No. 16 Oregon State kicked off the final month of the regular season on a winning note as the Beavers beat Colorado 26-19 on Saturday night in Boulder, Colorado.
The Beavers led 23-5 early in the fourth quarter before Colorado rallied to narrow the gap.
Oregon State held Colorado to 238 total yards, including minus-7 yards on the ground.
DJ Uiagalelei threw for 223 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a score for the Beavers (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12 Conference). Damien Martinez carried 21 times for 115 yards.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 245 yards and two TDs for Colorado (4-5, 1-5), with all but 66 yards coming in the fourth quarter.
Here’s a recap of how the game unfolded:
LIVE UPDATES RECAP
FINAL: OREGON STATE 26, COLORADO 19
-- The Buffaloes have all three timeouts remaining, so they opt to kick it deep and it’s a touchback. Oregon State, from its 25-yard line, begins with a handoff to Martinez. He finds soom room and picks up 6 yards. Colorado burns its first timeout. Martinez picks up the first down with a run of 10 yards. The clock goes under a minute. Martinez runs for 5 yards. Colorado takes a timeout with 45 seconds to go. On second and 5, Uiagalelei just runs right and goes down in the backfield. The Beavers have to snap it one more time, and that’s it. Colorado interestingly takes a timeout with 2 seconds left. Oregon State wins it 26-19.
-- Shedeur Sanders is moving the Buffaloes down the field. They get a first down on a short run. A few plays later, Sanders finds Jimmy Horn Jr. for 19 yards. Sanders takes a sack. But then he throws complete for 40 yards to Travis Hunter. The Buffaloes score on the next play, on an 12-yard TD pass from Sanders to Anthony Hankerson with 1:42 left. The extra point is good. Oregon State 26, Colorado 19, 1:42 4Q
-- Oregon State starts from its 25. The Beavers pick up a first down on third and short on an Uiagalelei run. Then DJ throws complete for 20 yards to Velling. Fenwick gets runs on three consecutive plays, and they go for 2, 7 and 4 yards. Uiagalelei throws incomplete, looking for Bolden but he was well overthrown. Uiagalelei keeps it and picks up 7. On third and 3, DJ’s pass is tipped and incomplete. Sappington trots on for a field goal from 41 yards out. The kick is good, to make it 26-12. Oregon State 26, Colorado 12, 4:47 4Q
-- Colorado begins from its 25 after a touchback. Shedeur Sanders fires complete to Travis Hunter for a first down. Then the Buffaloes are whistled for consecutive penalties. Sanders fumbles, but CU recovers it. It’s second and 29. A pass play goes for 18 yards. On third and 11, Colorado converts it with a second effort from Xavier Weaver. They connect again, this time for 36 yards, down to the OSU 15. Akili Arnold makes the tackle and is shaken up on the play. He’s able to walk off on his own. After an incompletion, Travis Hunter takes a short pass up the middle for the touchdown. The point after is good. Oregon State 23, Colorado 12, 10:41 4Q
-- On third and goal, DJ Uiagalelei overthrows tight end Jack Velling in the back of the end zone. That brings on Atticus Sappington. He makes a 22-yard field goal to extend OSU’s lead to 23-5. The Beavers’ drive goes 66 yards in eight plays. Rweha Munyagi Jr. had a 37-yard catch on the drive. Oregon State 23, Colorado 5, 13:57 4Q
END 3RD QUARTER: OREGON STATE 20, COLORADO 5
-- Oregon State is on the move again at the end of the third quarter. The Beavers will have first and goal when the fourth quarter begins.
-- The Beavers sack Shedeur Sanders on Colorado’s first play of their next drive. Then Sanders throws deep and incomplete. On third and 15, Sanders is hit as he throws by Cooper, and it’s incomplete. Sanders limps off the field, and the Buffs will punt. The punt is downed at the OSU 30. The Beavers will take over from there.
-- The Beavers drive into Colorado territory. One key play is a 27-yard pass from DJ Uiagalelei to Jack Velling. Then it’s five consecutive running plays that eat up 11, 2, 17, 3 and 3 yards. On third and 10, DJ QB finds Gould for a gain of 15, down to the CU 11. Fenwick then loses 4 on a run. Uiagalelei keeps it on a run up the middle, and he barrels toward the goal line. He’s just short. It sets up first and goal from the 1-yard line. Uiagalelei throws to the left side of the end zone on play action. He was looking for Riley Sharp, but it’s incomplete. Colorado was offside, though. So the ball moves slightly closer and it remains first down. Uiagalelei carries it into the end zone for the touchdown. The extra point from Sappington is good, and the Beavers lead it 21-3 with 3:53 to play in the third quarter. There was an offside penalty, and the Beavers accept it to try to go for two. The snap gets away from Uiagalelei, though, and the Buffaloes pick it up and run it back for two points of their own. So instead of 21-3, Oregon State now leads it 20-5. Oregon State 20, Colorado 5, 3:53 3Q
-- Colorado gets the ball first to start the second half. The Buffaloes move into Oregon State’s side of the field, but then they have to punt it away. The punt goes 29 yards, and the Beavers will take over at their 15-yard line with 11:19 to go in the third quarter.
