5 Oregon State Players Houston Fans Need to Know For 2026 Matchup
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Houston football and Oregon State are just under four months away from facing off in the season opener inside TDECU Stadium.
The Cougars look to carry over momentum from a 10-win season last year, while Oregon State seeks to start building a new culture under head coach JaMarcus Shephard.
While Oregon State is a completely different team from last season, here are 5 players Houston fans should know before the season opener.
5 Oregon State Players Houston Fans Should Know
QB- Maalik Murphy
Oregon State’s senior quarterback Maalik Murphy is the main threat on the roster, and he has plenty of experience at Texas, Duke and now Oregon State.
While Murphy had an up-and-down season last year, he really showed his full potential at Duke, passing for 2,933 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Murphy has one of the strongest arms in college football and his deep ball could be a problem for Houston.
TE- DeCorion Temple
Oregon State’s senior tight end will be a matchup problem for Houston, standing at 6-foot-6.
Before transferring to the Beavers this offseason, he spent four seasons at Central Michigan, where he hauled in 29 receptions for 328 yards.
While he hasn't been involved in the passing game a lot over his career, Oregon State’s goal is to turn him into a real red zone threat, utilizing his size advantage to its full potential.
WR- Xayvion Noland
Junior receiver Xayvion Noland is one of the most interesting transfers on this roster to see how he performs against more talented competition.
Last season at UTRGV, he racked up 37 receptions for 776 yards and seven touchdowns in his first year seeing the field.
The 5-foot-6 speedster can do it all, and he will be an important player in the Beavers’ passing attack.
LB- Dylan Layne
Oregon State’s senior linebacker Dylan Layne is a transfer from Idaho.
He spent four seasons with the Vandals, and he ultimately decided to spend his final season at Oregon State.
In 2025, he recorded 88 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and six pass breakups.
Layne is a dynamic player who can tackle while also being able to drop back into coverage, making him a player to watch out for.
CB- Noble Thomas Jr.
The Beavers’ junior defensive back Noble Thomas Jr. will have an opportunity to be Oregon State’s top weapon in the secondary this season.
He stands at 5-foot-11 and has a very athletic frame, allowing him to keep up with almost any receiver 1-on-1.
The lack of game experience may hurt him early in the season, but he has all of the tools to disrupt an opponent's passing game and will be the main threat in Oregon State’s secondary.
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Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).