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Game
13 - LAS VEGAS BOWL VS NEW MEXICO
Hello
Beaver Fans,
It's
game day and lets hope and pray the Mike Riley has
our Beavers ready to play. The trash talking is
just about over and it's time to put it on the field. But
first I would like to wish all of you a very Merry
Christmas and thank you for being a part of our
mailing list. For those of you who are on our mailing
list, look for our Beaver newsletter to come to
you in full color HTML format in the near future.I
do wish that I was in Las Vegas today for the game.
But being home on Christmas Eve with my children
is more important (that's right, just keep saying
that to yourself) and I can still watch the game
on TV (it's better in person). Besides my friend
and accountant is in Vegas for the game and he will
bring me back souvenir's (he had better or I will
find a new accountant). I don't need to go to all
those parties when I can be home wrapping gifts
(sob, sob, sob).The
tailgaters are starting and the teams are at the
field getting prepared for the big game. The crowds
are filling the stadium, the sounds and smells of
gameday fill the air. Their is nothing better then
gameday and nothing better then being at a bowl
game.Let's
get it on!
THE
GAME
This
game has a lot of stories besides the game as you
all may already know. The Vegas connection, Oregon
State has eight players on their roster from Vegas
including several starters. New Mexico head coach
Rocky Long was the defensive coach at Oregon State
with Jerry Pettibone. This is a return trip to Vegas
for New Mexico. The Lobos played in the Las Vegas
bowl last year and lost to UCLA in a game that was
closer then the score. The Beavers lost last year
in the Insight Bowl. New Mexicos starting QB, Casey
Kelly is from Portland.So
you take those stories and say.... The Beavers Las
Vegas players will not the team lose in front of
their family friends. Rocky
Long has great defenses. His OSU teams were known
for the defense.New
Mexico does not want to lose back to back Las Vegas
bowls.The
Beavers want to rebound from their bowl loss last
year to Pittsburgh.Casey
Kelly would love to beat the PAC-10 team that over
looked him in recruiting.New
Mexico will bring as many or more fans to the game
then the Beavers will so the crowd will not be a
home field advantage for either team and it may
help New Mexico. The stadium is small and the crowd
is right on top of the field so the noise will be
load.
BY
THE NUMBERS
Statistically
New Mexico dominates the Beavers. New Mexico has
the advantage in 17 of 23 categories looked at.
The big number for the Beavers to worry about is
rushing defense for New Mexico (80.4 yards per game)
and rushing offense for New Mexico (227.0 yards
per game). The
Beavers need to run the ball to score and New Mexico
will keep an eye on Steven Jackson. Also the Beavers
linebackers are beat up and will only have 4 for
the game. This has been a key issue the last two
games. We only had three linebackers for the Ducks
and they ran all over us and the same applies to
the USC game. So the Beavers have major concerns
in that area.The
other area of concern is sacks. New Mexico has 37
sacks this season to the Beavers 27. If Anderson
does not get time to throw the ball and is constantly
being pressured that will effect the passing game
which could lead to interceptions.New
Mexico is a good team that is well coached. The
Beavers will have their hands full and better be
ready to play hard for the whole game.
THE
SERIES
Oregon
State and New Mexico have played twice previously.
The Beavers are currently on a one-game winning
streak as a result of downing the Lobos 28-20 in
Albuquerque on September 9, 2000. New Mexico defeated
Oregon State by 35-16 on September 8, 1979 in Albuquerque.
Craig Fertig was the Beavers' head coach in the
first meeting and Dennis Erickson coached OSU in
the second contest. Bill Mondt was the Lobos' head
coach in 1979 and Rocky Long coached against the
Beavers in the second contest. Mike Riley has not
coached against New Mexico, while Long is 0-1 vs.
OSU. The Lobos are due to make their first trip
to Corvallis during the 2004 season with a September
18 date at Reser Stadium.
THE
BOTTOM LINE
This
game really scares me. New Mexico has everything
to win in the area of public opinion and the Beavers
can gain nothing in that area. If the Beavers win
big, "they should beat a Mountain West team".
