BFS Current Stories

November 8, 2006

Hello Beaver Fans,

It has been years since I have written one of these so you will excuse me if this first version is shorter then you were accustom to in past years.

You may have noticed that I have finally redesigned the Beavers Fan Site and I am in the process of adding some new features to it. There is an online forum for Beaver fans to post their thoughts and I have blog as well.

With the Beavers sudden resurgeance from what looked to all like a long and difficult season. I have dedicated myself to getting this back up and running on a more limited basis then before but with what I hope will be more interesting material for Beaver Fans to view.

On to the Game

The Beavers 4-2 (6-3) are currently tied with Oregon for third place and face the UCLA Bruins Saturday in Los Angeles. The Bruins are currently tied for sixth with ASU at 2-4 (4-5). UCLA has lost 4 in a row (@Oregon, @ Notre Dame, WSU, @ Cal.). The Beavers have won 4 in a row over the same period (@ Washington, @ Arizona, USC, ASU). In games where both teams have played the same opponent UCLA is 1-3 and OSU is 2-2. UCLA has lost every road game this season and is 4-1 at home with wins over Utah, Rice, Stanford and Arizona. They lost to WSU at home. The Beavers are 2-1 on the road and are averaging 22.7 points per game on the road. UCLA is averaging 26 points per game at home.

BY THE NUMBERS

In looking over the year to date stats for both teams, OSU ranks statistically better then UCLA in 21 of 32 statistical categories. Most of the differences are pretty even with one team of the other leading by only one or two positions in that category.

The big areas for OSU are Scoring offense 27.6 to 23.3, punt return average 15.9 to 9.8, Offensive and Defensive Pass Efficiency, Sacks by, Red Zone defense and Time of Possession.

But overall the stats for both teams are pretty close.

THE BOTTOM LINE

For the Beavers to win they will have to continue to play like they have the last 4 weeks. Control the ball, limit turnovers, score early, play solid defense, create defensive turnovers.

UCLA is #2 in conference in rushing defense, so the Beavers will have to do a good job up front to get the ground game going. Once they can establish the run the passing game will follow. However, I expect that they will do just the opposite. To get the run defense opened up I look for the Beavers to open it up early via the air just like they did vs USC.

If the beavers continue their streak of solid play I would expect them to come home with the win from L.A..

FINAL SCORE

OSU – 30 UCLA - 17

BFS