Oregon State headed into Saturday night’s game in Arizona ranked No. 11 in the country. At 6-1 and with games against Washington and Oregon looming, the Beavers were firmly in the race for the Pac-12 title and had an outside chance at a College Football Playoff spot.
But Oregon State did not win. The loss to the Wildcats made the road to a conference title really bumpy and essentially ended any hope of a national title.
The game’s most talked about play came before halftime. With two seconds left in the second quarter and the game tied 10-10, the Beavers lined up for a 34-yard field goal. But instead of kicking it, they ran a fake, which called on kicker Atticus Sappington to run for 16 yards (and really, 24 given that his run started where the kick would have been spotted). The time ran out during the final play, so anything other than a touchdown was a failure for Oregon State. And he was tackled well short of the end zone.
"It's all or nothing. You've got to get to the end zone. You don't get another first down here. And that's the guy you want to try to have break tackles? I don't get it."
Rod Gilmore on Oregon State's baffling decision to try a fake field goal with 2 seconds left in the half. pic.twitter.com/PYUojRRmyt
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 29, 2023
The decision was immediately panned. But with two quarters remaining, there was still a chance that the play would be little more than a footnote. Certainly, Oregon State winning would help. But beyond that, Arizona winning convincingly would take potential heat off of the play. This decision was always going to be debated. But any result other than the Beavers losing by three (or fewer) would ease some of the backlash against Smith.
That’s not what happened. After Oregon State took a 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter, Arizona responded with touchdowns on consecutive possessions to go up 27-17. So, when DJ Uiagalelei and Jimmy Valsin III connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass for the Beavers with 1:38 remaining, it was little more than a garbage time score. Oregon State failed to come up with the ensuing onside kick and Arizona ran the clock out. The final score was 27-24 — a three-point loss for the Beavers.
DJ Uiagalelei and Jimmy Valsin connect on a 20-yard touchdown. But the ensuing onside kick goes out of bounds and Arizona runs the clock out.
Oregon State loses by three points, 27-24 pic.twitter.com/Kp2Uvc8oG2
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 29, 2023
Of course, the butterfly effect tells us that we can’t assume that everything in the second half would have played out in the same way if the Beavers had taken the three points just before halftime.
Nevertheless, Oregon State losing by three points made the criticism directed at Smith a lot louder than it was in the minutes after the failed fake field goal.
Hats off to Arizona but make no mistake this game is on one person: Jonathan Smith.
Disgusting coaching and we have a serious problem on our hands with this staff on road games
— Digital DAM 🦫 (@TheDigitalDam) October 29, 2023
That Field Goal is what cost Oregon State the game.
Bad decision by Jonathan Smith to not take the points. https://t.co/VriHv8CvsF
— Utah Football Stats and Analysis (@UtahCFBstats) October 29, 2023
Jonathan smith lost this game for his team, im heart broken honestly
— grapes 🍉 (@bravegrapes) October 29, 2023
Jonathan Smith going for it on the fake field goal to end the second half is why this game likely doesn't go to overtime. Ouch.
— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) October 29, 2023
I can’t believe they lost by 3 after all of that 😂 Jonathan Smith with some TOUGH questions coming.
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) October 29, 2023
In the immediate aftermath of the play, Smith noted that the fake field goal looked good pre-snap but that the Arizona players “got off the block.” After the game, though, he was more critical of the decision, saying (per Nick Daschel of The Oregonian) that it was “a bad call.”
Starting to write, but one comment to pass on: Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith completely regretted the field goal fake on the final play of the first half.
"A bad call," he said.
— Nick Daschel (@nickdaschel) October 29, 2023
Smith is in his sixth season coaching Oregon State. The program is certainly in better shape now than it was when he took over. The Beavers won seven games combined over the 2015-2017 seasons. By contrast, Oregon State won seven games in 2021, 10 in 2022 and is already at six in 2023.
But while Smith has the Beavers going in the right direction, it’s easy to understand the sharp criticism he’s facing in the aftermath of this loss.
