Oregon State football has lost six straight games to open the season and is set to host three-win Wake Forest on Saturday, Oct. 11
After a disastrous journey east to Boone, North Carolina that saw the Beavers lose to Appalachian State for their sixth consecutive loss, there are questions about whether or not Oregon State football can turn this season around.
Oregon State is set to host Wake Forest at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 11 to Reser Stadium in Corvallis to kick off the back half the schedule.
The winless start featuring losses to top-10 opponents Oregon and Texas Tech is rated as one of the most challenging in college football, while the remainder of the OSU schedule is considered one of the easiest.
“We’re 0-6, that’s disappointing,” coach Trent Bray said in his weekly press conference. “That’s not where we thought we’d be or anything. What has to change is what we saw the last two weeks; we’re in position to win games, and we’re not making the plays to win those games.”
Buy Oregon State football tickets
Oregon State made some changes off the field in an effort to spark change on it.
Following the App State loss, Bray and the program fired special teams coordinator Jamie Christian. The special teams performances have been a consistent detriment to Oregon State’s on-field product, and Bray decided that six straight losses were enough for the move.
This comes with the mindset of Bray and the OSU locker room being focused on finishing the season strong. According to ESPN’s Power Index, Oregon State possesses the easiest remaining FBS schedule in the country.
With six games to go and bowl eligibility requirements set at six wins, Oregon State has the potential to sneak through the backdoor of the season and steal a .500 record, six victories and a bowl appearance.
“Finishing strong is the emphasis,” Bray said. “Finishing this season out strong and the way we want it to go … momentum moving forward is a good thing, that’s no question.”
Wake Forest a beatable opponent
Wake Forest is 3-2 overall and 1-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Demon Deacons’ wins came against Kennesaw State, Western Carolina and Virginia Tech, while the two losses are to ACC foes North Carolina State and No. 12 Georgia Tech.
It isn’t the most talented or prestigious opponent to step into Reser Stadium this fall, but it’s far from an easy win for the Beavers — something that may not have been said or predicted at the beginning of the season.
Wake Forest quarterback Robby Ashford, who played football and baseball at Oregon, has thrown for over 1,100 yards and ran for over 200 yards this season. Ashford has tossed two touchdowns and ran for four more.
“They’re a talented team and their quarterback is a super-talented guy,” Bray said. “They play well on both sides of the ball; play fast, physical, it’s going to be a challenge.”
Defensively, Wake Forest has given up at least 30 points to its three ACC opponents, though all three contests have been decided by less than seven points. The Demon Deacons are a competitive team by nature and for that reason will present issues for the struggling Beavers.
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest’s head coach, is a familiar foe and former adversary to Oregon State.
Dickert led Washington State from 2020-24 with high-quality offenses and took the Cougars to three bowl games. In 2024, Dickert and the Cougars started the season 8-0 and were consistently ranked in the national top 25 before losing to Syracuse in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl.
“His teams are well-coached, and they play physical and play hard,” Bray said of Dickert. “We expect them to come in here, play hard and be a challenge.”
Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X or Instagram @bartlelo.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon State football eyeing first win with Wake Forest set to visit
Category: General Sports