If it is a close game and the Beavers win "The
Beavers are not very good". Then their is what
happens if we lose. To scarey to think about.With
Boise State winning yesterday over nationally ranked
TCU and finishing the season 13-1. Recruiting in
the northwest just got more difficult.Their
is no if's and's or but's about this game. The Beavers
must win and they must win big. The pressure is
all on us and we must come through. If we are to
continue to grow the program and build new facilities
to compete on the national stage and with Oregon.
We need bowl game victories. Bowl wins brings the
fans and the students to the school which means
more money to do the things we need to do.The
Beavers need to get big games from their linebackers
and offensive line. Derek Anderson has to maintain
control and make smart passes. New Mexico will be
ready to play. They did all the Las Vegas stuff
last year and are here this year to win a bowl game.Lets
hope the Beavers are their to play too.
FINAL
SCORE
Beavers
38
New Mexico 24
GO
BEAVERS!
|
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|
|
TEAM
|
DATE
|
Home/Away
|
|
Sacramento
St
|
08/28
|
WIN
40-7
|
|
@
Fresno St.
|
09/05
|
LOSS
14-16
|
|
New
Mexico St.
|
09/13
|
WIN
28-16
|
|
Boise
St.
|
09/20
|
WIN
26-24
|
|
Arizona
St.
|
09/27
|
WIN
45-17
|
|
@
CAL.
|
10/04
|
WIN
35-21
|
|
Wash.
|
10/18
|
LOSS
17-38
|
|
@
Wash. St.
|
10/25
|
LOSS
30-36
|
|
Arizona
|
11/01
|
WIN
52-23
|
|
Stanford
|
11/15
|
WIN
43-3
|
|
@
Oregon
|
11/22
|
LOSS
20-34
|
|
@
USC
|
12/06
|
LOSS
28-52
|
BY
THE NUMBERS
*indicates advantage
| SEASON
STATS |
OSU |
UNM |
| SCORING
OFF.(PPG) |
31.5* |
31.4 |
| SCORING
DEF.(PPG) |
23.9 |
19.6* |
| PASSING
OFF(YPG) |
323.2* |
196.3 |
| PASSING
DEF. (YPG) |
211.2* |
236.8 |
| RUSHING
OFF.(YPG) |
133.3 |
227.0* |
| RUSHING
DEF.(YPG) |
90.9 |
80.4* |
| TOTAL
OFF |
456.6* |
423.3 |
| TOTAL
DEF. |
302.2* |
317.2 |
| TURNOVER
RATIO |
-8 |
+5* |
| SACKS
TAKEN |
27 |
37* |
| SACKS
ALLOWED |
32 |
20* |
| PENALTIES(YPG) |
111.6 |
56.7* |
| THIRD
DOWN CONV. |
39.8% |
41%* |
| THIRD
DOWN DEF. |
31.2%* |
35% |
| FORTH
DOWN CONV. |
35.3% |
57.1%* |
| PUNTING |
35.4 |
35.5* |
| PUNT
RETURNS |
5.5 |
9.0* |
| KICK
OFF RETURNS |
15.3 |
18.3* |
| RED
ZONE OFF. |
84.6% |
92.3%* |
| RED
ZONE DEF. |
71.4% |
70.0%* |
| FIELD
GOALS |
.773 |
.889* |
| TIME
OF POSS. |
31:59 |
32:02* |
2003
Season Standings
PAC
- 10 STANDINGS
AFTER WEEK 14 |
| Team |
Pac
10
|
Overall
|
| USC |
7-1
|
11-1
|
| Washington
State |
6-2
|
9-3
|
| Oregon |
5-3
|
8-4
|
| California |
5-3
|
7-6
|
| Oregon
State |
4-4
|
7-5
|
| UCLA |
4-4
|
6-6
|
| Washington |
4-4
|
6-6
|
| Stanford |
2-6
|
4-7
|
| Arizona
State |
2-6
|
5-7
|
| Arizona |
1-7
|
2-10
|
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