Second term head coach Mike Riley has the ball rolling in Corvallis. 

After taking over one of the worst programs in D-I history (28 straight losing seasons), Riley's 56-42 (33-34) record has helped "Raise Reser" and create what's lovingly known as Beaver Nation. 

While the sub .500 record in conference seems less than impressive, consider the depths from which they came from and it's a tremendous achievement in its own right. Riley's campaign began in 1997 to the tune of an 0-8 conference record.

Since his return to Beaver Nation in the 2003-2004 season, Riley has gone 48-28 (31-20), and over the last three seasons he's won at least six conference games, finished in 3rd place twice and 2nd last year-tied with Oregon at 7-2 in conference play.

Of course thanks are in order for Dennis Erickson's, albeit brief, but successful three year run which was highlighted by OSU's Fiesta Bowl winning team in 2000, finishing ranked No. 4 in the final polls.

Thanks D.E. - Now let us win in Tempe, please.

Despite years of ridicule and punch-lines, Oregon State football has resurfaced as one of the conference's most steady, and now respected programs.

What proved to be a magical ride in 2008-until the Civil War sent orange clad fans into a pedal ripping rage-saw the Beavers fall just short of what has still to this day eluded them for 45 years...a trip to Pasadena and "The Grand-Daddy of Them All."

As the program progresses and recruiting reaches the national level, opposed to its former diet of strictly west coast products, the Beavers look towards 2009 with both optimism and a sense of urgency.

The mountain which OSU has been forced to climb in the past three seasons has put the Beav's backs against the wall from the outset.

Three consecutive 2-3 starts have forced the Beavers to knuckle down and fight for their lives week after week. Not to say anyone can afford take a week off in college football, (USC and Florida fans, you argue about that one) but it'd be nice to be bowl eligible after week's seven or eight wouldn't it?

Even though the infamous Darryll Catchings fumble in Palo Alto and the melt down in Salt Lake will hurt for years to come, the Beavers were that close to something truly special last season.

The 2009 version of the Beavers hope to learn from the mistakes from the year before and improve on what nearly turned into one of the greatest years in OSU football history.

As the Beavers say goodbye to some tremendous talent, system players seem ready to step in and pick up virtually where their predecessors left off. If not, scheduling should allow for time to mesh and learn what major college football is all about before getting into the meat of their schedule.

This year's non-conference schedule pails in comparison to the early season gauntlet that decimated OSU's hopes for a fast start in 2008. 

Trips to Stanford and Penn state and a home match up with Hawaii are replaced by home games versus Portland State and Cincinnati, and a trip to Las Vegas to face UNLV.

Cincinnati should be a test for the Beavs, and with a tough conference road schedule, the Beavs are hoping to come out of their first three games unblemished.

The 2009 season hinges on three crucial things:

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