Canzano: Oregon State suffers a Rocky Mountain low
A peek behind the scenes at the OSU loss.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — I went looking for Oregon State’s two most loyal buddies — Mike Parker and Jim Wilson — in the fourth quarter on Saturday. I found them hard at work in the visiting radio booth at Falcon Stadium.
It was sunny. Temperatures were in the 40s. The windows were open. Oregon State’s long-time radio tandem wore jackets, headsets, and long faces. A pile of roster flip cards, game notes, and papers were strewn in front of them on the tabletop. A year ago, they were calling the play-by-play for a Top 25-ranked football team coached by Jonathan Smith.
On Saturday?
Final: Air Force 28, Oregon State 0.
Decide for yourself what the ‘Rocky Mountain low’ says about Trent Bray’s first season. Two regular-season games are left on the schedule (home vs. Washington State and at Boise State). But I viewed Saturday as the last best chance for OSU (4-6) to get a victory in 2024.
Air Force (3-7) was more disciplined, explosive, and effective on Saturday. The Falcons’ triple-option offense outgained the Beavers 409-175. The Air Force ran 72 offensive plays to OSU’s 45. The Beavers got flattened.
We’ll get into Oregon State’s woes — and the glaring solution — in a moment. But as the fourth quarter began on Saturday, I went looking for Parker and Wilson. They’re a terrific listen. Parker is a technically sound broadcaster whose heart beats in sync with the fan base. Wilson is a former two-sport athlete and is in the OSU Hall of Fame. He provides a dose of levity. They’ve worked together for the last 21 seasons. I sometimes tune in during football games, even when sitting a few feet away from them in the press box.