This week's picks

Oregon State vs. Fresno State Prediction and Pick, Week 9 2026

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Data updatedOct 31, 2026
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Picks two teams at random. Any FBS team can come up.

How we picked it

How we picked it

Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.

Where the game is won

Where the game is won

Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.

Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.

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Oregon State at Fresno State

Week 9, Sat, Oct 31, 11:00 PM ET, Valley Children's Stadium.

The numbers say: Oregon State, 59% to win.

The game

KickoffSat, Oct 31, 11:00 PM ET
TVUSA Net
WhereValley Children's Stadium
Weather62°, light rain, wind 5 mph
LineOregon State −6, total 58.5
Line movementOpened Oregon State −7; moved 1 point toward Fresno State. Total opened 56.5, up 2.
SeriesFresno State leads 9–6
Last meetingFresno State 36–27 in 2025

The ratings and the line

MarginWin chanceTotal
SP+Oregon State by 1.554%54
PRIMEOregon State by 10.377%
EloFresno State60%
The lineOregon State −6, opened −758.5, opened 56.5

Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. Line and total from DraftKings, as of Fri, Oct 30, 7:43 PM ET.

Who wins, Oregon State or Fresno State?

The numbers say: Oregon State. 57% chance to win

Which matchups decide Oregon State vs. Fresno State?

SP+ and PRIME take Oregon State, but Elo has Fresno State. Oregon State's best matchup is its offense, 11th in yards per play, against Fresno State's defense at 105th. Fresno State's way back in is its passing game, 29th in EPA per pass, against Oregon State's pass defense at 63rd.

Oregon State with the ball

Fresno State with the ball

Who's out for Oregon State and Fresno State?

Oregon State

Fresno State

How Oregon State and Fresno State compare, in charts

Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; Oregon State and Fresno State are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How Oregon State's and Fresno State's players compare

The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate Oregon State and Fresno State?

On a neutral field, SP+ has Oregon State 4.0 points better (50th to 61st). PRIME also has Oregon State ahead, by 12.8. Elo, which only sees results, has Fresno State ahead (42nd to 47th).

Oregon StateFresno State
SP+ overall6.6 (50th)2.6 (61st)
SP+ offense31.6 (37th)25.7 (77th)
SP+ defense24.7 (56th)23.4 (49th)
SP+ special teams-0.3 (104th)0.3 (28th)
PRIME net8.9 (32nd)-3.9 (88th)
PRIME offense9.03 (18th)-1.33 (76th)
PRIME defense0.53 (63rd)-3.42 (99th)
PRIME SOS-8.0 (123rd)-4.7 (91st)
PRIME SOR0.2 (61st)-0.3 (77th)
Elo1611 (47th)1628 (42nd)

Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.

Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?

Oregon State's offense ranks 15th in adjusted EPA per play, and the Fresno State defense it faces ranks 48th in EPA per play allowed. Fresno State's offense ranks 72nd against Oregon State's 73rd-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is Oregon State's offense against Fresno State's defense. The biggest edge on the board is Oregon State's efficiency: 23rd in adjusted success rate, against Fresno State's 93rd-ranked defense. That's a mismatch.

Oregon StateFresno State
EPA per play (adjusted)+0.21 (15th)+0.10 (72nd)
EPA per pass (adjusted)+0.31 (14th)+0.25 (29th)
EPA per rush (adjusted)+0.09 (47th)+0.03 (109th)
Success rate (adjusted)46.1% (23rd)39.4% (98th)
Success rate, standard downs (adjusted)51.2% (15th)43.6% (121st)
Success rate, passing downs (adjusted)31.8% (38th)31.8% (39th)
Explosiveness (adjusted)0.91 (119th)0.95 (38th)
Line yards per carry (adjusted)3.08 (30th)2.81 (115th)
Open-field yards per carry (adjusted)1.13 (70th)1.30 (26th)
EPA per play allowed (adjusted)+0.11 (73rd)+0.07 (48th)
EPA per pass allowed (adjusted)+0.18 (63rd)+0.17 (58th)
EPA per rush allowed (adjusted)+0.06 (68th)+0.04 (47th)
Success rate allowed (adjusted)41.3% (61st)43.1% (93rd)
Explosiveness allowed (adjusted)0.92 (41st)0.92 (28th)
Line yards allowed per carry (adjusted)2.97 (72nd)2.95 (68th)
Open-field yards allowed per carry (adjusted)1.18 (85th)1.28 (105th)

The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.

