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For once, facing Cougars, Beavers are the favorite

06:38 PM PDT on Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Associated Press

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- The oddsmakers really like Oregon State this weekend, and the Beavers aren't sure that's such a good thing.

The Beavers are 30-point favorites against Washington State Saturday. And while the Cougars are in serious rebuilding mode under first-year coach Paul Wulff, the expectations strike Oregon State quarterback Lyle Moevao as a little bit daunting.

"It's scary when you're expected to win by 30," Moevao said at a Tuesday news conference. "We'll treat this like any other game. Treat them like they're USC. Treat them like they're Penn State."

KGW graphic

That's probably sensible advice for the Beavers, who are 2-3 (1-1 Pacific-10 Conference) after a heartbreaking loss at No. 15 Utah on Utes kicker Louie Sadoka's last second field goal. The Beavers were two-touchdown underdogs in that game but played well enough to win. Top-ranked USC was a 25-point favorite when the Beavers shocked then on Sept. 25.

"We look at it the same way (as going in as an underdog)," defensive end Slade Norris said. "You don't look at the point spread and you look at any team as an individual team."

Washington State (1-5, 0-3) has given up 157 points in three conference games and seems ticketed for the basement of the Pac-10, but as offensive guard Adam Speer points out, the Beavers only have one more win than the Cougars.

The Cougars are weak in several areas, but the run defense has been particularly inadequate, allowing 240 yards per game, while Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers leads the conference in rushing at 110 yards per outing. The Beavers offensive line, hampered by an injury to senior Jeremy Perry and the suspension of Tavita Thompson, has shown maturity over the past two games.

But the Beavers still see reason to be apprehensive.

"We still have a losing record, it's still a Pac-10 game, and anybody can win in the Pac-10," Speer said.

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COUGS HOLD TRYOUT:@ How bad are things at Washington State? So bad that coach Paul Wulff held an open campus tryout Monday to find a new scout-team quarterback.

Twenty-nine wannabes came to the tryout, and on Tuesday, freshman architecture student Peter Roberts was named to the team.

Roberts quarterbacked Woodinville (Wash.) High to the state finals in 2007. Wulff said he doesn't plan to use him in a game.

"I wanted to do this because I didn't decide to go play football after high school, and this is a chance for me to put those pads back on," Roberts told reporters Tuesday. "I mean, ever since that last football game I've missed it like crazy."

The Cougars are two quarterbacks down after Gary Rogers suffered a season-ending spinal injury and Kevin Lopina fractured a vertebra in his back against Portland State. Freshman Marshall Lobbestael will start against Oregon State and Wulff has just two other QBs on his roster besides Roberts.

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EXTRA POINTS:@ Redshirting Oregon State freshman tight end Kevin Pankey is serving a suspension for missing practice. ... Offensive tackle Andy Levitre is a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academic performance, on-field performance and community service. ... The Beavers beat Washington State 52-17 last season in Pullman, Wash.

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