NOTEBOOK: Beavs in action Friday & Saturday

WHILE MOST EVERYONE ELSE has finished their college football season, Oregon State still has one game to go. Nicholls State isn’t expect to seriously challenge Oregon State (in order to cover every base, neither was Sac State in the 2011 opener. If the Beavs move to 9-3, which bowl will they be headed to?

That actually might be decided Friday. If Stanford beats UCLA as predicted, Oregon State is probably in the Alamo Bowl (although UCLA also has a shot.) If UCLA wins, Oregon State is almost definitely going to the Holiday Bowl.

The site of the Holiday Bowl, San Diego, has its advantages travel-wise for Beaver fans. Meanwhile the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio is the higher ranked bowl. The Beavers have never gone bowling to either city.

FOR SATURDAY’S GAME against Nicholls State, Oregon State should be close to full strength. That might not mean some of the players play, in what is anticipated to be a win by a large margin.

Among the walking wounded, QB Cody Vaz (ankle) and WR Brandin Cooks (knee bruise) would appear to be the most likely candidates to rest up in this one. Linebacker D.J. Alexander (ribs), OG Grant Enger (leg) and CB Jordan Poyer (knee) have been practicing this week.

NICHOLLS STATE HAS had two full weeks to prepare for the Beavs. Their last game was Nov. 15 (a 35-16 loss to Southeastern Louisiana.)

If the Beavs win and move to 9-3, they will tie for the biggest turnaround in the FBS with Ohio State, Kent State, Middle Tennessee State, who also improved by six wins from the season before.

THE SEASON ISN’T over but senior cornerback Jordan Poyer has already been named All-America by the American Football Coaches Association Poyer is the first OSU player to earn AFCA First Team since offensive tackle Andy Levitre in 2008.

For those wondering, first-team honors on three of the five major All-America teams would make Poyer a consensus choice.

The five are: Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers of America, Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. The All-America teams are usually announced in early to mid December but AFCA is obviously quick to the draw here in 2012.

And again, for Poyer, two more of the above makes him consensus All-America.

According to the OSU media guide, the last consensus All-America pick from Oregon State was center John Didion in 1968. WR Vern Burke captured consensus All-America honors in 1963, and Terry Barker in 1962 was both a Heisman Trophy winner and consensus All-America.

NOTABLE NOTE:
BEFORE SATURDAY’S FOOTBALL GAME, the mens’ hoops squad has a big one on tap Friday night at 5 p.m. Oregon State plays No. 10 Kansas at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. According to ESPN’s website, the game is available as part of the pay-per-view ESPN Front Court package -- but is also available free online at ESPN3.com