Who's more efficient, Oregon State or Fresno State?

Oregon State is about as good throwing (17th in EPA per pass) as running (16th). Fresno State is better throwing (38th in EPA per pass) than running (124th). Oregon State's pass defense ranks 51st.

Oregon StateFresno State
EPA per play+0.32 (7th)+0.10 (83rd)
EPA per pass+0.42 (17th)+0.33 (38th)
EPA per rush+0.22 (16th)−0.04 (124th)
EPA per 3rd-down play+0.63 (25th)+0.36 (93rd)
EPA per play allowed+0.10 (73rd)+0.04 (43rd)
EPA per pass allowed+0.12 (51st)+0.12 (51st)
EPA per rush allowed+0.08 (77th)+0.02 (54th)
EPA per 3rd-down play allowed+0.45 (86th)+0.23 (20th)

Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.

Who scores more, Oregon State or Fresno State?

Oregon State outscores FBS opponents by 19.6 a game, and Fresno State by 6.7. Oregon State's offense ranks 4th in scoring, and the Fresno State defense it faces ranks 40th in points allowed. Fresno State's offense ranks 78th against Oregon State's 61st-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is Oregon State's offense against Fresno State's defense.

Oregon StateFresno State
Points scored42.7 (4th)27.6 (78th)
Points allowed23.1 (61st)20.9 (40th)

Per game, FBS opponents only.

Which offense has the edge?

Oregon State's best matchup is staying on schedule: its offense ranks 14th in success rate, and Fresno State's defense ranks 102nd in success rate allowed. That's a mismatch. Fresno State's best matchup is its run game: its offense ranks 66th in yards per carry, and Oregon State's defense ranks 98th in yards per carry allowed.

Oregon StateFresno State
Pass yards / game387.6 (1st)216.7 (83rd)
Rush yards / game157.4 (83rd)151.1 (90th)
Yards per play7.39 (11th)5.89 (90th)
Yards per carry5.40 (52nd)5.26 (66th)
Yards per attempt8.95 (21st)6.74 (105th)
Completion %66.7% (46th)56.4% (104th)
Success rate50.2% (14th)40.1% (104th)
Explosive play rate14.9% (22nd)12.8% (51st)
3rd down conversion45.1% (40th)32.6% (121st)
Sack rate (taken)2.9% (16th)4.7% (45th)
INT rate (thrown)0.7% (9th)0.4% (3rd)
SUPLEX68.2% (9th)54.0% (86th)

Per game and per play, from play-by-play.

Which defense has the edge?

Neither defense ranks 25 spots ahead of the offense it faces in any of these, so expect both offenses to look like themselves.

Oregon StateFresno State
Pass yards allowed / game181.1 (23rd)213.9 (71st)
Rush yards allowed / game160.7 (82nd)179.9 (106th)
Yards per play allowed5.77 (74th)6.42 (105th)
Yards per carry allowed5.28 (98th)5.40 (104th)
Yards per attempt allowed6.85 (56th)8.18 (96th)
Success rate allowed43.1% (83rd)45.0% (102nd)
Explosive plays allowed9.6% (29th)12.1% (88th)
3rd downs allowed43.0% (100th)37.8% (61st)
Sack rate (generated)8.4% (21st)6.6% (58th)
INT rate (generated)3.2% (40th)3.8% (19th)
SUPLEX allowed55.4% (81st)57.2% (92nd)

What opponents managed against them.

Who wins up front?

Oregon State has the better number in 8 of 12. The biggest gap is power success (short yardage), where Oregon State ranks 1st and Fresno State 134th.

Oregon StateFresno State
Big Uglies: offensive line64.3 (5th)41.0 (124th)
Big Uglies: defensive front48.8 (79th)49.1 (73rd)
Line yards per carry3.53 (6th)2.70 (122nd)
Line yards allowed per carry3.09 (98th)2.99 (82nd)
Second-level yards per carry1.08 (68th)0.98 (99th)
Open-field yards per carry1.38 (48th)1.32 (53rd)
Stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line)10.8% (3rd)24.1% (133rd)
Stuff rate (defense)15.8% (108th)18.0% (81st)
Power success (short yardage)92.0% (1st)56.5% (134th)
Power success allowed71.9% (76th)73.3% (84th)
Front-seven havoc allowed5.3% (7th)10.8% (111th)
Front-seven havoc8.2% (105th)9.5% (71st)

The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.

Who wins the turnover battle?

