Beavers not blue about Boise.

Byline: Bob Rodman The Register-Guard

OSU NOTEBOOK

CORVALLIS - The Beavers know all about Boise State's big numbers, especially those 46 victories in the last 48 football games played on the Broncos' blue artificial turf in Boise, Idaho.

The Boise bunch also owns a 9-1 record in home games played before ESPN or ESPN2 television cameras.

Oregon State's game at Boise State on Thursday, scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. PDT kickoff, will be on that blue turf and televised nationally on ESPN.

On Monday, during the Beavers' weekly gathering with the media, the Broncos, their record, their crowds and their turf received some attention.

"I'm not sure what their advantage is over there," OSU junior offensive guard Roy Schuening said, "but that surface is the same as ours except it's a different color."

Oregon State junior linebacker Alan Darlin said the Broncos use that blue turf - the only one of its kind in the United States - effectively.

"They have the blue turf and wear those blue jerseys, and they camouflage themselves into it," he said. "It's tough to play there."

Oregon State coach Mike Riley admitted the obvious. "We can't simulate that (blue turf) but we can add some noise to practice. That is always a factor there."

Matt Moore, OSU's quarterback, referred to Boise's blue field as "smurf turf" but said the Beavers just have to "forget about all that stuff, all that hoopla."

And forget, he said, the "rumor going around that they (the Broncos) spent their whole fall camp being motivated by us, by beating OSU, blah, blah, blah.

"That should be motivation for us. It's a sign of respect, that they think this will be a tough game."

The openers last week for both Boise and the Beavers, against NCAA Division I-AA opponents, were not tough games, the Broncos bashing Sacramento State 45-0 and OSU drilling Eastern Washington 56-17.

"I've seen a couple of news clippings," Schuening said. "They're talking a little bit. If they want to do that, go ahead. I'm not into it.

"I don't blame them for thinking they have the possibility of going undefeated - they're in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference)."

The Broncos have struggled against Pac-10 teams, with one win in 11 games. That win, however, was over Oregon State two years ago at Boise.

Injury update

Sophomore cornerback Brandon Hughes continues to recover from a right knee sprain, Riley said, but is not expected to play at Boise State.

Hughes, who had nine pass breakups and 41 tackles last season, "should be ready for the Idaho game (on Sept. 23 at Reser Stadium)," Riley said.

It's not over until ...

For the last two years, the team with the big, early jump finished last when Oregon State and Boise State played.

In 2004, the Beavers surged to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of touchdown passes from Derek Anderson to Mike Hass. But the Broncos scored 34 straight points in the second and third quarters to secure a 53-34 win at Boise

Last season, at Corvallis, Boise State led 14-0 in the first quarter on touchdown passes from Jared Zabransky to Drisan James and Jerard Rabb, only to fall 30-27 when OSU's Alexis Serna kicked a 29-yard field with a minute left in the game.