Boise State vs Oregon State
December 24 (Christmas Eve), 2013 at 8 PM ET
Hawaii
Boise State:
Boise State battled through the year as a respectable team and finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, but panic has set in. Quarterbacks Joe Southwick, the starter, and Nick Patti, the backup, were both suspended from practice last Friday for violating team rules. Following practice, Southwick was sent home and Patti was reinstated. Patti, a freshman, will start his first game after having only thrown 11 passes, eight of which were completed, all season long. With a new quarterback taking the helm, expect Boise State to run the ball early and often to ease pressure off of the freshman quarterback.
Oregon State:
After an upset loss to Eastern Washington, Oregon State went on an impressive six game win streak. Unfortunately for them, their winning for the remainder of the season would halt there as they went on to lose their final five games. They finished with an average 6-6 record on the year. Nonetheless, they were competitive even in their losses. They nearly beat the fast-paced juggernaut that is Oregon, only losing by a single point. Oregon State will be looking for a win in order to avoid ending the season in the same fashion in which it began.
Game Matchup:
Boise State’s rushing attack: Spearheaded by Jay Ajayi, Boise State’s rushing attack is relentless and abusive. As a whole, the team has racked up over 2,400 yards of rushing and have scored 32 rushing touchdowns. The defensive front of Oregon State, led by Scott Crichton and Dylan Wynn, will need to prove their dominance, as they usually do. Shutting down Boise State’s rushing plans forces freshman quarterback Nick Patti to win the game by his own power. Forcing such a situation heavily favors Oregon State’s defense.
Nick Patti: With the game being the first start of his career, Patti will make mistakes that any young, developing quarterback would. Against Oregon State’s defensive back corps, such mistakes will come with a price. Led by Rashaad Reynolds, Oregon State’s defensive back corps has allowed less than 200 passing yards on five occasions and surrendered more than 300 yards only once. If they play at the level that they normally do, Patti will struggle to do much of anything.
Oregon State’s offense: If need be, Oregon State can be a running team. Terron Ward and Storm Woods are a talented running back tandem that can be lethal if their offensive line can create a functional amount of space. Although, they are a pass-heavy team. Quarterback Sean Mannion has amassed just over 4,400 passing yards on the year, as well as 36 touchdowns. Nearly 1,700 of those yards can be credited to Brandin Cooks, one of the best receivers in the country. Oregon State is a well rounded offense that will not allow Boise State to attack any one area without allowing another to work freely.
Considering Nick Patti has never started a game prior to this one, Boise State’s offense will be one dimensional and lean heavily on running the ball. If Oregon State can handle Boise State’s rushing attack, they will have tipped the scale more in their favor. Boise State will struggle to contain the duo of Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks, as well as Oregon State’s rushing duo of Terron Ward and Storm Woods. Oregon State should quite easily outscore Boise State.
Prediction: Oregon State- 45 vs Boise State- 10
Draft Impact:
Jay Ajayi: While he is a talented rusher, Ajayi has fumbling issues. That problem alone will cause his draft stock to plummet, just as it did to Knile Davis of Arkansas last year. Regardless, Ajayi is an overpoweringly violent runner for Boise State. He is a reckless bull that smashes through anyone who attempts to slow his roll. Having a solid performance, fumble-free, against Oregon State may lift his once plummeting stock.
Demarcus Lawrence: Lawrence is the best pass rusher that is not talked about. He has the length, size, tenacity, and strength to terrorize opposing offensive lines. Not only is Lawrence a talented pass rusher, but he holds his own against the run as well. He is a disruptive force that has the ability to shut down plays before they even develop. In total, Lawrence has racked up 19.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 of which were sacks. Getting to Sean Mannion and disrupting him will not only raise awareness for Lawrence, but may also hurt Mannion’s draft status.
Brandin Cooks: Do not let Cooks’ 5’10”, 186 pound frame be deceiving. Despite his size, he is one of the best receivers in the nation and can high point the ball in the air better than most of the taller receivers around the country. When the ball is in his hands, Cooks is a threat. He has speed that leave defenders staring at the back of his jersey and the agility to make one or more defenders miss in space. A final outstanding performance as an Oregon State Beaver to go out with a “bang” will certainly help his draft stock.
Scott Crichton: In a class filled with pass rushers, Crichton stands among few as an outstanding run defender for Oregon State. He is a powerful defensive end that can man-handle any offensive lineman lined up opposite of him. Although, he can still be a useful pass rusher. Crichton can use his brute strength to plow through lineman and disrupt the opposing quarterback. Terrorizing Nick Patti and helping his team win could be Scott Crichton’s final task in an Oregon State jersey. He will need to take advantage of that opportunity.