MyOregonDucks

Game 12 | 11 - 1 | Ducks rebound with 48-24 win over Beavers

2012-11-25T00:34:00.001-08:00

Ducks rebound with 48-24 win over Beavers

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 4 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ducks-rebound-48-24-win-011647972--ncaaf.html

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- After Oregon's loss to Stanford last weekend, running back Kenjon Barner figured there were three ways for the Ducks to respond in the Civil War against Oregon State.

''You can let it define you, destroy you or strengthen you,'' Barner said. ''With this team, every loss we've taken in the past, it's strengthened us, made us stronger. Looking back on Stanford, it was a loss. We knew what we had to do to get back on the winning track, and we did it.''

Barner ran for 198 yards and two touchdowns - despite leaving the game for a time with what he called a minor injury - and No. 5 Oregon defeated No. 16 Oregon State 48-24 in the Civil War.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) heads down field ahead of a pack of Oregon State defenders during the first half of their NCAA college football game in Corvallis, Ore., Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The victory initially kept the Ducks (11-1, 8-1) alive for a spot in the Pac-12 title game, but Stanford defeated UCLA 35-17 later Saturday night to clinch the league's northern division.

Stanford's 17-14 overtime victory over the Ducks last Saturday meant that both teams finished the regular season with just one conference loss, but the Cardinal (10-2, 8-1) claimed the head-to-head matchup to advance to the championship game - a rematch with the Bruins - next Friday.

The Civil War ended shortly before the game between Stanford and UCLA started. Barner wasn't planning to watch it.

''I'm going to enjoy this win, have fun with my family that's here and find out tomorrow what the situation is,'' he said. ''I'd rather not watch.''

It was Oregon's fifth straight victory in the 116-game rivalry series with the Beavers.

While the Civil War is normally the season finale for both teams, Oregon State (8-3, 6-3) will host Nicholls State next Saturday in a matchup that was supposed to open the season but was put off when Hurricane Isaac bore down on the Colonels' Thibodaux, La., campus.

The Beavers will have to wait to find out where they're headed for a bowl game, but already their season can be counted a success after they went just 3-9 last year.

Barner appeared to hurt either his abdomen or ribs late in the first half and headed to the locker room. He returned after the break, but much of the work went to De'Anthony Thomas until he returned on a scoring drive that made it 41-17 early in the fourth quarter.

Barner would only describe the injury as minor.

Thomas finished with 122 yards rushing and three scores. Oregon redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota threw for 140 yards and a score, and also ran for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Sean Mannion threw for 311 yards and a late touchdown for the Beavers but was intercepted four times. Storm Woods rushed for 70 yards and two scores.

Mannion started the first four games of the season, throwing seven touchdowns and averaging 339 yards, but injured his left knee and required surgery. Vaz, who hadn't started since high school, took over and helped the Beavers to win in the next two games, and later became the team's starter.

But Vaz sprained his left ankle in the final moments of a loss to Stanford two weeks ago, and sat out last Saturday during Oregon State's 64-14 victory at home over California. Mannion got the nod for the Civil War.

''We have another opponent and we don't have time to pout and feel sorry for ourselves,'' Mannion said. ''Nicholls State is going to come in here and try to beat us, and we have to prepare accordingly. I think it will be a good thing because I know everyone is hurting about this one, especially the seniors.

Attendance was 47,249 fans, a Reser Stadium record.

Oregon put the Stanford loss behind them by striking quickly on their first possession with Mariota's 42-yard keeper. The touchdown drive took just 1:46, but the Ducks' 2-point try to cap it off failed.

The Beavers took a 7-6 lead on Woods' 7-yard touchdown run, but the Ducks answered on the next series with Thomas' 2-yard TD dash. Barner added a 1-yard scoring run before he was hurt.

Stanford held Barner to 66 yards the week before, but he had 141 yards before halftime against the Beavers. With his first 15 yards rushing Saturday, he moved past Derek Loville (1986-89) for second on Oregon's career rushing list.

Trevor Romaine kicked a 36-yard field goal to narrow it to 20-10 at halftime and the Beavers pulled closer with Woods' 2-yard scoring run on their first series of the second half.

It was all Ducks the rest of the way. Thomas scored on a 6-yard run to extend Oregon's lead to 27-17, before the Ducks capitalized on a Beaver fumble that led to Thomas' 29-yard touchdown run. Barner returned with his 1-yard run and Mariota found B.J. Kelley with a 2-yard touchdown pass.

Mannion hit Micah Hatfield with a 6-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds left for the final margin.

While Barner was spending time with his family, Oregon coach Chip Kelly was going to be watching Saturday night to see what happened elsewhere in the Pac-12 and beyond.

''You got to pay attention,'' Kelly said. ''You got to know if you're practicing tomorrow.''

