CORVALLIS -- A clear, crisp autumn Saturday featuring stagnant southbound I-5 traffic brought initial signs of hope for an Oregon State football team still searching for an identity.
The Beavers were 26 1/2-point underdogs and played before a packed student turnout on an evening when students were notified at halftime if they would have a chance to win in-state tuition for a year (valued at $12,000).
By the midway point of what turned into a 42-7 loss, OSU trailed by only seven points by executing a defensive gameplan that surprisingly stymied the nation's most efficient offense.