Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks (7) celebrates a catch during Saturday's game against Colorado in Corvallis.

CORVALLIS —

Colorado cornerback Jered Bell seemed to be positioning himself perfectly for an interception.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a black jersey with an orange No. 7 on it leaped in front of Bell and snatched the Sean Mannion pass for a 24-yard gain late in the second quarter. No. 7 coolly strode down the sideline to celebrate his own acrobatics while the 44,279 in attendance Saturday afternoon at Reser Stadium collectively watched in wonderment.

Welcome to the Brandin Cooks show.

And without Oregon State’s star receiver, Saturday might have gone differently from the 44-17 drubbing the Beavers handed to Colorado.

On a wet, windy day that could have forced the Beavers to scramble for Woody Hayes’ playbook, Cooks’ early show-stopping catches were key in unlocking a Beaver offense that eventually rolled up 540 yards.

“He got us some momentum and gave us a chance right away,” said OSU coach Mike Riley. “Otherwise we are not doing anything. That’s how I felt. Those plays absolutely bailed us out. There was nothing else going on (early).”

Cooks scored two touchdowns, hauling in nine catches for 168 yards. He ran five times for 47 yards, including Oregon State’s longest run of the season: a 23-yard Cooks’ fly sweep on the first play of the second half.

But Cooks’ early work made the difference.

The Beavers were sloppy in the first half and struggled to move the ball — except when Mannion targeted Cooks, who accounted for 83 of OSU’s 109 first-quarter yards.

In all, the 5-foot-10-inch, 186-pound junior from Stockton, Calif., accounted for 163 of Oregon State’s 285 first-half yards and made two highlight-reel catches that changed the complexion of the first 30 minutes, sending the Beavers into halftime with a 17-3 lead.

After Cooks fumbled twice the previous week against San Diego State, it was just the kind of start he needed.

“I didn’t want to have to go into a bye week stressing like I was last week after that game,” Cooks said. “I had to bounce back just to prove I was one of those players who can bounce back.”

Nearly 80 of Cooks’ first-half yards came on two catches that only one player on either team could have made.

The first and most important was Cooks’ leaping circus catch between two defenders, which was good for 52 yards and set up Oregon State’s first touchdown — a 3-yard connection between Mannion and tight end Caleb Smith that gave OSU a 10-3 lead.

“Concentration, timing, talent,” gushed Riley about what it takes for his star receiver to make such catches.

“You really do appreciate the beauty of those catches,” Riley added. “You just admire those plays.”

Mannion, who set a school-record with six touchdown passes, said he had all but decided to go to Cooks before the ball was snapped, the luxury of having a receiver as talented as Cooks.

“Tomorrow when I watch film I might be like, ‘Ooh, that wasn’t the greatest decision, maybe,’ ” said Mannion, a junior from Pleasanton, Calif. “But he’ll bail me out. He’s bailed me out tons of times and he continues to do so.”

Just before halftime, Cooks hauled in an 8-yard touchdown from Mannion — crashing into the goal post after the score — that gave the Beavers a 17-3 halftime lead.

And Cooks found his way between two defenders, and Mannion threaded a bullet, to cap the Beavers’ first drive of the second half. That gave OSU a 24-3 lead, more than enough to put the game away against the punchless Buffaloes.

Cooks was quick to give Mannion the credit. And with reason.

As he has been all season, Mannion was on target, completing 27 of 52 passes for 414 yards and the school-record six touchdowns.

The Beavers’ offense rolled in the second half as Colorado unraveled, while Cooks played a lesser role and the likes of running back Terron Ward took over.

“He better be in the Heisman (Trophy) talk after this game,” Cooks said, referring to Mannion. “That guy is great. He’s playing with confidence and playing like the Sean that I know. He’s having fun out there, that’s the biggest thing.”

Anyone who has watched the Beavers play with any regularity since the beginning of the 2012 season knows that Cooks is special — even on a national level.

What might be the most important aspect to this season, though, is the connection Mannion and Cooks now share.

“I love it,” Riley said of the chemistry between Mannion and Cooks. “You know why? Because I know what’s brought them to this, which is that these guys are all in now. They are HARD workers. They’ve spent a lot of time preparing themselves for this time.

“A lot of it is growth and just naturally getting to play more. But a lot of it is work, and there is no substitute for it. It is not an accident that this is happening.”

Whispers about postseason awards for Cooks and Mannion, while premature, could be heard across the Willamette Valley on Saturday.

Forget that. December is forever away.

Until then, Beaver fans should sit back and enjoy the show.