After a first half filled with mistakes by both sides, the Oregon State Beavers lead the Washington State Cougars, 6-3.
This wasn't expected to be a low-scoring game, but turnovers and penalties have thwarted both offenses repeatedly, as the two teams have just 262 total yards combined. The Cougars have turned the ball over three times: Twice on Connor Halliday interceptions and once on a fumble when the snap hit the receiver motioning across the formation.
OSU quarterback Sean Mannion hasn't been a whole lot better, throwing a pair of interceptions himself. He's 11-for-23 for just 114 yards after playing as well as any quarterback in the Pac-12 in the first three games of the year.
In fact, it's that WSU defense that's been the real story for WSU fans. Much maligned after giving up big plays throughout the first five games of the season, Travis Long, Ioane Gauta and Justin Sagote have led the Cougs to their best defensive half of the year. Sagote and Long have been all over the field, pressuring Mannion all day. One such play led to Gauta getting an interception.
Yes, there was a Fat Guy Interception -- he rumbled deep into OSU territory, to boot.
OSU's final drive of the half, which followed Halliday's second interception, went inside the WSU 10. But the defense stiffened up again, holding the Beavers to just a field goal.
Halliday's mistakes cost him, as Mike Leach benched him in favor of Jeff Tuel for the final drive of the first half. Halliday was just 8-of-18 for 71 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns Tuel's first pass was a 51-yard completion to Marquess Wilson.
The reception led WSU into OSU territory, but the drive stalled after a sack and a pair of incompletions.
At Texas Tech, Leach once benched then-sophomore Graham Harrell for a couple of series before putting him back in. It will be interesting to see if Tuel finishes the game or if Halliday heads back in.