Photo Credit – Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review

From Pullman – No. 21 Washington State (3-0, 1-0) would boat race Oregon State (1-3, 0-1)) 52-23 in both squad’s confer nice opener. Quarterback Luke Falk finally took some shots down field as he threw five touchdown passes on 47 attempts.

The game sealing touchdown would come when Oregon State quarterback Jake Lytton would get sacked and fumble the ball, then Frankie Luvu would scoop it up and return it to the barn to give WSU a 49-16 lead early with 14:50 left in the game. It was the Beavers second fumble of the game.

Beavers quarterback Jake Luton would exit the game with 11:40 seconds left on the cart after he took a hard hit from safety Jalen Thompson. The play was intially flagged for targeting, but it was picked up after review determined the contact was shoulder to shoulder.  Oregon State would score two plays later when backup quarterback Darrell Garretson would hit wide receiver Seth Collins to get within 26 points.

WSU’s backup QB Tyler Hilinski would take the reigns midway through the ensuing drive. The redshirt sophomore would guide the Cougs to a field goal after several shots at the end zone failed.

Falk would find Traveras Martin Jr. on third and 22 for 20-yard catch in the middle of the Beavers zone, Martin would scamper the remaining 37-yards for the score. The Cougar offense had crossed the 50 despite some shakey offensive line play, that included a 12-yard loss on a sack that immediately preceeded the touchdown pass; the score was 35-16 at that point.

Washington State would shut down the Beavers’ offense on four straight plays, including shutting down Nall on fourth and inches. Three plays later, Falk would hit Kyle Sweet on a 16-yard mesh route to extend WSU’s lead to 36.

Oregon State started off the second half by blocking a 25-yard field goal attempt after the Cougar offense had torched the Beaver defense. The entire field goal unit seemed to be moving in slow motion as OSU rushed the line. It was recovered by the Beavers and returned for about four yards before the returner was pushed out of bounds.

Nall would break off a 45-yard touchdown run six plays later. The Cougar defense couldn’t wrap up or bring down the junior running back during his rumble to the end zone.

With about a minute left in the game, Oregon State’s punter would lose control of the snap and the Cougars recovered the loose ball. Falk would quickly guide the Cougar offense into the end zone on five plays, giving Washington State a 28-9 lead at the half on his fourth passing touchdown of the game.

Traveras Martin Jr. caught a two-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to build on WSU’s lead. The touchdown came after another impressive drive that saw Falk take more shots down field and it became clearer he was getting more comfortable with his new group of wideouts.

Nall scored his first touchdown of the game to the Beavers within five with about five minutes left in the first half. Oregon State’s first touchdown capped off a drive that saw Luton look efficient. The junior quarterback was quick on his reads and even quicker on his releases; including hitting Seth Collins for a huge first down that got Oregon State into the red zone.

Falk found Isaiah Johnson-Mack for a 20-yard touchdown pass down the sideline. Johnson-Mack had to go up over the defender to catch the ball, before landing on his back in the end zone. The touchdown capped off a very efficient, and Air Raid like, drive that included a 27-yard run by Williams.

The Beavers’s first points of the game came when Falk dumped the ball off to Morrow in the end zone as the pocket collapsed. Morrow found no room to maneuver and he was swarmed by OSU in the end zone.

After the defense forced their second three and out of the game, the Beavers punt only went 39-yards to their 46-yard line. Washington State’s quarterback would complete his first four passes to get his offense into the red zone. An in complete pass, and a illegal formation penalty, later, Falk would hit Martin Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown pass, his first of the game.

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