If head coach Gary Andersen wants to turn Oregon State into yearly contenders in the Pac-12, then the Beavers have to be able to prove that they can play with just about any team in the country. And while the “Conference of Champions” will give them their regular tests against the likes of USC and Washington, both likely College Football Playoff contenders in 2017, the Beavers also need to test themselves outside of the league’s scheduling confines, an emphasis that gradually has been improving in past seasons.
For this upcoming campaign, Oregon State will travel to Colorado State, to debut the brand new stadium of one of the preseason Mountain West favorites, while also welcoming regional giant-killer Portland State and Big Ten adversary Minnesota to Corvallis.