2ND QUARTER
Colorado does the unthinkable. Gets the ball at its 4 with 57 seconds and throws 2 incomplete passes, essentially gifting Oregon State a free possession before halftime. The Beavers capitalize, as Gould returns a punt to the Colorado 20. One play later, Uiagalelei throws a 20-yard touchdown pass to Deshaun Fenwick. Oregon State 14, Colorado 3, 0:16 2Q
Oregon State starts at its 12. Uiagalelei’s first pass is a 23-yarder to Bolden. Then on third down and CU defenders draped all over him, Uiagalelei delivers a first-down pass to Irish. Oregon State eventually reaches the CU 35, but the drives stall. Uiagalelei kicks on fourth, pinning Colorado at its 4.
Colorado starts at its 20. First play is a deep sideline where OSU is called for pass interference. Three plays go nowhere and its another punt.
Oregon State drives starts at its 25. On third and 5. Uiagalelei throws a nice 22-yard pass to Velling for a first down. Then its back to the offensive standard tonight. Three plays that result in nothing and the Beavers punt. Yardage with 4:16 left in the first half: Oregon State 122, Colorado 47
Oregon State defense minimizes the damage, as Colorado can’t get a first down. Mata boots a 32-yard field goal. Oregon State 7, Colorado 3, 7:35 2Q
Bad things happen on this OSU drive. First, Uiagalelei is sacked for an 8-yard loss. Then Martinez fumbles, giving Colorado the ball at the OSU 19.
Colorado starts at the 20. Two plays that go nowhere, leading to third and 10. Colorado bailed out on a questionable PI call, gets a first down. Oregon State defense responds, putting Colorado in a third and 18 situation. Pass rush forces Sanders to throw it away, and Colorado punts again. Buffaloes have 42 yards in four series.
Oregon State starts its fourth drive of the game at the Colorado 43. Martinez gets a nice first-down run, but on second down, Kelly is flagged for holding. Drive breaks down as Uiagalelei is sacked on third down. Punt into end zone, and Colorado takes over.
Colorado starts the second quarter 2nd and 21 at its 24. Two incomplete passes and Colorado is forced to punt. Gould with a big punt return to the CU 43.
FIRST QUARTER: Oregon State 7, Colorado 0
Colorado starts at its 25. A 10-yard pass from Sanders to Weaver gets a first down. Last play of the quarter is an 11-yard sack by Chatfield of Sanders.
Aidan Chiles in at quarterback. His first pass results in a pass interference. Chiles runs for 7 on second down, setting up third down. Uiagalelei comes in to run the ball on third, and converts the first down. Chiles returns, ball at the CU 45. Oregon State effectively running the ball with Martinez. Third and 2 at the Colorado 25, and Martinez converts the first down. Chiles throws wildly on first down for an incompletion, but follows up with a nice QB draw, running 23 yards for a TD. Oregon State 7, Colorado 0, 1:26 1Q
Colorado does OSU a return favor, as three plays after recovering a fumble, the Buffaloes cough it up. Calvin Hart Jr. recovers the Shedeur Sanders fumble, and OSU has the ball at the Beavers 29.
Oregon State, starting out of its 6, starts quickly as Martinez runs 11 yards. OSU moves the ball to the 34, where it is coughed up on a fumble by Deshaun Fenwick. Colorado ball at the Beavers 38
Colorado picks up a couple of quick first downs on the strength of short completions by Sanders to push the ball to midfield. Pass rush forces a bad throw on third-and-2 at the OSU 44, and Buffaloes punt. Anthony Gould fair catches at the 6. 9:54 1Q
Oregon State receives the opening kickoff. Beavers are 3-and-out, but a good punt by Josh Green gives Colorado the ball at its 19
6:55 p.m.: Game will kick off in about 25 minutes. Looks like CB Ryan Cooper Jr. and C Jake Levengood won’t play. CB Noble Thomas and DL isaac Hodgins were warming up with the 1s and 2s, so good chance they’ll return to action.
PREGAME
No. 16 Oregon State (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) at Colorado (4-4, 1-4)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado
Weather at kickoff: Clear and
Latest line: Beavers by 3 (Odds by FanDuel)
• You can Watch the No. 16 Oregon State vs. Colorado football game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with Sling (free trial)
TV channel: ESPN
How to watch live stream online: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (promotional offers, cheapest streaming plans). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
On the air: Radio on KEX (1190), KPOJ (620), Sirius and Sirius XM 158/201, Sirius XM App 964
What’s at stake
Must with for Oregon State? Given the season’s expectations, sure seems so. The Beavers have a couple of meaningful games to finish the 2023 season, but only if they get there with wins over Colorado and Stanford. The Buffaloes are reeling after a 3-0 start to the season, having lost four of five. Colorado made a puzzling change this week, placing analyst Pat Shurmur into the role of offensive coordinator. It’s the Buffaloes defense that has been the issue this season. It’s one of the worst in FBS.
-- Nick Daschel | @nickdaschel
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