big Ten schools. It’s hard to bet against all that Nike money financing all that talent in Eugene.

Banking on Oregon

Despite losses at key positions for the Ducks, this program just seems to have too much momentum in this new NIL / transfer portal age to step down too much. A great FCS Bobcat program, but with a totally new QB filling in for a lot of Tommy Mellot’s production over the past four years, it seems like a steeper learning curve for the Bobcats. Both teams will have the same issue.

However, under these circumstances, we’ll look for this game to get off to a slow start for both teams. A home game for OU itching to get back into the CFP should give them the advantage here. We look for them to gain momentum in the second half. Both teams will face lesser non-conference foes and stiffer competition against conference foes thereafter. Development during the early learning curves should right both of them to challenge for titles in their respective conferences after this one.

On the Oregon Trail

As we head out to Eugene and on to Corvalis for the night cap, we won’t have much time for any stops along the way. We’ll have to study some more about opportunities to find out what’s going on before and between these games. Looking for an adventurous day during our first visit to Oregon. This game should get off to a slow start but big finish for the Ducks over the Bobcats.

Look for our preview next Monday. Happy Labor Day!

Since we have a full day of football with two games on Saturday followed by a long flight arriving home Sunday evening, our Game Reviews probably won’t hit the web until Monday night. We’ll provide you with our game updates after enjoying your Labor Day parades, BBQ’s and family outings before settling into more college football on TV to finish the nice, long holiday weekend. Great start into football season!

Click on the title of buy my book about this life-long adventure: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly on Amazon.com. Read the reviews on the page and get your copy today! As you’ve read here, this fun, unique life-long Journey continues. Catch up on the last 45 years and please submit a review. We hope you will get a kick out of our great adventure to see every FBS team play over the years!

Edited by and photos taken by Steve Koreivo – Member of Football Writers Association of America and Author of Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly.

Game 2: California Golden Bears at Oregon State, 7:30 pm PT

Corvalis, Oregon – When catch California at Oregon State for our second of two FBS games on this day. Last time we did this came back in 2021. On that Saturday, we recorded our first two games in the state of Utah. At our early afternoon game in Logan, Utah State defeated Hawaii in a Mountain West contest, 51-31. The Aggies of USU finished their season ranked No. 24. Afterward, we trekked down I-15 to Provo. There, we attended a game determined to be Virginia Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s final season. As an appropriate farewell, he brought his Virginia Cavaliers to Provo to face his former charges, the Cougars of BYU.

The Cougars and Cavs went at it hard with the home team winning, 66-49. BYU finished the season at No. 19. Funny though. It did not turn out to be Mendenhall’s’ final season as a collegiate HC after all. Matter of fact, we saw him start up again in his return debut in 2024 as new HC for the University of New Mexico. After a 5-7 improvement at UNM last season, Mendenhall left for – of all schools – Utah State! Oh, what a tangled web we weave! And we seem to get entangled without even trying.

We plan to get back to Provo eventually to see a day game there to enjoy the impressive scenery surrounding Lavelle Edwards Stadium. Of course, we plan to pull it off by attending a Utah Ute home game in Salt Lake City afterward for our first game there! Timing is everything.

Four games with Cal and OSU in all; almost five

Combined, we’ve seen these two programs play four times. The Golden Bears participated in three. Our first came in late 2001, as the game was postponed until the final week of that season due to the horrific attacks on the World Tade Center on September 11. Read about my personal experiences regarding trips before and after 9-11 from Atlanta and to the West Coast for a game a few weeks later in my book, Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly.

In that final game of 2011, Cal avoided a winless season defeating Rutgers, 20-10. In 2007, my 12-year-old son Eric and I saw them defeat Air Force in a thrilling game at the Armed Forces Services Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, 42-36. It was one of four bowl games we attended in Texas in five days. Finally in 2016, I attended a game at Berkeley compliments of a Stanford friend, Karen Croft, who refuses to step foot on her rival’s campus ever. In the Big Game, the No. 12 Cardinal defeated the Golden Bears, 45-31.

Cross Country challenges from and to Oregon football games

Regarding Oregon State, in September 2002, they came all the way out to Philadelphia to meet Temple at historic Franklin Field, home venue of the University of Pennsylvania. With Juniata friend and former trainer for our football team, Ned Ehrlich, we watched 6′-5″ Beaver QB Derek Anderson and team crush the Owls, 35-3. Anderson went to the NFL for a few years. Ned stayed around the NFL much longer, as a Lawyer. In 2008, I was on my way to see Oregon State at Penn State. While crossing the Delaware River into PA from New Jersey, a bolt in the wheel well of my recently purchased, pre-certified Malibu let loose and locked up my front wheels. With my then 13-year-old son, got towed, gave the dealership “hell” and missed the game. Never had another problem with the car after repairs, thankfully.

Funny thing, with my son Eric once again, another road trip to see a team from Oregon got waylaid by a car problem. With Eric strapped into a back seat at the age of 5, we hopped on to the Jersey Turnpike in November 2000 on our way to see Portland State at Delaware in an 1AA playoff game. After the Ford Escort stalled in a toll booth, we got it pushed off to the side and towed back home for service. UD won the game we missed, 49-14. Hope we don’t run into any car problems on our Oregon Trail this season.

