Washington effectively rebounded from the first adversity of the Kalen DeBoer era, that two-game mid-season losing skid, with wins the last two games over Arizona and Cal.

And coming off their bye week the Huskies (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) will look to keep that fresh momentum rolling while hosting Oregon State on Friday night.

The Beavers (6-2, 3-2) slid in at No. 23 in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, which presents the Huskies with an opportunity for what would be their best win of the season.

The Beavers are enjoying their best season under fifth-year head coach Jonathan Smith while continuing an upward trajectory for the program, coming off a 7-6 season that saw Oregon State make its first bowl game in 7 years.

The powerful running game that led the team to so much success last season seems to be just as effective as before, while a tremendous step forward by the defense has turned this squad into a force in the Pac-12.

Let's take a closer look at the matchup ...

Coach: Jonathan Smith (5th season, 22-30)

Record: 6-2, 3-2 Pac-12

Ranking: No. 23 in CFP rankings

Stats/national ranks

Scoring Offense: 32.6 PPG (44th)

Scoring Defense: 22.8 PPG (46th)

Total Offense: 425.0 YPG (43rd)

Total Defense: 350.9 YPG (38th)

What the Beavers do well:

The heart of this Beavers team is their strong offensive line and dynamic rushing attack. Oregon State isn’t known for fielding imposing units on the O-line, but that’s exactly what it's got at the present. The group was stellar last year as a run-blocking crew, helping pave the way for a ground game that averaged 214.3 yards per game at a clip of 5.3 yards per carry. The Beavers’ line was also arguably among the best in the nation in pass protection, giving up just 14 sacks on the season. This season the Beavers returned three of their starters on the line while promoting some promising depth, and little seems to have changed as a result.

Oregon State is still gashing teams on the ground, averaging a healthy 194.9 rushing yards a game (30th nationally) on an average of 4.95 yards per carry. Even with the loss of last year’s leading rusher B.J. Baylor, the team boasts a talented trio of backs who’ve helped to continue their success in the run game. Freshman Damien Martinez has emerged as the lead back with a team-high 517 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry, while Deshaun Fenwick (356 rushing yards, 4 TDs) and Jam Griffin (339-2) are plenty capable as well.

Meanwhile, the Beavers’ pass protection remains steady, having given up just 8 sacks to this point. Quarterback Ben Gulbranson has steadied the passing attack after taking the reigns from injured starter Chance Nolan, keeping the Oregon State passing offense viable as the Beavers average 230 passing yards per game.

But the key development for the season has been the improvement of the Oregon State defense. In particular, the secondary has been tremendous all season, featuring a number of NFL-caliber talents headlined by cornerback Rejzohn Wright. As a team, Oregon State has picked off 10 passes while breaking up another 38. After an impressive outing in which they held USC to 14 points earlier in the year, the Beavers have continued to show up on that side of the ball as they’ve stymied opposing passing games. Overall, the Beavers have allowed opponents to complete just 55% of their passes, forcing more interceptions per game than passing touchdowns allowed. The group demonstrates great cohesion in coverage and a natural feel for making plays on the football, hardly ever giving up an uncontested opportunity to catch a pass downfield. They were sensational against USC’s high-powered receiving corps and have continued to impress all year.

What the Beavers don’t do well:

Despite the overall success of the passing defense, the Beavers’ pass rush hasn’t been particularly effective. They’ve notched just 12 sacks so far, which is 111th nationally. The team’s sack leader is currently safety Kitan Oladapo, who has just 2.5 takedowns of the quarterback to his name through 8 games. Though the Beavers play smart, assignment-sound football up front, they simply don’t have the necessary playmakers there to really harass opposing passers. Though the front has fared relatively well against the run, their inability to generate consistent pressure has been a glaring issue. Against explosive, passing-dominant offenses like the one they’ll face this week, that might turn out to be an Achilles heel.

5 Players to Know

1. CB Rezjohn Wright (No. 2): At 6-foot-2 and 191 pounds, Wright is exactly the long and aggressive kind of cornerback that NFL scouts are on the lookout for. A standout contributor for years in the Beavers’ secondary, Wright has taken his game to another level in his junior season, almost totally locking down his side of the field with consistency. Wright’s football IQ and stickiness in coverage stand out; he’s almost always in phase with the receiver, rarely falling for fakes and maintaining his positioning in the hip pocket. He uses his length well to disrupt plays at the catch point, tallying 2 interceptions and 6 passes defensed through 8 games. Throwing at Wright is a tough task, and his presence has created serious problems for opposing quarterbacks as they often end up forced to avoid his side of the field. He’ll provide a big test for Washington’s standout receivers out on the boundary.