Even though the Ducks are missing out on the Pac-12 championship game, there is a good chance that at 11-1 they will be an at-large bid for a BCS bowl game.

The Ducks hold a 60-46-10 advantage in the Civil War which began in 1894 and is the seventh-most contested rivalry in the nation.

It was the fourth time that both teams were ranked for the Civil War. The last was in 2009, when Oregon was No. 7 and Oregon State was No. 13. That game was dubbed the ''War of the Roses'' because the winner was guaranteed a Rose Bowl berth. Oregon won 37-33.

Week 13 | Civil War | Oregon looks for Civil War rebound

2012-11-25T00:07:00.001-08:00

Oregon looks for Civil War rebound

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 14 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-looks-civil-war-rebound-194524762--ncaaf.html

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- With so many scenarios for how the season may - or may not - play out, No. 5 Oregon was focused only on Oregon State and the 116th Civil War.

Oregon's march toward the national championship game detoured last Saturday with a 17-14 overtime loss to Stanford. Now, even the team's shot at the Pac-12 championship is in jeopardy.

''You have to be mentally tough,'' Oregon running back Kenjon Barner said. ''It's football. You're going to lose some games. It happens.''

Saturday's Civil War at Reser Stadium is a must-win for Oregon (10-1, 7-1) if they want to keep their hopes for a fourth straight Pac-12 title alive. But the Ducks will need UCLA to help with a victory over Stanford in Los Angeles. To be back in the mix for a national championship berth, they'll likely also need USC to topple undefeated and top-ranked Notre Dame.

Oregon State coach Mike Riley laughed when asked this if he's worried the Ducks will be doubly motivated against the 16th-ranked Beavers (8-2, 6-2) after the loss.

''I don't know what they're mindset is going to be,'' Riley said. ''But they're a really good, resilient football team. So that's what we expect.''

No matter what happens on Saturday, Oregon State can count this season as a success. The Beavers have staged a stunning turnaround with essentially the same team that went just 3-9 last season.

Oregon State's best weapon against the speedy Ducks may be its defense - much like Stanford's was in its victory over Oregon last weekend.

The Ducks have the fourth-ranked offense in the country, averaging 548.3 yards a game, and the fifth-best rushing offense with 313.5 yards a game. Stanford's stout D was able to hold the Ducks to 198 yards on the ground and 405 yards in total offense.

The Cardinal held Barner, averaging 136 yards rushing going in, to just 66 yards.

Oregon State has the nation's No. 14 rushing defense, allowing opponents only 108.7 yards on the ground per game. The Beavers' overall defense is ranked third in the Pac-12, allowing an average of 345 yards.

On offense, Oregon State will start Sean Mannion at quarterback because quarterback Cody Vaz only returned to practice Wednesday after a left ankle sprain.

But Vaz sprained his left ankle in the final moments of a loss to Stanford two weeks ago, and sat out last Saturday during Oregon State's 64-14 victory at home over California.

Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said this week that Oregon State's receiving duo, senior Markus Wheaton and sophomore Brandin Cooks, have the Ducks' attention.

Cook has 1,039 receiving yards with five touchdowns this season, and Wheaton has 986 yards with 10 TD catches. Both are among the top 15 in the nation for average receiving yards.

''I wish I could tell you 'Not many worries, not many concerns,' but we got our work cut out for us because they remind me of an 'SC down-the-field throwing team and last time I checked we didn't do really well in that one,'' Aliotti said. ''We're going to have to cover those receivers.''

For the record, Oregon beat the Trojans 62-51 but Matt Barkley threw for five touchdowns, including two to Marqise Lee.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota spent Sunday mulling over the loss to Stanford then got back to work on Monday. The redshirt freshman threw for 207 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinal.

''There were a lot of times I was trying to force it too much,'' Mariota reflected this week.

Mariota needs three total touchdowns - via pass or keepers - to reach Oregon's single season record of 36 set by Akili Smith in 1998 and matched by Darron Thomas in 2011. He already holds the Pac-12 freshman record with 29 touchdown passes this season.

In what could be his final game at Autzen Stadium, Barner needs two rushing touchdowns to match pal LaMichael James' single season record of 21 at Oregon in 2010. He needs just 15 more rushing yard to move past Derek Loville (1986-89) into second on Oregon career list.

The Ducks hold a 59-46-10 advantage in the Civil War, and they've won the last four games in the series. It is the seventh-longest contested rivalry in the nation, dating back to 1894.

Saturday's game will mark the fourth time that both teams are ranked for the Civil War. The last was in 2009, when Oregon was No. 7 and Oregon State was No. 13. That game was dubbed the ''War of the Roses'' because the winner was guaranteed a Rose Bowl berth. Oregon won 37-33.

