Oregon State football: Beavers prepare for Colorado

What worries you the most about facing Colorado? What's your pick for the game?

rvm: Colorado is an unknown right now, but this is their first conference game of the season and just not sure how well they will hold up under conference play this year again, even with the fairly impressive non-conference start. I wish they were able to play that Fresno State game for that would have been a very good indicator game I think, but how it turned out they now have had three weeks off and two weeks to prepare for the Beavs. This time off could be good or it could be bad for them.

Right now I wonder if it is not the latter and again the added dimension of it being a conference game on the road for the Buffaloes I kind of see this as a tough one for them to win. Though our defense could still be trying to find its identity and the opposing players on the field, and the offense might have a tough go of it again, could rain a ton and so on, which then would lead to a game in which the Beavs don't get the end of the game magic and lose. I do think though both sides of the ball for Oregon State, and especially the offense, will be focused to improve on their for-the-most-part lackluster performance against San Diego State.

Andy Woolridge: Paul Richardson. He's probably going to gash the Beaver secondary for a couple of big plays, and if the game comes down to a late 4th quarter score to decide it, the game could get away from Oregon St. as easily as be another exciting win.

The Beavers are still 10 point favorites, but the Buffs are so much of an unknown quantity at this point that while a lot of people think certain things will happen, no one knows for sure what will unfold.

I do think being the first home game with a full student section and band will translate to energy in the stadium, and confidence in this Oregon St. team, which seems more responsive to positive intangibles than some others have been. As a result, Oregon St. is more likely to be the team that pulls it out; while Connor Wood could be on the road to becoming a great one, right now, Mannion is the guy you want when a 4th quarter TD drive is needed.

Connor Pelton: Paul Richardson. Good receivers on teams the Beavers are favored against tend to have breakout days in Reser, and, well, you've seen our secondary. I've said the last two weeks that the defense would have its breakout game, so I'm scared to go that route again, but what the heck. Oregon State turns a tie game at the end of the third into a comfortable win, as Sean Mannion and company finally settle into a rhythm. 31-17 Beavs.