In the conference opener against Washington in Portland, Oregon, Oregon State paid Washington back with a 9–7 victory. In the first game in Corvallis, Oregon State defeated Idaho 10–7. The 4–1 start earned the Beavers a #17 ranking. Oregon State defeated #8 Syracuse 31–13 in Portland, Oregon, paying back the Orangemen for a 31–8 victory the year before in New York.