Riley has seen his share of Civil Wars, both as coach of the Beavers and as the son of former Oregon State assistant coach Bud Riley, who passed away earlier this year. Growing up in Corvallis, Riley's watched the game from both the stands and the sidelines.

''I feel like this is to be embraced. It's fun to be involved in it, that's one of the things about tradition and history,'' Riley said. ''This game has been played a long time. In the record books when you total them all up it means the same thing, a win or a loss. But for the moment when you're in it, getting to play in a fun game like this, it means a lot to everybody.''

Week 13 | Preview | Civil War | Oregon-Oregon St. Preview

2012-11-25T00:05:00.000-08:00

Oregon-Oregon St. Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD (STATS Writer) | The Associated Press – Wed, Nov 21, 2012 1:54 AM EST

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-oregon-st-preview-065405123--ncaaf.html

After losing their chance at a perfect season, fifth-ranked Oregon can't afford to hang its head for very long.

The Ducks, also fifth in the BCS standings, still have an outside chance at reaching the BCS title game - with a whole lot of help.

Oregon first has to secure bragging rights Saturday in Corvallis with a Civil War win over 16th-ranked Oregon State.

With an offense averaging an FBS-leading 54.8 points per game, Oregon (10-1, 7-1 Pac-12) spent just six days as the nation's top-ranked team before its once-unstoppable offense sputtered in a stunning 17-14 overtime loss to visiting Stanford.

That ended Oregon's 13-game winning streak, which was the longest in the nation. It also snapped the team's NCAA-record streak of 23 games with at least 30 points.

Now, the Ducks need a few things to fall in their favor to play in their second national championship game in three years. A USC win over No. 1 Notre Dame would be a huge help, as would losses by Alabama, Georgia and Florida this weekend.

Additionally, Oregon has to hope Stanford has a bit of a hangover. While UCLA has already clinched the Pac-12 South, Oregon can still represent the North with a win and a Bruins victory over the Cardinal on Saturday.

"It's not going to be easy, but we understand that we have a couple of more games and whatever plays out plays out,'' quarterback Marcus Mariota said. "We just have to control what we can control.''

Mariota has to find a way to get the offense back on track after Oregon was held to a season-low 405 yards against Stanford and converted just 4 of 17 third downs.

Mariota led the team with 89 rushing yards while completing 21 of 37 passes for 207 and a touchdown with one interception. Tailback Kenjon Barner, who was averaging 136.0 yards per game, finished with just 66 against a Cardinal defense that came in as the nation's best against the run.

The Ducks, fifth in the nation on the ground (313.5 yards per game), face another stout run defense in Oregon State, which ranks second in the Pac-12 at 108.7 yards per game.

The Beavers (8-2, 6-2) improved to 5-0 at home last Saturday with one of their best performances of the season, outgaining California 559-322 in a 62-14 victory.

Sean Mannion shined by completing 24 of 34 passes for 325 yards and matching a career-high with four touchdowns while starting in place of Cody Vaz, who had taken the job before getting hurt late in a Nov. 10 loss to Stanford.

Mannion, who threw for 299 yards with three TDs and two interceptions in a 49-21 loss to Oregon last year, will be under center again this week.

"Sean obviously prepared very well,'' coach Mike Riley said. "And he had a look in his eye this week.''

Terron Ward, coming off a 128-yard, two-touchdown effort against Cal, will try to put together another strong performance against a banged-up Oregon defense that allowed 161 yards to Stanford's Stepfan Taylor.

Another big day on the ground likely won't come easy, though. The Ducks have held Oregon State to 2.6 yards per carry during their four-game series winning streak, and allowed only 16 rushing yards while playing the final 38 minutes with the lead in last season's rout.

That, of course, came against a Beavers team that finished 3-9. Now, beating the Ducks for the first time since a 38-31 double-overtime win at Autzen Stadium in 2007 could put Oregon State in a high-profile bowl.

"It's great to be where we are," Riley said. "We try not to be surprised by success, we work for that hard. But I am proud of the turnaround in this team and the work they did in the offseason and what they've accomplished to this point.

"It's much more fun and exciting to be going into the Civil War at 8-2 rather than 3-8."

The Beavers have turned it over a Pac-12 low 14 times this season, but they've given it away eight time in their last two home losses to the Ducks.

Prior to that, Oregon State totaled only three turnovers during a five-game series winning streak in Corvallis.

Game 11 | 10 - 1 | No. 14 Stanford upsets No. 1 Oregon 17-14 in OT

2012-11-23T03:28:00.000-08:00

No. 14 Stanford upsets No. 1 Oregon 17-14 in OT

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Sun, Nov 18, 2012 2:08 AM EST

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-14-stanford-upsets-no-044856973--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- As Stanford's game-winning field goal tumbled through the goal posts, Oregon running back Kenjon Barner fell to his knees in dejection. With a clear path to the BCS championship game, the speedy Ducks slipped up.

