Oregon State football opens the 2017 season against the Rams of Colorado State. Here are three things to keep an eye on this weekend.
The 2017 college football season kicks off this Saturday with a game that could be sneaky entertaining. Colorado State, a team that many are pegging as a dark horse for the Group of Five access bowl slot, hosts a rapidly improving Oregon State squad that is hoping to break through to bowl eligibility in year three of the Gary Andersen era.
It’s a pivotal game for both teams– CSU will be looking to claim a much-desired Power Five victory right off the back, while the Beavers likely see this as a winnable game on the quest to six wins. Here are three things to keep an eye on during college football’s season opener:
1. How much will the Rams have improved on defense… if at all?
Colorado State had the pieces to be very, very dangerous in 2016. The only issue? They were largely all on the offensive side of the ball. There’s little doubt that Mike Bobo‘s Rams will be putting up points in bunches again this fall, as senior quarterback Nick Stevens returns (19 touchdowns to just five interceptions in 2016), as does big-play wideout Michael Gallup (1,285 yards, 14 touchdowns).
It’s the defense that will need to improve if CSU wants to compete for a Mountain West title or more in 2017. The Rams’ D cost them a chance at bigger things last season, but they return almost every player of significance. The Oregon State offense, while not world-beaters, should be much improved. They will offer a stiff Week One test for the Rams.