Oregon State Football vs. Montana: How To Watch, Preview, Storylines
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Oregon State's first football season under head coach JaMarcus Shephard continues this week as the Beavers host the Montana Grizzlies. Despite an 0-2 start, Oregon State have shown some major signs of life to start the season. However, Shephard and company have made it clear that they are not simply looking for moral victories this season.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday evening's contest against Montana, a squad ranked No. 2 in the AFCA Coaches Poll after a 3-0 start.
Oregon State Beavers (0-2, 0-0 Pac-12 Conference) vs. Montana Grizzlies (3-0, 1-0 Big Sky Conference)
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 8 p.m. PT // 11 p.m. ET
Location: Reser Stadium - Corvallis, Oregon
TV: USA Network
Radio: Beaver Sports Network
Betting Line: Oregon State -17.5 on FanDuel
Can Oregon State Find a Balanced Offensive Attack?
Through the first two games of the season, the passing game has been Oregon State's strongest asset. Quarterback Braden Atkinson and receiver Jesse Legree lead the nation in passing yards (789) and receivng yards (376), respectively. The rushing attack, however, has yet to hit their stride. Oregon State netted just 26 yards in their opener against Houston, followed by an only slightly improved 55 yards in the loss to Texas Tech.
Containing Montana's Offensive Stars
Posing a massive test for the Beavers' defense, Montana's offense enters the week averaging 36 points per game through their first two contests. Montana running back Eli Gillman was the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year last season, and looks poised for another fantastic campaign in 2026 with 328 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat is also exceptional, with a decent running ability on top of throwing for over 4,000 yards in 2025.
A Meeting 30 Years in the Making
The Beavers will play Montana this week for the first time since the 1996 season. While Oregon State has won nine of their 12 games against the Grizzlies in Corvallis, Montana won the two most recent meetings in 1990 and 1996. In that 1996 campaign, Oregon State finished 2-9 on the year, their final season under head coach Jerry Pettipone.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
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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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Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.
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