A 17-14 loss in overtime to the No. 14 Stanford denied top-ranked Oregon a chance to clinch the Pac-12 North's spot in the conference championship game. And it put a bid for a national championship nearly out of reach.

''I told those guys that it's tough, things aren't always going to go your way. That's life. That's football'' coach Chip Kelly said after the game. ''I don't fault them for their effort. It hurts so bad because they invested so much as a group. ''

Stanford players rushed the field after Jordan Williamson's 37-yard field goal in overtime to win it.

If both Stanford and Oregon win in their final games next weekend, both will finish with one conference loss, which means Stanford will win the head-to-head matchup and go to the Pac-12 championship for a chance to play in the Rose Bowl.

After winning its fifth straight, Stanford (9-2, 7-1) will play its finale next weekend at No. 17 UCLA, which defeated No. 21 USC 38-28 earlier in the day to claim the Pac-12 South. Oregon (10-1, 7-1) will play Oregon State in the annual Civil War rivalry game in Corvallis.

''As I told our guys, we don't get a trophy for this game,'' Stanford coach David Shaw said. ''All we did was put ourselves in a good position and no we have to go play a really good UCLA team next week.''

If Stanford beats UCLA, the Cardinal and Bruins will play a week later in Northern California for the Pac-12 title. If UCLA wins and Oregon beats Oregon State, the Ducks will host UCLA on Nov. 30.

The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Ducks, which was the longest in the nation coming into Saturday.

Oregon's loss, coupled with No. 2 Kansas State's 52-24 loss to Baylor, means third-ranked Notre Dame is now the lone unbeaten team in the race for the BCS title game. Kansas State and Oregon were the 1-2 teams in the BCS standings.

The Fighting Irish control their national championship run, with No. 4 Alabama and a couple of other Southeastern Conference teams also in the thick of it.

Oregon was the only Pac-12 team that Stanford hadn't defeated over the past two seasons.

Last year, Stanford was ranked No. 3 and looking toward its own national championship bid with quarterback Andrew Luck when then-No. 6 Oregon visited Palo Alto and emerged with a 53-30 victory. Running back LaMichael James, who would join Luck's NFL draft class in the spring, ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

The year before, Oregon defeated the Cardinal and Luck 52-31 in an early October hurdle en route to an undefeated regular season and an appearance in the BCS title game against Auburn.

''They beat us last year when we were knocking on the door. So it feels kind of good to get that feeling back,'' Stanford tight end Zach Ertz said.

In both seasons, Oregon went on to win the conference titles. The Ducks have won three straight Pac-12 championships.

''It hurts, it really does, but the guys in the locker room have done a good job of helping me keep my head up,'' Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota said. ''It's not an easy one to swallow but there's another game on the horizon.''

Redshirt freshman Kevin Hogan threw for 211 yards and a game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown for Stanford, while Stepfan Taylor rushed for 161 yards on 33 carries.

Down 14-7, Stanford went for it on fourth-and-1 on the Oregon 12 with 2:17 left in regulation and Ryan Hewitt ran two yards for the first down. Hogan hit Ertz with a 10-yard scoring pass to tie it at 14 with 1:35 to go. Ertz fought to gain control of the ball with a defender as he fell to the turf on top of a Ducks player. The play was initially ruled incomplete, but a video review overturned it for the game-tying touchdown.

''I knew I caught it, I just wasn't sure if I was inbounds or not. The ball bounced my way. It was a great play call by the coaches,'' Ertz said.

Despite a pass interference call that gave them a crucial first down, the Ducks were forced to punt on the ensuing series and Stanford took over with 36 seconds to go and the game went to overtime. Alejandro Maldonado missed a 41-yard field goal for the Ducks to open the extra period before Williamson's game winner.

The Cardinal had the nation's best run defense going into the game, allowing an average of just 54.8 yards a game. Oregon, meanwhile, had the country's third-best rushing offense, averaging 325 yards a game.

Stanford held Ducks running back Kenjon Barner, who was averaging 136 yards rushing a game, to just 66 yards. Overall, the Ducks managed only 198 yards on the ground.

Oregon's top rusher was Mariota, who ran for 89 yards. The redshirt freshman who had been getting Heisman buzz, threw for 207 yards and a touchdown.

Stanford stuffed what appeared to be a sure first-quarter Oregon touchdown drive when Mariota took off on a 77-yard keeper to the Stanford 15. But the Ducks couldn't get much closer, and Stanford got the stop when Oregon went for it on fourth-and-2 on the Cardinal 7.

Stanford scored first on Hogan's 1-yard plow into the end zone early in the second quarter, but Oregon answered with Mariota's 28-yard touchdown pass to Keanon Lowe to tie it at 7-all.

