CORVALLIS -- It's hard to put wrapping paper and a bow on this stinker and call it anything other than it was.

Disaster, a debacle, demoralizing -- you choose the word for an Oregon State season that is three games old and already looks lost.

Minnesota blew out Oregon State 48-14 Saturday night at Reser Stadium, a loss that leaves the Beavers 1-2 and reeling into the Pac-12 season.

The Gophers were better in all phases, and this isn't a good Minnesota team.

At this point, it's hard to see anybody left on OSU's schedule the Beavers can beat.

In their only victory, 35-32 over FCS Portland State, the Beavers were outgained 515 yards to 389. The Vikings beat themselves by coming up empty twice in the red zone and with a poor performance in the kicking game.

Minnesota didn't do that.

The Gophers are limited offensively. Their quarterbacks are mediocre, their offensive line got little push and the receivers wouldn't get off the bench for most Pac-12 teams.

But running backs Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks run hard. And for the most part, the Gophers didn't beat themselves.

The home team did, losing three fumbles, surrendering three sacks and short-circuiting any chance of victory with 91 yards in ill-timed penalties.

Worse, the Beavers seemed to give up in the second half, when the snowball began rolling downhill and turned into an avalanche.

Receiver Jordan Villamin suggested afterward that some of his teammates weren't ready to play in the second half.

That is hard to explain. The Beavers were in it at the break, trailing 20-14. They were at home. They returned for the second half and went belly up.

It's difficult to know what has happened to OSU coach Gary Andersen's program, which appeared on the upswing after beating Oregon in last year's Civil War.

The narrative to this point has been that Andersen has been restocking a cupboard previous coach Mike Riley left bare.

But let's get real. Barring some sort of team-wide personality transplant or sudden talent infusion, we're looking at a third consecutive losing season, something that never happened in Riley's 14-year run.

Andersen accepted responsibility for what transpired Saturday, and props to him for that.

Now he needs answers.

"This is absolutely not what I expected in any way, shape or form," Andersen said. "It's on me. It's not on those kids. I'm the one who hired the coaches. It's all on me.

"We'll keep battling. We'll keep fighting. What can I say? The football team is not playing well, and it's a football team I'm in charge of. So, I understand. I get it."

OSU goes from this to next week's game against Washington State on the Palouse. The Beavers follow that with Washington, USC, Colorado and Stanford.

Ouch, uh oh, oh no, oh my and cover your eyes.

The Beavers got their helmets handed to them by a Minnesota team that was roiled by sexual assault allegations and a coaching change in the offseason.

But first-year Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck's team played with energy and purpose. Even on the sideline, the Gophers looked energetic and engaged. The Beavers did not.

Firing Andersen isn't the answer, because he is under contract until 2021. If OSU fired him, the Beavers would be contractually liable for the entire contract and an annual salary that escalates to more than $3 million.

So, it's up to Andersen to fix this, whether that means staff changes, scheme changes, better game plans, better halftime adjustments or better recruits.

However he goes about it, this season looks lost.

OSU fans already are voting with their feet. The announced crowd was 35,206, but there never were that many people there. By the end, the OSU faithful who had been on hand mostly were gone, leaving the stadium in possession of Minnesota.

After Minnesota quarterback Demry Croft went 64 yards with a bootleg as the Gophers were trying to run out the clock for the game's final touchdown, even the fans had moved on.

They were chanting, "We hate Iowa."

That is the future.

Sadly, Oregon State is stuck in the dismal present.

-- Ken Goe

kgoe@oregonian.com | @KenGoe