Notes from Oregon State’s loss to Cincinnati

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Gazette-Times reporter

WHAT’S NOT

Special teams

A blocked punt was recovered for a TD, a punt return was dropped and a field goal missed. It was as bad a night for OSU as imaginable in this department.

WHAT’S NOT II

The offense

The Beavers could only muster one solid drive, which ended in a 31-yard FG. There were six offensive turnovers and 310 total yards, 36 on the ground. They couldn’t go anywhere.

TURNING POINT

Sammie Stroughter dropped a punt while trying to fair catch with 7:27 left in the third quarter. Cincinnati recovered the ball on the 2-yard line and scored two plays later to go up 17-3. It turned a close game into a blowout.

KEY STAT

7

There were seven turnovers. The first four led to 24 Cincinnati points. That’s just too much to overcome.

INJURY REPORT

C Kyle DeVan (ankle) left the game late.

TRENDS

The Beavers lost another nonconference road game. Coach Mike Riley is 1-6 in that situation, winning only at Hawaii at the end of last year.

This was the lowest scoring game for the Beavers since Sept. 28, 2002, when they lost 22-0 to Southern California.

QB WATCH

Sean Canfield played the first three quarters and guided the Beavers to 168 total yards and three points. He threw three INTs. He was replaced with one play left in the third by Lyle Moevao, who threw threw INTs.

BERNARD CLIMBs

Senior RB Yvenson Bernard moved into fifth place for total yards in OSU history. His 47 against the Bearcats gives him 3,664 yards, passing James Newson (2000-03) with 3,659.

Bernard moved into 37th place in career rushing yards among Pacific-10 Conference ball carriers with 2,843.

RARE PAC-10

The Beavers are the first Pac-10 team the Bearcats have played since 1976, but that was against Arizona State. The Sun Devils were not part of the Pac-10 yet. This is also the first time a Pac-10 team played at Cincinnati.

THE PAYOUT

OSU received $200,000 from the Bearcats for coming to Nippert Stadium and a little more than $250,000 from ESPN to play the game on Thursday night to have the game broadcast nationally.

THE REMATCH

The next game in the series with the Bearcats is scheduled to take place Sept. 19, 2009, in Corvallis.

BIG EAST GAMES

This was the first game against Cincinnati, but the Beavers are 5-8 all-time against the current Big East Conference members, going 2-0 vs. West Virginia, 0-1 vs. Pittsburgh, 0-1 vs. Louisville and 3-5 vs. Syracuse.