Oregon extended its lead to 14-7 on De'Anthony Thomas' 6-yard scoring run in the third quarter, but missed a chance when Maldonado's 42-yard field goal attempt went wide right.

Williamson missed a 43-yard field goal attempt for Stanford early in the fourth quarter.

The Ducks went into the game hurting on defense after a 59-17 victory over California last weekend.

Oregon was without free safety Avery Patterson seriously injured his left knee in the second quarter and is believed to be out for the rest of the season. Patterson had taken over as starter for senior John Boyett, whose career at Oregon ended earlier this season when he needed surgery on both knees. Starting nose guard Wade Keliikipi did not play.

Because the Ducks do not disclose injuries, there was also uncertainty about the secondary, leading to speculation that the team might use Lowe or even multi-purpose sophomore back Thomas on defense. But they did not.

''One thing we take pride in is we don't make excuses,'' Kelly said. ''The No. 1 stuff and the injury stuff everybody else has to deal with, so we don't make excuses. Stanford played better than us tonight and they won the football game.''

Week 12 | K-State, Oregon on course for BCS title game

2012-11-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

K-State, Oregon on course for BCS title game

By RALPH D. RUSSO (AP College Football Writer) | The Associated Press – 13 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/k-state-oregon-course-bcs-014831160--ncaaf.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kansas State and Oregon are now on course to play for the BCS national championship.

After Alabama was upset by Texas A&M, the new BCS standings have the Wildcats (.9674) first and the Ducks (.9497) second.

Notre Dame (.9396) is third, not too far behind, but most likely in need of a loss by Oregon or Kansas State to reach the title game on Jan. 7 in Miami.

''These teams are in their order and the only way that order changes is if somebody gets beat,'' said Jerry Palm, of CBS Sports and collegebcs.com.

As for Alabama's run at three championships in four seasons, and the Southeastern Conference's string of six straight BCS titles, both are in peril.

Five SEC teams follow Alabama in the standings: Georgia, Florida, LSU, Texas A&M and South Carolina. But it will take a couple of upsets to give the SEC champion a shot to reach the BCS title game.

Kansas State is second in both BCS polls - the coaches' and Harris - and in the computer rankings. The Wildcats have two games left, at Baylor on Saturday and home against Texas on Dec. 1, the day of most of the conference championship games.

Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) and teammates celebrates with fans in the stands after the NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, in Fort Worth, Texas. Klein ran for two touchdowns and No. 3 Kansas State bolstered its national title hopes with a 23-10 victory at Big 12 newcomer TCU. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Oregon is first in the both polls and fourth in the computer ratings. The Ducks have two more regular-season games left, against Stanford on Saturday and the next week at Oregon State. They can clinch the Pac-12 North and a spot in the conference title game with a win against Stanford. If they get there, the Ducks would play either UCLA or Southern California in the league title game.

Oregon 's Colt Lyerla, at left with ball, celebrates his 14-yard touchdown reception with teammates during the second half of an NCAA college football game against California in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

If the Ducks and Wildcats can avoid the type of upset that dropped Alabama - and there are plenty of good teams left on their schedules - they will play for the national title.

The Fighting Irish are third in the polls and first in the computer ratings.

''Notre Dame is not going to jump (Oregon and Kansas State) without their help,'' Palm said. ''They're way too far behind in the polls. The voters are not on board with Notre Dame.''

The Irish play Wake Forest on Saturday and are at USC two days after Thanksgiving.

Alabama (or Georgia or Florida, which could also both win the SEC with just one loss) needs two of the top three to lose to get to the title game no matter how it finishes.

Week 12 | Oregon is No. 1 in AP Top 25; K-St 2, Notre Dame 3

2012-11-12T07:00:00.002-08:00

Oregon is No. 1 in AP Top 25; K-St 2, Notre Dame 3

By RALPH D. RUSSO (AP College Football Writer) | The Associated Press – 21 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-no-1-ap-top-171910138--ncaaf.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- Oregon is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll after Alabama gave up the top spot following a loss to Texas A&M.

The Ducks have 45 of 60 first-place votes. Kansas State is No. 2 with 14 first-place votes. Notre Dame is third and received one first-place vote.

Oregon wide receiver Josh Huff (1) celebrates with teammates after his 10-yard touchdown reception against California during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The Crimson Tide, which had been No. 1 for 10 straight weeks, dropped to fourth after a 29-24 loss to the Aggies in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday.

Texas A&M moved up six spots to No. 9.

The Ducks were last No. 1 in 2010. That was the first season in the history of the program that Oregon reached No. 1, and the Ducks spent seven weeks there and reached the BCS championship game, which they lost to Auburn.

No. 25 Kent State is ranked for first time since Nov. 5, 1973.

