The Oregon State Beavers head down to Palo Alto, Calif., for an early PAC-10 Conference opener at Stanford. This game is crucial to both teams equally needing a fast start to the season and in the conference. Online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) has the Beavers listed as -3 ½ point favorites ATS with a 46 total.
The Beavers welcome back wide receiver/kick returner Sammie Stroughter, who missed last year as a medical redshirt. Stroughter led the Pac-10 in receiving yards in 2006 and earned second-team All-America honors as a return specialist for averaging 15.7 yards on punt returns with three brought back for touchdowns. Add Stroughter to the mix with James Rodgers, who showed explosiveness as both a flanker and running back last year, and the Beavers boast some long distance threats. The bad news on defense is the Beavers must replace the entire starting front seven. The good news is the return of three senior starters to one of the league's best secondaries. Oregon State enters the season having won seven of its last eight games with the lone loss on the road to USC.
Stanford posted a three-game improvement under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh last season. A similar jump this year would land the Cardinal in a bowl game. Safety Bo McNally is the leading returning tackler in the Pac-10. McNally posted 114 stops last year, an average of 9.5 per game, and had seven games with double-digit tackles.
Stanford doesn't have much experience winning, but there is enough young talent on the team to score points and make some big plays. Starting the game fast will create some confidence and momentum, but it is important that Stanford starts the second half strong to keep it going.
Prediction: Oregon State survives this game -3 ½ ATS.
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