💥 Forgotten Power Friday
The 2000 Oregon State Beavers: The Team That Beat the Brakes Off Notre Dame
They weren’t supposed to be here.
They weren’t supposed to win the Pac-10.
And they definitely weren’t supposed to obliterate Notre Dame on national TV.
But for one wild, nasty, high-scoring season, the 2000 Oregon State Beavers were one of the most dangerous teams in America — and they did it with swagger, speed, and a chip the size of Reser Stadium.
🏗️ The Build-Up
Oregon State hadn’t been relevant in decades.
From 1971–1998, they didn’t have a single winning season.
Enter Dennis Erickson, the former Miami coach who brought a street fight to the Pac-10.
He took a 5–6 team and turned it into a monster.
Behind him:
Jonathan Smith (yes, that Jonathan Smith) at QB
Ken Simonton, a 1,500-yard back
T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson at WR
And a defense that could hit
📈 The Run
The Beavers went 11–1 in 2000. Their only loss? A 3-point heartbreaker to Washington in early October.
But they recovered — and went on an absolute tear:
Crushed USC by 18
Beat #8 Oregon in the Civil War
Finished the regular season ranked #5
They shared the Pac-10 title with Washington, but Washington got the Rose Bowl bid.
Oregon State?
They got the Fiesta Bowl.
☘️ The Statement
Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9.
It wasn’t even that close.
The Beavers led 31–3 after three quarters.
Chad Johnson was taunting. The defense was flying.
It was a beatdown so thorough, it felt personal.
This wasn’t just a good mid-major story.
This was a team that could’ve beaten anyone in the country.
🧠 What We Forget
Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh would go on to NFL stardom
Jonathan Smith, the undersized QB, would return as head coach two decades later and rebuild the program
Ken Simonton rushed for nearly 4,000 yards in his career — and barely gets mentioned
They finished #4 in the nation — tied for the best finish in school history
😞 The What-If
Erickson left for the NFL after the season.
The magic faded.
And Oregon State never quite reached that level again.
But for one glorious fall in 2000, the Beavers were mean, explosive, and completely fearless.
They were a problem.
And they deserve to be remembered as one of the most chaotic and powerful one-year wonders the sport’s ever seen.
📩 Like this throwback? We do it every Friday.
Subscribe to The Redshirts for:
🧪 What If Wednesdays
⏪ Throwback Thursdays
❤️ My Favorite Player Mondays
💥 Forgotten Power Fridays
👇👇👇