Game 10 | 10 - 0 | Oregon overcomes injuries to move to No. 1

2012-11-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

Oregon overcomes injuries to move to No. 1

By JOSH DUBOW (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 18 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-overcomes-injuries-move-no-202051942--ncaaf.html

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Oregon's defensive line was so depleted that backup tight end Koa Ka'ai and two other freshmen were pressed into emergency duty.

Big-play running back Kenjon Barner was bottled up all night so freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota put the game on his arm.

Oregon overcame numerous hurdles to beat California 59-17 on Saturday night to move into the top spot in The Associated Press poll with just three weeks left in the regular season.

''That's always been our philosophy,'' coach Chip Kelly said of the ''next man up'' mantra. ''We really got tested with it today. Our guys did a nice job. I can't say enough about what that young defensive line did.''

The Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) were without four of their top five linemen coming into the game and then lost defensive tackle Taylor Hart in the first quarter to another injury.

While Isi Sofele and the Golden Bears (3-8, 2-6) were able to run the ball effectively for 2 1/2 quarters, freshman Arik Armstead forced the interception that turned the momentum in the third quarter and the banged-up defense kept Cal off the scoreboard for the final 25 minutes of the game.

''Just because they're low on the depth chart doesn't mean they're not going to play,'' safety Brian Jackson said. ''They showed that today. They were able to step in with the big boys. They came in and we didn't see any letdown. I saw different numbers and different names in front of me but I didn't see any difference in the play.''

Oregon wide receiver B.J. Kelley (23) catches an 18-yard pass for a touchdown after it was deflected by teammate Pharaoh Brown (85) next to California defensive back Josh Hill (23) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The Ducks survived the litany of injuries to the front four and a possibly season-ending injury to safety Avery Patterson to win their 13th straight game and move into the top spot in the poll following Alabama's 29-23 loss to Texas A&M earlier in the day.

The only other time the Ducks held the top ranking came in 2010, when they were No. 1 for seven weeks before being passed by Auburn late in the final regular season poll in 2010.

Oregon, No. 2 Kansas State and third-ranked Notre Dame are the only undefeated FBS teams left who are eligible for the postseason and are fighting for the two spots in the BCS title game.

But that's not what the Ducks are worried about right now.

''That's what's so good about this team,'' said Josh Huff, who had three TD catches. ''We don't pay attention to the rankings and what's around us. We just play Oregon football. We'll pick our heads up in December and we'll see where we're at.''

Before that happens they need to navigate a treacherous closing stretch of the schedule, starting with a home game next week against No. 14 Stanford. A visit to No. 15 Oregon State and a possible spot in the Pac-12 title game follow, but the big concern now is the Cardinal and their powerful running game behind Stepfan Taylor.

The Bears rushed for 236 yards - the most allowed all season by the Ducks - with most of the damage coming in the first three quarters.

''It was getting a little frustrating,'' Jackson said. ''Stanford is a running team. We know what to expect next week.''

What made those losses on defense easier to overcome was the strong performance by Mariota. Most of the focus on the Ducks offense was on Barner last week after he rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns against Southern California.

But he never got going against a Cal defense focused on shutting down the run and even left the game briefly with a right hand injury that he refused to talk about after the game.

Barner was held to 65 yards rushing on 20 carries - his lowest output against an FBS team this year - and the Ducks managed a season-low 180 yards on the ground, their lowest total in a conference game since 2010.

But with Mariota throwing for a career-high 377 yards and a school record-tying six touchdowns, the Ducks still managed to set a major college football record by scoring at least 40 points for a 13th straight game.

''At the end of the day we still had a good game,'' Barner said. ''I'm not the type of person that has to be the guy. Josh Huff deserved everything that came his way tonight. Marcus continues to impress, guys just continue to step up and do their job. As far as me having a tough game, I'm not worried about it. We came out with a win. That's the most important thing.''

Game 10 | 10 - 0 | Mariota leads No. 2 Oregon past California 59-17

2012-11-11T05:47:00.001-08:00

Mariota leads No. 2 Oregon past California 59-17

By JOSH DUBOW (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 5 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mariota-leads-no-2-oregon-065808407--ncaaf.html

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- In a blink of an eye, Marcus Mariota and Oregon turned a tight game into another blowout that could have the second-ranked Ducks in position to move into the top spot in the country.

Mariota threw the third of his school record-tying six touchdown passes on the first play after an interception to break open what had been a close game and help Oregon make its case for the top ranking in the country by beating California 59-17 on Saturday night.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws against California during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

While the final score was lopsided, the game was tight until midway through the third quarter when Boseko Lokombo intercepted a screen pass from Allan Bridgford. Mariota threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Josh Huff on the next play to give the Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) a 31-17 lead.

