Week 10 - Oregon State Beavers vs Washington State Cougars: How To Watch, Preview, Storylines
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At long last, the Beavers took home a win with their last matchup against the FCS Lafayette Leopards. The 4-4 Washington State Cougars are also coming off of a victory over the Toledo Rockets, and Oregon State will look to take the first of two scheduled PAC-12 matchups this week.
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday night's contest:
Washington State Cougars (4-4, 0-0 PAC 12) @ Oregon State Beavers (1-7, 0-0 PAC 12)
Date: Saturday, November 1st
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET // 4:30 p.m. PT
Location: Reser Stadium - Corvallis, OR
TV: CBS
Radio: TuneIn Radio
Betting Line: Washington State -3.5 on FanDuel
MORE: Washington State Head Coach Jimmy Rogers on Oregon State: “I don’t care what their record is”
How Does The Quarterback Room Play Out?
Duke transfer QB Maalik Murphy has continually fallen far short of the massive expectations placed on him when he entered the program in the 2025 offseason. He boasts an ugly 9/8 TD/INT ratio and has yet to put together a single complete performance. The breaking point for the $1.5 million transfer may have come against Lafayette, as he was benched for Sophomore Gabarri Johnson after throwing for just 69 yards in the first half.
Interim head coach Robb Akey refused to name a starting quarterback in his weekly media availability, but maintained that a decision has been made. It will be a major storyline to follow as to which signal caller gets the nod against Washington State, and it's realistic to assume that whoever "wins" the job will have an extraordinarily long leash.
Maximizing Zevi Eckhaus' Flaws
Quarterback Zevi Eckhaus has assumed the role, at times, of a savior for the Cougars. He has revitalized the offense and given them a steady veteran presence at QB that they desperately needed to begin the season. His dual-threat skills have upgraded their offense substantially, but he certainly hasn't been without his own set of legitimate concerns.
After a three-game stretch without any turnovers, Eckhaus has thrown two interceptions in each of Washington State's last two contests. He hasn't completed passes at a high clip and has struggled at times to find a rhythm. The Oregon State defense will need to continue to exploit the flaws he's put on tape in recent weeks, and containing the senior QB could have major implications for the game's outcome.
MORE: State of the Beavs: Can Oregon State Football Land A Big Name Coach?
Can Beavers Keep Hankerson Moving?
Beavers' running back Anthony Hankerson has been one of college football's biggest disappointments in 2025, as he has been unable to take the next step that many predicted he would execute after a 1,000-yard 2024 campaign. He has had just three games averaging over 4 yards per carry, with the same number of games under 3.
The last two weeks of play have been the opposite side of the coin, however. Hankerson rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries against Wake Forest, and proceeded to entirely dismantle the Lafayette defense with 204 yards and 4 scores on 8.2 YPC. Washington State's defense has been far from formidable against the run to this point, and the Beavers would greatly benefit from a continuation of Hankerson's strong play.
More Reading Material From Washington State Cougars On SI
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Ian Harper is a student journalist and broadcaster studying at Rowan University. He is also the founder of Poolesville Sports Web with previous bylines covering college football, Major League Baseball, the NFL, and NFL Draft for Athlon Sports and Last Word On Sports.