CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State’s defense helped out when quarterback Cody Vaz struggled in the rain, and the No. 8 Beavers remained undefeated with a 21-7 victory over Utah on Saturday night that gave them their best start in more than a century.

Vaz made his debut last weekend as Oregon State’s starter and threw for three touchdowns against BYU to earn Pac-12 player of the week honors. This time, he passed for 174 yards against the Utes. But the Beavers’ defense had an interception and a fumble recovery that led to two first-half touchdown runs by Storm Woods.

Woods had 17 carries for 46 yards and all three touchdowns for Oregon State (6-0, 4-0 Pac-12), which hadn’t opened a season 6-0 since 1907, when the school was the Oregon Agricultural College.