Fresno State is +1.1 in turnover margin a game and Oregon State is +0.7. At about five points a turnover, that's roughly a 2-point edge for Fresno State. Turnover margin rarely holds from one month to the next, so don't count on it. Fumble recoveries are mostly luck, and Fresno State's takeaways lean on them (0.7 of 1.7 a game).

Oregon StateFresno State
Interceptions thrown / game0.29 (16th)0.14 (5th)
Fumbles lost / game0.29 (20th)0.43 (53rd)
Giveaways / game0.57 (7th)0.57 (7th)
Interceptions / game0.86 (45th)1.00 (22nd)
Fumbles recovered / game0.43 (69th)0.71 (24th)
Takeaways / game1.29 (56th)1.71 (16th)
Turnover margin / game+0.7 (17th)+1.1 (7th)

Per game, from play-by-play.

Which team has more talent?

Oregon State has the more talented roster (76th in the 247Sports talent composite; Fresno State is 88th). Oregon State also plays further above its talent: +8.3 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to Fresno State's +5.9.

Oregon StateFresno State
Talent composite635.8 (76th)609.8 (88th)
Blue-chip ratio7.0% (85th)1.1% (125th)
Players on roster108 (87th)115 (40th)
Rated by 247Sports71 (93rd)91 (19th)
5-star players0 (37th)0 (37th)
4-star players5 (81st)1 (119th)
3-star players64 (56th)79 (7th)
Below 3-star2 (68th)11 (3rd)
2026 transfers in21 (67th)13 (120th)
Transfer share29.6% (64th)14.3% (125th)
SP+ vs. talent+8.3 (24th)+5.9 (34th)
Returning production57.9% (45th)38.3% (71st)
Returning passing production89.7% (46th)7.3% (88th)
Returning rushing production143.7% (5th)16.6% (96th)
Returning receiving production40.9% (65th)69.5% (18th)
2026 recruiting class (national rank)100 (100th)70 (70th)
Recruiting rank, last four classes75.0 (72nd)85.5 (80th)

247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.

Which roster costs more?

Oregon StateFresno State
Roster value$12.6M (70th)— ()
Roster cost per win$2.5M (1st)— ()
Projected wins per $1M0.60 (1st)— ()
SP+ vs. payroll+11.5 (2nd)— ()

NIL roster value from The NIL Standard (power-conference teams plus Boise State and Oregon State). Ranks are out of 70 teams with a valuation.

Where did each team's wins come from?

Oregon State is +1.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is schedule (+1.1). Fresno State is +0.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is schedule (+1.0).

Oregon StateFresno State
RECEIPTS (total)+1.5 (30th)+0.5 (57th)
Schedule RECEIPTS+1.1 (39th)+1.0 (43rd)
Roster RECEIPTS-0.1 (74th)-0.3 (92nd)
Coach RECEIPTS+0.6 (41st)+0.6 (46th)
Luck RECEIPTS-0.1 (77th)-0.8 (113th)

Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.

Oregon State at Fresno State: questions people ask

Oregon State vs. Fresno State prediction: who will win?

The numbers pick Oregon State, 57% chance to win. SP+ and PRIME agree; Elo has Fresno State. Oregon State's best matchup is its offense, 11th in yards per play, against Fresno State's defense at 105th.

Where can I watch Oregon State vs. Fresno State, and what time is it?

Sat, Oct 31, 11:00 PM ET at Valley Children's Stadium. It's on USA Net.

What's the projected score of Oregon State vs. Fresno State?

SP+ projects Oregon State 28–26. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.

What's the line for Oregon State at Fresno State?

DraftKings has Oregon State −6, total 58.5. The numbers pick winners, not bets.

What's the Oregon State vs. Fresno State series history?

Fresno State leads 9–6. Last meeting: Fresno State won 36–27 in 2025.

Who are the players to watch in Oregon State vs. Fresno State?

Oregon State: Braden Atkinson (2,636 passing yards), AJ Newberry (430 rushing yards) and Jesse Legree (1,042 receiving yards). Fresno State: Jayden Mandal (1,425 passing yards), Rayshon Luke (334 rushing yards) and Josiah Freeman (424 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 24, 2026.

Who are the quarterbacks in Oregon State at Fresno State?

Oregon State's is Braden Atkinson (2,636 passing yards this season); Fresno State's is Jayden Mandal (1,425 passing yards this season).

More on this game

Numbers through the games of Oct 24, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.

Oregon State and Fresno State: team pages with every stat and national rank. Compare any two teams.