The Hawaii Bowl appears to have the makeup of a shootout. Both teams boost high-scoring offenses. The Oregon State Beaves have the third-best passing offense in the country. The Boise State Broncos average 39 points a game. Both finished the year ranked in the Top 25 after not being ranked in the preseason and look to end the season on a high note.
The Beavers are going through their own struggles, but if the team has an edge in this game, it is their pass defense. Oregon State is allowing an average of 235.0 yards through the air, while recording 19 interceptions on the season. While they can certainly defend the pass with cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Rashaad Reynolds, their run defense is a wreck. They surrender an average of 193.2 yards on the ground.
Oregon State enters the game with Biletnikoff Award winner Brandin Cooks who set a Pac-12 record with 120 catches. He put up 1,670 yards this season, just 51 shy of leader Marqise Lee of USC. Sean Mannion will have to up his game to make the receiver effective in this game. The quarterback has tossed 11 interceptions over the last five games. That is a big change from the 29 touchdowns and three picks through the first seven games. Boise State should have no issues when it comes to the quarterback.
Boise State is already going through changes and the Broncos' season is not even over with. With plenty of bowl game success, the team is hoping the departure of Chris Peterson will not serve as a distraction as the Broncos face a strong Oregon State team looking for their own success.
Peterson will not be on the sideline when Boise State takes the field in the Hawaii Bowl matchup. Offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin will begin his reign as the new head coach. The former coordinator was hired after serving under Peterson during the team's 2006 undefeated season. That success got him hired as the head coach as the Broncos go for their record fifth-straight bowl win.
Not only will Boise State have to win without Peterson, they will have to win without quarterback Joe Southwick who was dismissed from the team after being accused of urinating off the balcony of a Hawaii hotel room on. He finished the season with 1,654 yards and 12 touchdowns on a 72.6 completion percentage. In his place, Grant Hedrick will get the start. He is no slouch, throwing for 1,443 yards and 15 touchdowns this season.
