Beavs Battle, Legree Shines In Near Record-Breaking Day

Saturday, September 12

Corvallis, Ore.

4:30 PM

Oregon State

0-2 , 0-0

Texas Tech

2-0 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Texas Tech	0	14	7	14	35
Oregon St.	0	7	14	3	24

Photo by: Karl Maasdam

Beavs Battle, Legree Shines In Near Record-Breaking Day

September 12, 2026 | Football

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By: Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Jesse Legree caught eight passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, the second-most receiving yards in a single game in program history, but Oregon State came up just short in a 35-24 loss to No. 13 Texas Tech at Reser Stadium.

The true freshman's day also marked the first time an Oregon State player has topped 200 receiving yards in a game since Isaiah Hodgins had 200 at Nevada on Sept. 15, 2018, and the first time it's happened at home since Mike Hass went for 225 against Stanford on Nov. 15, 2003. Legree's 240 yards were shy of Hass' program-record 293 in 2004 against Boise State.

Legree got things started with a 75-yard touchdown catch from Braden Atkinson in the second quarter, marking his longest reception of the season and his second catch of 70-plus yards through two games, following a 71-yarder against Houston in the opener. That stretch makes him the first Beaver with receptions of 70 or more yards in back-to-back games since Chad Johnson did it against Washington and Stanford in 2000, and the first FBS player to do it since North Texas' Wyatt Young last season.

The 75-yard score was also the 25th of 75-plus yards in Oregon State history.

Legree wasn't done. He hauled in a 37-yard touchdown in the third quarter, his second score of the day, to help the Beavers answer right back after Texas Tech had taken a lead.

Atkinson matched his top target throw for throw, completing 31-of-51 passes for 413 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the second straight week he's topped 300 yards passing, making him the first Beaver quarterback to do that in back-to-back games since Jake Luton threw for 310 against Colorado and 301 against USC in 2018.

Atkinson got in on the scoring himself, too, hauling in a 4-yard touchdown pass from running back AJ Newberry on a trick play in the third quarter — the first receiving touchdown by an Oregon State quarterback since Tristan Gebbia caught one against California on Nov. 21, 2020.

Newberry was the quarterback on that trick-play score and finished with 5 catches for 43 yards to go with 8 rushing yards on five carries, giving the Beavers a second playmaker capable of beating teams through the air out of the backfield.

Oregon State also got extended, meaningful snaps from some newer faces. Jackson Bowers made his second career start at tight end and caught the first pass of his career for 8 yards in the first quarter. On defense, Blake Thompson made his first career start and led the way among Beaver defensive backs with eight tackles.

Caleb Ojeda connected from 34 yards out in the fourth quarter for his first field goal of the season, part of an Oregon State offense that found the end zone on three of its scoring drives.

The Beavers' passing attack carried the day for the offense as a whole, which piled up 472 total yards — 403 of them through the air — and 20 first downs. Oregon State twice answered Texas Tech scores to force a 21-21 tie early in the third quarter, then took its first lead of the game, 24-21, on Ojeda's field goal with 13:23 remaining in the fourth.

Oregon State stays home next Saturday, hosting Montana on Sept. 19. Kickoff at Reser Stadium is set for 8 p.m. PT, with the game airing live on USA Sports.