''That kind of got things going again,'' Mariota said. ''It flipped the momentum. It's really a momentum game. That helped us out.''

The Ducks withstood injuries to its entire starting defensive line and brief absences by Mariota and star running back Kenjon Barner to extend the longest active winning streak in major college football to 13 games.

The win over California (3-8, 2-6) could be enough to move Oregon up to No. 1 after top-ranked Alabama lost earlier in the day 29-23 to No. 15 Texas A&M. Even more importantly, the Crimson Tide loss cleared one potential rival for a spot in the BCS title game, leaving Notre Dame and Kansas State as the only other major undefeated teams eligible for a bowl. The Ducks are currently third in the BCS rankings.

''That's what's so good about this team,'' Huff said. ''We don't pay attention to the rankings and what's around us. We just play Oregon football. We'll pick our heads up in December and we'll see where we're at.''

After struggling for more than a half against a Golden Bears team that was missing quarterback Zach Maynard and star receiver Keenan Allen, the Ducks will have to be more consistent the next few weeks if they want to remain unbeaten. They finish the regular season against No. 16 Stanford and No. 13 Oregon State and also could be in the Pac-12 title game.

Oregon raced past the Bears with their passing game instead of the vaunted running attack that had rushed for at least 400 yards in the previous three games. Cal held Barner to 65 yards on 20 carries - 256 fewer yards than he had last week against USC - and even knocked him out briefly with a hard hit that sent him to the locker room in the first half.

''They did a good job of filling the box,'' Mariota said. ''That gave us and the passing game more opportunity to do what we can do. That's the kind of thing that happens when you have such a good running back like Kenjon. Guys fill the box to stop him.''

Mariota also left the game after a hard fall late in the second quarter but returned the following series. He then helped the Ducks break the game open in the second half with four TD passes, including two to Huff.

Mariota completed 27 of 34 passes for a career-high 377 yards and tied the school TD record last achieved by Darron Thomas last year against Nevada. Huff finished with five catches for 109 yards and three scores as the Ducks set a major college football record by scoring at least 40 points for a 13th straight game.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, left, runs past a California defender during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

''You have to pick your poison really with them,'' Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. ''If you're going to get up in there and try to stop the run, then the play-action, you're covering really fast guys running down the field.''

The biggest moment came midway through the third quarter after the Bears cut Oregon's lead to 24-17 and got a stop on defense to fire up a crowd that has had little to cheer about this season.

Isi Sofele, who rushed for 134 yards, had been gashing Oregon's defense in the second half and started this drive with a 14-yard run. But Cal went away from him and Bridgford threw the interception under heavy pressure from Arik Armstead that turned the tides as Oregon scored the final 35 points.

''From then on it just stockpiled,'' safety Brian Jackson said. ''It was very important to that game.''

That ended the Bears chances in the final home game of the season and perhaps final home game for Tedford at Cal. There have been questions raised about Tedford's status after missing a bowl for the second time in three years. The Bears have lost four straight for the first time ever under Tedford.

Bridgford finished 9 for 21 for 113 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

''We felt like at halftime we were going to win the game,'' Bridgford said. ''The second half they pulled away a little bit, but we had our chances. We beat ourselves.''

Mariota left the game holding his left arm in the second quarter but returned after Vincenzo D'Amato missed a 48-yard field goal late in the half for Cal. Mariota drove the Ducks 69 yards, capped by a 10-yard pass to Huff that made it 24-10 at the half.

Game 10 | Oregon - California Preview

2012-11-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Oregon-California Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON (STATS Writer) | The Associated Press – Wed, Nov 7, 2012 12:39 AM EST

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-california-preview-053936011--ncaaf.html

Kenjon Barner's record-setting night helped Oregon pass one major test and move closer toward a spot in the BCS championship game.

The second-ranked Ducks have a couple more tests on the horizon but first they have to avoid an upset during Saturday night's visit to struggling California, which may not have its starting quarterback available.

Barner rushed for a program-best 321 yards and scored five times on the ground, matching a Pac-12 mark, to lead Oregon to a 62-51 win at then-No. 18 Southern California this past Saturday. Marcus Mariota also threw for four touchdowns and the Ducks gained 730 yards while matching a school record with their 12th straight victory.

Barner's performance surely boosted his Heisman Trophy candidacy, and he'll try to add to his resume Saturday.

"It's a blessing. It's an honor," Barner said. "But I don't really worry about it. I can't worry about that, I can't focus on that right now because there's still a lot of football left and anything can happen."

More importantly, his effort helped the Ducks move past Notre Dame for third in the BCS standings.

Oregon (9-0, 6-0) trails second-place Kansas State by .0152 and could get a boost with wins over No. 16 Stanford and No. 13 Oregon State to wrap up the season. Before they get to those games, the Ducks have to get past Cal (3-7, 2-5).