2. RB Damien Martinez (No. 5): The freshman back from Texas didn’t take long to become the Beavers’ lead back despite the talent ahead of him. After beginning the year behind incumbents Deshaun Fenwick and Jam Griffin, Martinez has stolen the show as the No. 1 back thanks to his explosiveness and knack for ripping off the big play. Despite not stepping into the that role until after the first six games of the season, Martinez leads the team in rushing with 517 yards, 161 more than the next leading rusher. He’s scored 5 touchdowns while averaging a sensational 6.5 yards per carry, nearly 2 yards more than the team average. He’s only gotten over 12 carries in Oregon State’s last two games, and he’s taken them for over 100 yards in both contests. Martinez is a home-run hitter capable of taking off with even the slightest opening in front of him; he’s likely to make a number of big plays this weekend no matter how the Huskies defend him.

3. LT Joshua Gray (No. 67): The cornerstone of the Beavers’ stout offensive line is Gray, the 6-foot-4 sophomore. Gray was stellar in his freshman year, performing at a high level on the blindside from the jump and anchoring the Oregon State run game. His nimble feet and sturdy frame allow him to mirror pass rushers with ease, and his movement skills allow him to get rolling downhill with force in the run game. Left tackle might be the hardest position for a freshman to step into, yet Gray did so at the highest level in 2021, already making a name as a potential NFL prospect. He’ll remain key to everything Oregon State does on offense, and any wins against him will be a premium for the Washington front seven.

4. S Jaydon Grant (No. 3): Senior Jaydon Grant has been a consistent contributor for the Beavers, notching 2 interceptions in each of the past three seasons. He’s maintained if not upgraded his standard of play this year, with 3 interceptions, 4 passes defensed, 3 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble to show for it. Grant is a real NFL prospect at the safety position, with nice range, a knack for making plays on the football, and sound instincts as a tackler. An honorable mention All-Pac-12 performer last season, Grant’s play in the secondary helps hold down the back end of a strong passing defense.

5. WR Tre’Shaun Harrison (No. 0): Harrison is in the middle of what appears to be a breakout season, as the fifth-year senior has already surpassed his career highs in yards, receptions and touchdowns in just eight games. The 6-foot-1 former Florida State Seminole looks to be the Beavers' No. 1 receiver at this point, commanding the most targets of any offensive player. Harrison is frighteningly twitchy with the ball in his hands and has steadily improved as a route runner. He’s got a nice connection going with his quarterback and will likely pose a serious threat to Washington’s struggling cornerbacks.

Key Stat: 5.47 YPC combined by Oregon State’s running backs

The engine of this Oregon State squad is its overpowering run game, which allows the team to both control the time of possession battle and wear down the opposing defense over the course of the contest. This team was already highly potent on the ground before Martinez stepped in as the lead rusher; with Martinez now running the show, the ceiling for this run game is through the roof. The sustained success of this offensive line gives whoever runs behind them a shot for big yardage, and each of the Beavers' main running backs has shown the ability to take advantage. Griffin and Fenwick have both produced consistently all year, while Martinez has been an electric big-play threat when given the opportunity. The reliable production Oregon State’s rushing attack maintains dictates much of the game flow on the Beavers’ terms, keeping them in control of their matchups. Opponents unable to change the script there are unlikely to get away from Oregon State over the course of four quarters.

Key Matchup: Washington front seven vs Oregon State offensive line

The Beavers’ offense is highly dependent on the ability of its offensive line to control the game on the ground and to pass protect at a high level. This team’s ability to move the chains consistently, rip off explosive plays and control the time of possession is based largely on the reliable dominance of their line. That quality of play from the five guys they have up front allows them to keep their offense on schedule to avoid difficult game-situations like third-and-long. Washington’s tremendously talented defensive line should be the best Oregon State has faced yet and should be capable of frustrating that offensive line more than anyone has all year. Washington is tied for 12th in the nation with 25 sacks, but it still feels as though the Huskies’ front seven hasn’t always been playing up to its talent level. The group’s production has fluctuated through the season, with dominant performances followed up by a game or two of mediocrity. Against an offensive line unit of this caliber, the Huskies will have to bring their best in order to keep the Beavers from controlling this contest the way they’d like to. Washington might be one of the best-equipped front sevens to match up with Oregon State up front, but they’ll need to play at the level they’re capable of to do so.