Week 1 Preview: Oregon State vs. No. 23 Houston
Published 11:09 am Thursday, September 3, 2026
JaMarcus Shephard-era of Beaver football kicks off with top-25 matchup on the road vs. Cougars
CORVALLIS— Oregon State’s 27-24 overtime loss to Houston at Reser Stadium in Corvallis in 2025 was, in some ways, the beginning of the end for the Beavers’ prior regime. Less than a year later, Oregon State’s Week 1 trip to play the Cougars is the end of a new beginning for first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard and his Beavers.
Surrendering 17-combined points in the fourth quarter and overtime, former head coach Trent Bray’s Oregon State squad choked away what would’ve been its first win of the season and fell to 0-5. Bray was gone two weeks later after a program-worst 0-7 start and the Beavers limped to a 2-10 record.
A new chapter of Oregon State football
The 2025 season closed the book on a bleak era of Oregon State football; one that saw the Beavers and Washington State marooned as the Pac-12’s other 10 members jumped ship. Subsequently, it paved the way for its next head coach — the fiery bundle of energy that is JaMarcus Shephard.
And in his first-ever game as a head coach, Shephard will occupy the sideline opposite of Houston’s Willie Fritz, a man who’s been leading college football programs since Shephard was only 10-years-old. Though the two haven’t formally crossed paths prior to Saturday’s matchup, they expressed a mutual respect for one another.
“Would love to commend coach Willie Fritz on how he’s been able to, over the years, really consistently put together strong football teams,” Shephard said Monday. “That’s what our expectation is of this (Cougars) team that we’re going to compete against this weekend.”
“he’s been in some really good programs,” Fritz echoed in his own press conference. “I don’t know if I’ve ever met him before, but I’ve heard a lot of great things about him. I’m sure he’s chomping at the bit for this opportunity. There’s only 138 of these jobs in the United States; he’s got one of them and so do I.”
Houston’s Willie Fritz takes Cougars from 4-8 to top-25 in three seasons
The teams are, admittedly, in vastly-different stages of their respective assembly.
Houston enters the game ranked in the Associated Press’ top-25, checking in at No. 23.
Like he’s done at prior stops in his career, such as FCS Sam Houston State (2010-13) or Tulane (2016-23), Fritz has completely reinvigorated Houston football in his first two years on the job, taking the Cougars from a 4-8 record in his first season to a 10-3 mark in year two.
The team is led by fifth-year quarterback Conner Weigman, a dual-threat who’s just as capable with his feet as he is his arm. The Cougars also brought in a former Tulane running back that Fritz recruited in Mahki Hughes, and added former Beavers receiver Trent Walker to aid Weigman’s arial assault.
Beavers looking to ‘execute winning football’ in 2026 debut
On the other hand, Shephard is in year one of what expects to be a lengthy rebuild for the Beavers.
To his credit, the first-year head coach hasn’t minced words about what he’s setting out to do. In mid-August, Shephard said “there’s going to be some adversity” this season as he begins the reclamation project. And starting the season with back-to-back top-25 ranked opponents (they’ll face No. 12 Texas Tech in week two) is as much a baptism-by-fire as any first-time head coach could endure.
The Beavers’ sophomore quarterback, Braden Atkinson, is set to make his first FBS start after leading Mercer to a 10-3 record a season ago. Although, who his go-to weapons in the passing game will be is something of a lingering mystery.
The Beavers’ offensive braintrust has repeatedly preached “extreme involvement” from their tight ends and the emergence of junior receiver Aeryn “Bubba” Hampton during fall camp. At running back, Cornell Hatcher Jr. toted the rock 17 times for 93 yards in last season’s loss to the Cougars and, along with Vanderbilt-transfer AJ Newberry, is expected to have a major role in Oregon State’s rushing attack.
As a 21-point underdog heading into the matchup, Oregon State’s chances at a win are slim. That said, Shephard has repeatedly stated that instilling a winning culture in his team is just as important as, well, actually winning games on Saturdays.
“I think that those who are predicting what our team will be in the first week… have no idea what our team really is,” Shephard said. “I’m focused on making sure our team understands what winning football looks like, and is able to go out there and execute winning football. … Eliminating penalties, making sure we’re not turning the ball over, and let’s go get some explosive plays. That’ll be success.”
Week One: Oregon State (0-0) at No. 23 Houston (0-0)
When: Saturday, Sept. 5
Where: TDECU Stadium; Houston, Texas
Time: 9 a.m. (PST)
TV: ESPN
Odds: Houston -21 (via ESPN at time of publication)