Canzano: Bowl-bound Beavers chalk up win for fan base

Baylor runs the ball as the Beavers face the Stanford Cardinal in a Pac-12 football game on Saturday, Nov.

Not because the Cardinal were ranked, but because Beaver Nation has been through some stuff and Jonathan Smith delivered the program to its first bowl game since 2013.

Athletic director Scott Barnes sat at the back of the room during Smith’s post-game news conference, arms folded, listening.

Andersen was hired and eventually didn’t want to be the coach so badly that he gave back $12 million just so he didn’t have to coach a day longer.

The Beavers started playing close games, then winning occasionally, and now, on a given Saturday OSU fans wake and think, “You know, if we play well today…

Beating Stanford set up nicely, didn’t it? The Cardinal were on their fifth quarterback.

The defense, under new coordinator Trent Bray, flew around with good energy and forced three turnovers.

Hall was here for just a blink, but if you think about it, the arc of the OSU story encapsulated it all.

They recalled Smith being the heart of the Dennis Erickson team that won a Fiesta Bowl.

His players even chased him around the field and dumped a bucket of water on him after the game.

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