Oregon State Beavers vs Boise State Broncos football sneak peek: Players to watch, stats, early betting odds

Oregon State kicks off the 2022 football season Saturday when the Beavers play host to Boise State at 7:30 pm in Reser Stadium.

OSU is looking to win its first season opener since 2015.

Here is a first look at the Broncos:

Boise State at Oregon State

When: 7:30 pm Saturday

Where: Reser Stadium

Television: ESPN

Series history

Oregon State leads the series 5-4. The last time the teams played was 2016, when Boise State won 38-24 in Reser Stadium. OSU’s last win over the Broncos came in the 2013 Hawaii Bowl.

Boise State star power

Hank Bachmeier: One of the most seasoned quarterbacks OSU faces this season, Bachmeier has passed for 6,108 yards and 35 touchdowns in 25 career starts. Last season was Bachmeier’s best, as he completed 252 of 401 passes and 3,079 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Scott Matlock: A three-year starting defensive tackle, Matlock had 8 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season.

JL Skinner: One of the leaders of a salty defense in 2021, the three-year starting safety led the Broncos with 92 tackles and three fumble recoveries. Skinner has six takeaways during his career, five coming last season.

George Holani: The 5-foot-11 junior running back ran for 569 yards last season, but did most of his damage late in the season, with 100-yard games against Fresno State, Wyoming and New Mexico. When healthy, Holani has put up big numbers, as he ran for 1,014 yards as a freshman in 2019.

Of note

A few local ties of note: Boise State head Coach Andy Avalos took over the Broncos program prior to the 2021 season after serving as Oregon’s defensive coordinator. Holani is a relative of former Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea. Boise State quarterback Sam Vidlak transferred from Oregon State during the offseason.

Point spread

Beavers by 3

Chance of winning (1-5 scale): 4

Hard to overstate the importance of this game for Oregon State. The Beavers have lost six consecutive season openers. In what is perhaps the most anticipated OSU season in nearly a decade, the Beavers can validate the expectations with a win over a solid Boise State team. The Broncos, coming off a 7-5 campaign, are expected to contend for the Mountain West Conference title in 2022. When you think OSU-Boise State, the thought of a Shootout comes to mind. But get ready for a bit of a surprise, as this game should lean towards low scoring. Both teams have better-than-average defenses. Boise State Returns many of its key starters from a defense that gave up an average of 19 points a game last season. But Oregon State has a defense that is BSU’s equal. The difference could be the Beavers Offensive line that allows OSU to control the game.

Early Prediction

Oregon State 27, Boise State 17

–Nick Daschel | [email protected] | @nickdaschel