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In the most shocking upset of college football's opening week, Eastern Washington defeated the No. 25 Oregon State Beavers by a score of 49-46 in Corvallis, Ore. This marks the first time a top-25 team has been upset, and it comes at the hands of an FCS program.
Eastern Washington was led by quarterback Vernon Adams, who threw for 411 yards and four touchdowns. Adams also ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts, doing it all for the underdogs and leading the charge.
Oregon State attempted a game-tying 52-yard field goal in the closing seconds, but it all ended in a monumental upset.
Mike Tokito of The Oregonian put it best:
We're still wondering the same thing.
Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion wasn't to blame, as he completed 37-of-43 passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns to no interceptions. Brandin Cooks caught 13 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, while Storm Woods ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
It simply wasn't enough to overcome the horrendous play of the Beavers' defense and magnificence of Adams.
Oregon State got on the board early, taking a 7-6 lead after the first quarter behind a touchdown from Mannion to Connor Hamlett. Eastern Washington proceeded to score 23 points in the second, using three touchdown passes from Adams to take a 29-17 lead into the half.
The Eagles didn't let up.
Mannion found Cooks for a score and Woods ran one in from three yards out to make it 32-29 Oregon State with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter. While the Beavers' offense came to life, however, their defense fell asleep.
Adams scampered for a 19-yard touchdown to recapture the lead, 36-32, heading into the fourth quarter.
Mannion found Cooks again for a 14-yard touchdown completion early in the fourth quarter, making it 39-36 Oregon State with 13:46 remaining. Just over three minutes later, Adams hit Blair Bomber for a 47-yard score to make it 43-39.
Terron Ward crossed the goal line on a four-yard run to make it 46-43 Oregon State, but that simply wasn't enough. The Beavers' defense continued to struggle, allowing Eastern Washington to work the clock and Adams to eventually pound it in from two yards out, putting the Eagles back on top for good.
It was a game to remember for the Eastern Washington quarterback, and one to forget for the Beavers' defense.
From elite to disturbingly poor, Oregon State's defensive collapse was stunning.
This marks the fifth time this week that an FCS team has defeated an FBS program. Towson beat Connecticut, 33-18, North Dakota State surprised Kansas State, 24-21, Samford upset Georgia State, 31-21, and Southern Utah took down South Alabama, 22-21.
None of those games were as shocking as this, though.
Oregon State is expected to be a contender in the Pac-12, offsetting significant losses on defense by using a high-powered offense to win games. In the end, the departure of players such as star cornerback Jordan Poyer proved to be too much to overcome.
As a result, we have our first unbelievable upset of the college football season.
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