Keys to Victory For Oregon State Football Against Montana
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The Beavers face a huge moment early in their season this Saturday night when they welcome FCS powerhouse Montana to Reser Stadium. After falling short of a big upset victory last weekend against Texas Tech, Oregon State is still looking for its first win of the Jamarcus Shephard era. Though the Beavers come into this matchup as three-score favorites, they face a side that is more than capable of taking down an FBS opponent.
Here are a few things that could be critical in this matchup:
Shut down the run
Macintyre's defense did a fairly good job of this in the loss to Texas Tech, particularly in the second half. While Montana's offensive front likely won't be as strong as Texas Tech's, their running game is no joke. Montana running back Eli Gillman rushed for over 1,500 yards in 2025, and is already averaging nearly seven yards per carry through three games this season.
While the Beavers should absolutely have the talent in the front seven to stifle the Grizzly run game, it certainly isn't something that can be taken for granted. They will need to come out with the same level of discipline and intensity as they did against #13 TTU last week.
Control the offensive pace
The Beavers cannot let their opponent dictate the speed at which they play. Oregon State has added more of an up-tempo style thus far in the coach Shephard era, and it has worked to good effect with their passing attack through the first couple weeks of the season. Oregon State should be able to run the ball effectively against an FCS front, and this would really help to keep the defense off balance so that Mitch Dahlen can call the right plays for the right moments and dictate the speed at which his offense works. Look for guys like AJ Newberry and Cornell Hatcher to make a lot more noise tomorrow night.
Keep "Behind the Scenes" receivers involved
The Beavers have a lot of weapons in the pass-catching game, aside from the nation's leading receiver in Jesse Legree. In week one against Houston, we saw OSU's offense really open up in the second half when they started completing passes to TE Eric Olsen and UTRGV transfer Xayvion Noland.
Against TTU last Saturday, Aeryn Hampton and Aaron Butler both had a couple of first-down receptions. The Beavers will certainly want more of this not only tomorrow, but throughout the rest of the season. If they can establish multiple threats in the receiving game, Oregon State should be able to put a lot of points on Montana.
Communicate in the secondary
During fall camp a few weeks ago, coach Jamarcus Shephard emphasized that simple things like communication and being on the same page can play a huge role in the outcomes of early-season games. Oregon State's secondary played well last weekend against a very good team. But we have to remember that there is still some youth in this area, with two very young players starting at corner. With numerous receiving threats in Montana's offense, the Beaver defense is going to have to be locked in.
About State of the Beavs
Each week, veteran sports broadcaster and writer Matt Bagley examines the news and storylines at play for Oregon State University Athletics. Occasionally joined by contributors for On SI's coverage of the Beavers, as well as the occasional guest spot from Beavers past, present, and future. Get caught up with the playlist below. New episodes are typically released on Tuesday mornings.
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Ben Pahl is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in Portland, Oregon. His work covering college and professional sports has been featured by the Orange Media Network at Oregon State University as well as KBVR.fm. His other career stops in sports include the Portland Pickles baseball club and the NBA G-League's Rip City Remix.