San Diego State @ Oregon State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) Oregon State 34, San Diego State 30

Oregon State is off to a solid start behind one of the nation’s most experienced and prolific quarterbacks in Sean Mannion. The four-year starter completed 52-of-82 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns in wins over Portland State and Hawaii. Danger lurks Saturday for Oregon State, however, as it hosts San Diego State, which had a week off after nearly pulling off a road upset of No. 25 North Carolina and has plenty of motivation after blowing a lead in the fourth quarter of a 34-30 home loss to Oregon State last year.

Mannion threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns - including a pair in the fourth quarter - against San Diego State when Oregon State rallied from a 27-14 deficit. The deciding touchdown came on an interception return by Steven Nelson, now a senior, who picked off a pass by Quinn Kaehler. The former walk-on remains the San Diego State quarterback and the Aztecs have won nine of their last 12 games, coming within an eyelash of advancing to last year’s Mountain West championship game.

TV: 10:30, ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Oregon State -9.5

ABOUT SAN DIEGO STATE (1-1): The Aztecs were primed for an upset at North Carolina last week, leading 21-7 late in the third quarter before giving up 24 points in the final 20 minutes to lose 31-27. The defense allowed the Tar Heels to score on four straight possessions and Kaehler threw three interceptions – one returned 100 yards for a touchdown and another coming with 14 seconds left after San Diego State had driven to the North Carolina 3-yard line. One positive for the Aztecs was the rushing success of outside runner Donnel Pumphrey (17 carries, 100 yards) and inside threat Chase Price (16 carries, 71 yards).

ABOUT OREGON STATE (2-0): One of the biggest positives for the Beavers has been an improved ground attack, which has produced 340 yards as Storm Woods rushed for 126 against Portland State and Terron Ward totaled 124 versus Hawaii. It took Oregon State six weeks to reach 340 yards rushing in 2013 and it didn’t have a 100-yard rushing game until the regular-season finale. The Beavers’ defense has forced seven turnovers including a pair of interceptions by safety Ty Zimmerman, who had 14 tackles last year against San Diego State.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oregon State’s 12th-year coach Mike Riley, former coach of the San Diego Chargers (1999-2001), has the most wins (90) in program history.

2. Mannion, the first three-year captain in Oregon State history, has thrown for 11,064 yards, ranking third among active FBS quarterbacks behind Old Dominion’s Taylor Heinicke (12,225) and Marshall’s Rakeem Cato (11,129).

3. San Diego State coach Rocky Long was the defensive coordinator at Oregon State from 1991-95.

PREDICTION: San Diego State 31, Oregon State 30