California Golden Bears face mass exodus

Last season, the Golden Bears won six games for the second year in a row. They played their best with Fernando Mendoza at QB. After a season with 3,004 yards and 16 TDs starting the first ten games, he jumped ship for a better opportunity supposedly. We will see him play in another game this season for Indiana. Enter Devin Brown, a QB from an overloaded but talented Ohio State Buckeye QB contingency. He performed primarily as a running QB at Columbus the last two years. The question is, how good will the new players around him be? Certainly, HC Justin Wilcox in his ninth season here starts from scratch to build an offense in 2025.

Since last season, Wilcox’s roster basically fled from Berkeley. Only WR Trond Grizzell returns among the top 12 receivers from a season ago. As for their top ten rushers, none also no longer play for the Bears. Three experienced offensive linemen replace open spots upfront. Several transfers look to step in, but will they mesh in time to play as one unit early this season? In addition, Cal hired Bryan Harsin to take over as OC. Previously, he coached at Boise before getting booted from Auburn as HC. A lot of meshing needs to occur in summer camp to have this offense ready for this game. Last season, the Golden Bears had the Beavers number evidently, as indicated by their 44-7 thrashing at Berkeley.

Bear question marks in secondary

Defensively, eight experienced staters return. Several transfers among them will need to step up. MLB Cade Uluave returns from last season as the second leading tackler with 71 stops. DE Aidan Keanaaina and DT Nate Burrell contributed upfront for the Bears last season. The secondary will be looking for good coordination among transfers from Florida International, James Madison and Montana. Should be interesting to see how well this team full of players who have never worked together before will perform in their first game together.

QB Maalik Murphy, Oregon State – Deja vu

Last year, we witnessed the improvement of Duke football under new HC Many Diaz, his defense, and QB Maalik Murphy – transfer from Texas. We head 2,400 miles west early this year, and once again, Maalik Murphy shows up at QB. With a reputation as a strong-armed quarterback, we never witnessed that in the three wins we watched Murphy perform in last season. He threw for 2,933 yards, 16 TDs and 13 INTs for the Blue Devils. However, his penchant seemed relegated to a very short passing game. “Big arm” to us means one has the arm to go long effectively. We never saw that. Will this change at Oregon State under HC Trent Bray and OC Ryan Gunderson?

They will be depending on Murphy to turn around a passing game. Last season, OSU totaled only seven TD passes and 11 INTs. Should be attainable, but will they show that Murphy has the capability to put up the long ball more often? WRs Trent Walker and Darrius Clemons return as primary targets gaining 901 and 292 yards respectively. Both led the team in TD receptions recording only two each.

Oregon State seeks defensive strength upfront

The Beavers (5-7 in 2024) welcome back RB Anthnony Hankerson who ran for 1,113 tough yards and 15 scores. Upfront, only C Van Wells returns, and the transfers coming in alongside him possess little experience. Defensively, leading tackler Skyler Thomas returns at SS. LBs Nikko Taylor and Dexter Foster finished third and fifth overall. Some newcomers need to step up. Others transferring in need to make stops before their secondary gets called on to lead in making tackles.

Down to the final minute or the final mistake

Both teams seem to bring back comparable experience in the numbers of returnees and transfers. The defenses will be ahead of the offenses in this game. Both O-Lines undergo major personnel changes, and this determines how the game will be won. Whoever blocks better upfront will have the advantage. However, with experience at the skill positions surrounding Murphy, we see the Beavers possessing the edge at home.

The vocal OSU fans have a solid reputation for filling 35,000-seat Reser Stadium to the hilt. Against a former PAC-12 rival they meet for the 78th time, they seek revenge following last season’s 44-7 loss at Memorial Stadium. Key Golden Bear players from last season moved on during the off-season. Devin Brown and company will have lot of on-the-job-training to figure out how the Bears can work together offensively. Brown will not have the skill sets surrounding him he had at Ohio State. It should be a fun and competitive meeting. However, we expect it to be filled with mistakes by both squads in the opener for both.

In case you didn’t read Oregon vs. Montana State above: Happy Labor Day!

Since we have a full day of football with two games on Saturday followed by a long flight arriving home Sunday evening, our Game Reviews probably won’t hit the web until Monday night. We’ll provide you with our game updates after enjoying your Labor Day parades, BBQ’s and family outings before settling into more college football on TV to finish the nice, long holiday weekend. Great start into football season!

Check out our tales of yesteryear as we start up our 46th season! Unbelievable?

Click on the title of my book about this life-long adventure: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly on Amazon.com. Read the reviews on the book page and get your copy today! If you’re trying to follow NILs and transfer portals, read what we predicted in 2023 and more. You’ll see we know what we’re talking about. In addition, we offered solutions to issues occurring that we anticipated when we wrote this book. Based on our game story above, this fun, unique life-long Journey continues. Catch up on the last 45 years, and then please submit a review. We hope you will get a kick out of our great adventure having seen every (well 134) FBS team play over the years! Two newest to be added later this season.

Edited by and photos taken by Steve Koreivo – Member of Football Writers Association of America and Author of Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun and the Ugly.