WSU Football
Scouting the opponent: Oregon State Beavers

	Steven Jackson
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One to watch:

RB Steven Jackson

The Heisman candidate leads the Pac-10 and is third in the nation in rushing with an average of 132.7 yards this season. "They want to put the game in his hands," said WSU defensive coordinator Robb Akey. Jackson, a 6-foot-3, 229-pound junior from Las Vegas, has rushed 205 times this season and averages 4.5 yards a carry. The Beavers like to run him both inside and outside. ABC-TV announcer Dan Fouts has called Jackson "the best football player in the land." Washington held him to 49 yards on 22 carries last Saturday in Corvallis.

The offense

Even with a runner the caliber of Jackson, the Beavers run a balanced attack. They are No. 1 in the Pac-10 in total offense (461.3 yards a game). QB Derek Anderson, a junior from Scappose, Ore., leads the Pac-10 in passing with an average of 287.6 yards a game. However, he has thrown more interceptions (14) than touchdowns (10). Oregon State's most dangerous receiver is senior James Newson, who ranks second in the nation with 126.1 yards in receptions a game. Newson has caught eight passes for 123 yards against Washington. The Beavers haven't run a lot of trick plays so far this season.

The defense

The Beavers are second in total defense, about 12 yards behind the Cougars, allowing 305.6 yards a game. They are No. 1 in pass defense (220), pass-defense efficiency and red-zone defense (opponents score 60 percent of the time). Oregon State's top defenders are senior linebacker Richard Seigler, who has a team-high 51 tackles (37 solo), and senior defensive tackle Dwan Edwards, 6-3, 301, who is one of the league's hardest men to block. Redshirt freshman cornerback Brandon Browner intercepted three passes against Arizona State. The Beavers run a defensive scheme similar to WSU's but don't blitz as often.

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