Oregon State has finally won a game after starting 0-7, beating Lafayette College with a final score of 45-13 while playing under the lights Saturday at Reser stadium.

Led by Interim Head Coach Robb Akey, the team brings their record to 1-7, breaking their eight game losing streak dating back to last year. This also was Akey’s first victory as a head coach since 2012 when he was with the Idaho Vandals.

“I am happy as can be to see these guys smile,” Akey said. “They were able to, and it was cool and I’m glad to see the way they responded, cause we were in a battle in the beginning of the game and it was frustrating for them.”

The game started off in a dog fight, as throughout the first quarter both Lafayette’s and Oregon State’s defense put on a master class, resulting in both teams settling for field goals making it 3-3. 

Lafayette held Oregon State to 61 yards and Oregon State held Lafayette to 98. With both teams attempting eight rushes in the first quarter, Lafyette controlled the ground game, outgaining the Beavers 55-28.

During the second quarter, both teams began to gain fire with the Beavers scoring first behind an Anthony Hankerson touchdown. On the other side, Lafayette went for two scores getting both a touchdown and field goal to make the score 13-10, with the Leopards almost outgaining the Beavers by 100 yards of offense.

Oregon State’s defense throughout the first half was unable to start the chainsaws, as the Leopards converted 60% of their third down attempts in the first half.

During the third quarter, Oregon State started it off hot with a Gabe Milbourn touchdown which brought the score to 17-13 Oregon State. The Beavers then scored two more times, one a quarterback run with Gabarri Johnson where he rushed for 20 yards, and a second score for Hankerson on a 15-yard run, bringing the score to 31-13.

Once the third quarter finished, the Oregon State Beavers had a controlling lead as they were now in the driver seat for the first time this season. With that, they began to tighten up their third down defense, not allowing Lafayette to convert on any of their five 3rd down attempts.

The fourth quarter is where Oregon State stopped checking their mirrors as they rode the hot hand of Hankerson, as he rushed for another touchdown bringing the score to 38-13 with nine minutes remaining. He wasn’t done though, scoring again on a 65-yard rush just a few minutes later, and finding the endzone for the fourth time.

“You have to go out there and trust your teammates and be who you are,” Hankerson said. “That is something Coach Pick always tells me.”

The Oregon State defense was playing with some determination, not letting the Lafayette offense score since the end of the first half. The energy coming out of the half was electric forcing the Leopards offense to go three and out on many of their drives.

The Beavers finished with a grand total 517 yards, 204 coming off of Hankerson’s running performance and the remaining coming from a barrage of pass and runs.

The Beavers head into a bye week before playing host to the Washington State Cougars in the first of two matchups with them this season.