Beaver Football: 'To be the best, you have to beat the best'
CORVALLIS, Ore. - If there's been a motto for Oregon State since Mike Riley returned to the program in 2003, it's been "no fear."
The Beavers have bravely taken on some of the most difficult pre-season schedules in the country under Riley, games that haven't always turned out well for OSU.
Take Louisville in 2005. Or Boise State in 2006. And Penn State in 2008.
Despite the tough setbacks in each of those non-conference games, the Beavers still believe the games were worth the risk.
"You've got to push yourself," said Keith Pankey, a senior lineback, "and you've gotta put yourself in a situation where, hey, the first three games could end up bad, but it gives us a great opportunity because we have to play the best. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best."
The Beavs nearly did just that in 2004 when a missed extra point cost them a chance to knock off the defending national champion Louisiana State University Tigers on their home field in Baton Rouge.
Oregon State will have another chance to make a huge statement this season in the season opener against TCU in Dallas, Texas.
"I've looked at LSU, Penn State, and this game in Cowboys Stadium," Coach Riley said, "as maybe for all of us the chance of a lifetime."
For Riley, the value of playing such a difficult schedule every season is simple: in order to make it through the nation's toughest conference, you need to prepare.
"Frankly, these are the type of opponents that we will see all the time in our conference," Riley said. "All of the games in our conference are hard."
