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Oregon St. Beavers 2013 NCAA Football Gambling Odds & Predictions

2013-14 Football Previews – (Pac 12) – Beavers

The Oregon State Beavers shocked the world with their performance for much of the 2012 season. Because of a weather-influenced delay against Nicholls St., Mike Riley’s crew opened up the year against the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers.

The Beavers were the clear underdogs, but they took down their opponents at home 10-7.

2013 Preview: Oregon State Beavers (Team Link)
Coach: Mike Riley
2012 Record: 9-4 (6-3)
Oregon St. Gambling Odds from Bovada.lv to win BCS: 100-1

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To follow up that impressive season opener, the Beavers traveled south and took down the UCLA Bruins 27-20. The team would go on to win its first six games—its best start in 105 years—and it would ultimately reach the No. 7 spot in the country before a three-point road loss to the Washington Huskies.

The Beavers’ hot start gave fans hope for great things, but a .500 finish landed them a 31-27 loss to Texas in the Alamo Bowl. A 9-4 record was a huge accomplishment for this team, and fans are optimistically hoping for equal production in 2013.

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The Beavers have one major question entering the 2013 season, and it’s one that a number of Pac-12 teams have: Who in the world is going to play quarterback. The good news for Riley is that he has two candidates who are ready to step up and win the job.

Last season, the head coach swapped Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz in and out behind center. At first, the inconsistency in the rotation was due to injuries. Then, once both were healthy, the coaching staff simply couldn’t make up its mind. Following the spring, it’s an apparent coin toss as to who will get the start, but if you’re a Beavers fan, you shouldn’t feel too much concern one way or the other.

Team Strengths:

Aside from having faith in the man behind center, the reason to have faith is that last year’s defense made up for any offensive deficiencies. Oregon State was 19th in passing, but the running game was 101st in the country. Defense, however, stepped up hugely, and the team allowed just 20.6 points per game all season. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

The Beavers will be missing superstar receiver Markus Wheaton in 2013, but the hope is that Brandin Cooks will slide in and take his spot. Cooks, a 5’10” sophomore, was No. 2 in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns on the team last year. If he can get help to distract defenses on the other side of the field, he’ll have a chance to become one of the top receivers in the Pac-12.

Going back to the defense, the team has a new defensive backs coach. That, combined with the loss of a couple of big names, including Jordan Poyer, will help introduce some three-man front formations. It won’t happen the whole season, but when it does, it will give them the opportunity to put more speed on the field—an attempt to keep up with a conference that thrives off of athletes.

When it comes to the Beavers’ 2013 chances, you have to ask yourself one question: Do you believe they can get past the Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Cardinal. If those two teams weren’t in the Pac-12 North, this team would arguably be the favorites in the division. The problem is that they face both squads in the second half of the year, and even the most optimistic fans have to be realistic.

Oregon State begins with a relatively easy schedule, which is shortly followed by a brutal second half. Following a game at California on Saturday, Oct. 19, the easiest matchup appears to be an Arizona State team that went 8-5 a year ago. That ASU game is sandwiched between USC and Washington, with Stanford preceding the Trojans and Oregon following the Huskies.

The Beavers have a chance to be a good team in 2013 if their defense can stay as healthy as it was a year ago. However, getting past the powerhouses of the conference will be a task in itself, making this team a likely placeholder for third place in the division.

2013 Oregon State Schedule

Sat, Aug. 31 vs. E. Washington
Sat, Sept. 7 vs. Hawaii
Sat, Sept. 14 @ Utah
Sat, Sept. 21 @ San Diego St.
Sat, Sept. 28 vs. Colorado
Sat, Oct. 12 @ Washington St.
Sat, Oct. 19 @ California
Sat, Oct. 26 vs. Stanford
Fri, Nov. 1 vs. USC
Sat, Nov. 16 @ Arizona State
Sat, Nov. 23 vs. Washington
Fri, Nov. 29 @ Oregon

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Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"