Oregon State quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei accounted for five touchdowns in his debut for the Beavers as he helped propel the No. 18 Oregon State Beavers to secure a dominant 42-17 victory over the San Jose State Spartans on Sunday afternoon at CEFCU Stadium.
Uiagalelei scored three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdown passes in his first game as the starting quarterback for the Beavers. Uiagalelei threw for 239 passing yards and was nearly perfect, completing 80% of his passes.
The Beavers win over the Spartans marks their first season-opening win on the road since 1999, where the Beavers secured a 28-13 over the University of Nevada.
Early in the game, the Beavers opened up the scoring as Uiagalelei scored the first touchdown of the season for the Beavers on a one-yard rushing touchdown to give Oregon State a 7-0 lead.
The Spartans, looking to answer the early scoring drive from the Beavers, scored their first points of the game on a 41-yard field goal from kicker Kyler Halvorsen. Halvorsen’s field goal was the first of his career at San Jose State.
On the ensuing possession, the Beavers extended their lead with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jack Velling to make the score 14-3 with 4:25 in the second quarter.
Uiagalelei extended the Oregon State again with his second rushing touchdown of the game to make the score 21-3 at the end of the second quarter.
After halftime, the Beavers extended their lead again with a 31-yard touchdown to pass to wide receiver Jeremiah Noga to make the score 28-3. The touchdown pass marked Uiagalelei’s fourth touchdown of the game and the third time he’s scored four touchdowns in a game.
The Spartans cut into the Oregon State lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter as quarterback Chevan Cordeiro rushed for a two-yard touchdown to make the score 28-10. Cordeiro fumbled the ball in the endzone, but San Jose State recovered it to secure the Spartans’ first touchdown of the game.
The Beavers responded on the following drive as Uiagalelei threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anthony Gould to make the score 35-10 in the fourth quarter. Uiagalelei’s touchdown pass to Gould was his fifth touchdown of the day and the second time in his career he’s scored five touchdowns in a game.
After a sack by Oregon State outside linebacker John McCartan and a fumble by Cordeiro, the Beavers made a change at quarterback and brought in freshman quarterback Aidan Chiles to relieve Uiagalelei in the fourth quarter.
In his collegiate debut, Chiles set up a 3-yard touchdown run from running back Deshaun Fenwick, extending the Beavers lead 42-10 in the fourth quarter.
San Jose State quarterback Jay Butterfield relived Cordiero in the fourth quarter and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Branden Alvarez to make the score 42-17 in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
Up next, Oregon State football (1-0) returns home to Reser Stadium for their home opener against UC Davis on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The game will be televised on PAC-12 Network.