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Oregon State Beavers vs. UNLV Rebels Week 2 Recap

What is it about Oregon State Beaver football games played in the Desert Southwest region of America?

Last November, on OSU's previous trip to the Southwest, the Beavers traveled to Tucson, Ariz., for a meeting with the Arizona Wildcats. Locked in a battle, Mike Riley's roster was at times sluggish and flat-footed against a hungry opponent that played a feisty brand of fearless football. Arizona made its share of mistakes, but the athleticism on the other side of the ball often staggered Oregon State, creating a down-to-the-wire donnybrook in which the kids from Corvallis were under the gun to perform. Down the stretch, Arizona carried a lead, until the Beavers--led by quarterback Sean Canfield--produced a last-minute drive that ended with a 24-yard Justin Kahut field goal as time expired. OSU beat Arizona, 19-17, in the kind of conquest that defined the Beavers' resourcefulness and resilience throughout their 2008 joyride.

One year later, it's apparent that the Beavers haven't forgotten how to win dramatically on the road in the Desert.

The Beavers, leading for most of the evening at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, still found it difficult to put away the pesky and passionate Rebels of UNLV. Despite committing zero turnovers (compared to two for the Rebels), the Beavers watched coach Mike Sanford's team score two fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 21-20 lead with 4:16 left in regulation. OSU contained UNLV starting quarterback Omar Clayton, but as soon as Clayton left the game with a sore knee, backup signal caller Mike Clausen caught fire, leading his teammates on two clutch scoring drives. After roughly 56 minutes of football, OSU's steadiness had been slightly eclipsed by UNLV's more erratic yet explosive brand of ball. One more time, Mr. Canfield and Company needed to produce a big drive to keep a season on track.

Sure enough, the canny Canfield delivered the goods under fire.

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Canfield--still the No. 1 quarterback for Riley while Lyle Moevao continues to rehabilitate an injury--went 25-of-31 on the night without an interception, and he was straight and true when he needed to be on the Beavers' ballsy final drive. Canfield completed a 3rd and 8 pass to running back Jacquizz Rodgers, and later hit a 3rd and 7 pass to Damola Adeniji, to move the sticks for the Beavers. On another occasion, Canfield threw an accurate-enough pass on 3rd and 26 that a UNLV defender felt the need to commit a pass interference penalty in order to save a touchdown. With Canfield putting the ball where he needed to, the Beavers rolled downfield to set up Kahut for a 33-yard field goal with seven seconds left on the clock in Vegas.

Sin City is a town where people roll the dice all the time. Oregon State tempted the fates, but because Sean Canfield remained the coolest customer at the blackjack table, the Beavers were able to win, even on a night when their inspired opponent hit "21."

Only in Vegas, baby. Only in Vegas.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer