Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Oregon State fans cheer on their team during an NCAA football game at Reser Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Corvallis, Oregon next to a picture of linebacker Dylan Layne from the same game.
TheĀ Oregon State BeaversĀ are done with moral victories under first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard. At least, thatās what transfer linebacker and captainĀ Dylan LayneĀ believes.
The Beavers, who went 2-10 a year ago under Trent Bray and just 5-7 the year prior, are looking to revamp their program. While they lost their first two games of the season to Houston and Big 12 favorite Texas Tech, Oregon State played both teams tough, losing by 13 in Week 1 and 11 in Week 2.
However, Layne says that close losses arenāt good enough, even if Oregon State fans believe that they are.
Former Idaho Linebacker Dylan Layne is new to Corvallis this year and is NOT okay with Moral Victories š pic.twitter.com/4VQcwUYO3T
ā Tyree Smith (@TyreeSmithTV) September 13, 2026
Dylan Lane Calls Out Oregon State Fans For Sympathy Cheers
Following the loss to Texas Tech, who were expected to blow out the Beavers, many Oregon State fans stuck around to give their team a round of applause.
But Layne wasnāt a fan of that attitude.
āWeāre changing the culture here,ā Layne said during his postgame press conference. āItās no longer good enough ā moral victories. (Itās) not good enough that we competed with a top-25 team. Like, BS, man. We want to win these games. ā¦ Itās the little things, like clapping after (a loss). Iām challenging Beaver Nation: show up, show out and expect us to win.
āItās not good enough to lose by 11 points or (lead) Texas Tech in the third quarter. No. Weāre coming to win the Pac-12 this year, and we expect to win every game we play. Thatās the standard.ā
You have to admire that attitude. The Beavers have a long way to go to become genuine contenders. But it appears that Shephard at least has his players thinking big.