What Is 1931 Oregon State Beavers football

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1931 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State College during the 1931 college football season, finishing with a 3–2–2 record under head coach Paul Schissler. They played their home games at Bell Field in Corvallis, Oregon, and competed as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference.

Key Facts

The 1931 Oregon State Beavers finished the season with a 3–2–2 overall record
Head coach Paul Schissler led the team during his fifth season at Oregon State
The Beavers played home games at Bell Field in Corvallis, Oregon
They were members of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), finishing with a 2–2–1 conference record
Notable games included a 14–13 win over Idaho and a 7–7 tie with Oregon

Overview

The 1931 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State College in the 1931 college football season. Competing as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the team was led by head coach Paul Schissler in his fifth year at the helm. The Beavers played their home games at Bell Field in Corvallis, Oregon, a venue that hosted the program for decades.

The season reflected a transitional period for the program, as college football evolved with new strategies and regional rivalries intensified. Though not a dominant force nationally, Oregon State showed resilience with a balanced mix of wins, losses, and ties. The team's performance laid groundwork for future developments in the program’s history.

Record: The Beavers finished the 1931 season with a 3–2–2 overall record, including a 2–2–1 mark in Pacific Coast Conference play.
Head Coach: Paul Schissler, in his fifth season, led the team with a focus on disciplined play and defensive consistency.
Home Venue: Bell Field, located in Corvallis, served as the home stadium with a natural grass surface and modest seating capacity.
Conference: As a member of the Pacific Coast Conference, Oregon State faced regional rivals like Washington, USC, and Oregon.
Key Result: A 14–13 victory over Idaho in November was one of the team’s most hard-fought wins of the season.

How It Works

The structure of college football in 1931 involved strict conference alignments, limited non-conference scheduling, and regional travel constraints. Teams like the Beavers relied on local talent and conservative offensive schemes typical of the era.

Season Format: The 1931 season consisted of seven games, with no postseason bowl appearance; schedules were shorter than in modern eras.
Scoring Rules: Touchdowns were worth six points, and field goals three; the forward pass was legal but used sparingly compared to running plays.
Player Roles: Most athletes played both offense and defense due to limited substitutions, a hallmark of the one-platoon system.
Travel & Logistics: Teams traveled by train or bus, limiting long-distance matchups; Oregon State primarily played West Coast opponents.
Recruiting: Recruitment was regional and informal, with few national scouting networks compared to today’s structured systems.
Media Coverage: Games were covered in local newspapers like the Oregonian and broadcast on regional radio stations.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1931 Oregon State Beavers with other notable teams from the same season:

Team	Record	Conference	Head Coach	Notable Result
Oregon State Beavers	3–2–2	Pacific Coast	Paul Schissler	Tied Oregon 7–7
USC Trojans	9–1–1	Pacific Coast	Howard Jones	Won Rose Bowl
Washington State Cougars	5–2–2	Pacific Coast	O.E. Hollingbery	Tied Oregon State 7–7
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	5–3–0	Independent	Knute Rockne	Lost to USC 13–12
Michigan Wolverines	6–2–0	Big Ten	Harry Kipke	Defeated Ohio State 12–0

This table highlights how Oregon State’s performance compared to peers in 1931. While not among the national powers, the Beavers held their own in a competitive PCC. Their tie with rival Oregon and close loss to Idaho reflected the tight margins common in regional matchups. The era emphasized physical play and field position, with lower scoring than modern games.

Why It Matters

The 1931 season is a snapshot of Oregon State’s football evolution and the broader landscape of early 20th-century college sports. It reflects the challenges and traditions that shaped the modern game, from limited resources to regional pride.

Historical Record: The 3–2–2 season contributes to Oregon State’s all-time football record, now tracked over more than a century.
Coach Legacy: Paul Schissler’s tenure helped stabilize the program before future coaching changes in the 1930s.
Rivalry Development: Games against Oregon and Washington State strengthened regional rivalries still active today.
Stadium Heritage: Bell Field was a key venue in the program’s history before the move to Parker Stadium (now Reser Stadium).
Conference Context: The PCC was a precursor to today’s Pac-12, making these games foundational to conference identity.
Player Development: Athletes from this era paved the way for future Beavers who would earn All-American honors.

Though overshadowed by more successful seasons, the 1931 campaign remains part of Oregon State’s enduring football legacy. It illustrates the sport’s growth from modest beginnings to today’s high-profile collegiate enterprise.