"I think we're going to get everyone's best shot no matter who we play," linebacker Michael Clay said. "They're going to come out fired up and ready to get at us. So we just have to be ready for that, especially on road games. We have to weather the storm."

Oregon has won three straight over the Golden Bears after losing three in a row, but the Ducks trailed at halftime in last season's meeting before pulling away for a 43-15 win. Oregon erased a one-point deficit by scoring 29 unanswered points on Oct. 6, 2011.

During its previous visit to Berkeley on Nov. 13, 2010, Oregon needed a punt return touchdown and another score early in the fourth quarter for a 15-13 win.

"It was a dogfight," Clay said. "They missed a field goal, but it was a dogfight. It'll be another one down there."

This time, the Ducks will face a Cal team that's lost three straight and might not have starting quarterback Zach Maynard available. Maynard is dealing with an injured left knee and Allan Bridgford could start in his place.

Bridgford has attempted a combined 48 passes for the Bears and hasn't thrown for a touchdown in his six games. He started in the season opener against Nevada on Sept. 1 when Maynard was disciplined for missing a tutoring session but completed only two of nine passes for six yards.

The junior went 2 of 7 for 26 yards after Maynard got hurt against Washington on Nov. 2 and couldn't lead Cal to a tying score in a 21-13 defeat.

"It would be different if it were my first time playing a college football game but it's not," Bridgford said. "I've played a number of games. I've thrown a handful of passes. I'm not overly nervous. I'm just ready to have fun and waiting to have my shot."

Maynard, though, doesn't have ligament damage in his knee and coach Jeff Tedford will likely wait to see how the injury heals before choosing a starter.

"It's totally dependent on how he's moving and what he feels like," Tedford said. "Each day it gets a little bit better. It's kind of out of our control. He'll get as much rehab as he can and it's just how he responds to that."

Along with its three game win-streak in the series, Oregon has taken 11 of the past 15 meetings. Cal, though, holds a 39-33-2 all-time lead and a 26-15-2 edge on home matchups.

Game 9 | Barner's school-record 324 rushing yards lead Oregon over USC

2012-11-04T06:05:00.002-08:00

Barner's school-record 324 rushing yards lead Oregon over USC

By The Sports Xchange | The SportsXchange – 8 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/barners-school-record-324-rushing-042012630--ncaaf.html

LOS ANGELES -- Oregon tailback Kenjon Barner put on a Heisman-worthy performance Saturday night, scoring five touchdowns and rushing for a school-record 324 yards as the No. 4 Ducks blew past No. 17 USC 62-51 before 93,607 fans at The Coliseum.

The teams combined for 1,357 yards, but the Ducks were the superior team as Barner's running kept USC off-balance for much of the game.

Barner wasn't the only one to be part of five touchdowns as USC quarterback Matt Barkley threw for five scores and 489 yards in the losing cause.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) scores a touchdown as teammate Rahsaan Vaughn (10) blocks Southern California cornerback Nickell Robey (21) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

"We felt like, if we could hold serve, that was a big deal for us," Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. "I knew those guys were good."

So were the Ducks. Barner was nearly perfect and quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 20 of 23 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns. Barner set an Oregon record for yards in a single game and a USC opponent record.

"It's just a great rivalry and tonight we got the best of them," Barner said.

USC coach Lane Kiffin went to the Oregon locker room after the game to congratulate Barner.

"We felt like it would be a heavyweight championship fight and there would be huge death blows," Kiffin said. "I don't know if there's ever been a game with only two punts combined."

Barner's 5-yard touchdown run with 9:15 left gave the Ducks a 55-38 lead that they did not relinquish.

After three quarters, Barner already had 250 yards, a USC opponent record. The Ducks had 737 yards, far eclipsing the USC opponent record of 623 yards set by Notre Dame in 1946. Oregon's 61 points also were the most the Trojans have allowed in a game.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against the Southern California, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. Oregon won 62-51. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

USC tailback Silas Redd cut Oregon's lead to 34-31 on a 2-yard run with 9:59 left in the third quarter, the closest the Trojans got since it was 7-3 in the first quarter. Oregon struck back with a 10-yard run from Barner to make it 41-31, but Marqise Lee returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards to the Oregon 16-yard line and Redd scored on a 2-yard run to cut Oregon's lead to 41-38.

Oregon took only 65 seconds to start the scoring as Mariota coolly took the team 75 yards in five plays, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown pass to De'Anthony Thomas.

USC responded with a 39-yard field goal by Andre Heidari after an apparent 44-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor was ruled incomplete after a video review.

But Oregon ignored that score and went another 75 yards in just more than three minutes, with Mariota throwing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Josh Huff and a 14-yard advantage.

USC drove inside Oregon's 10-yard line on the next possession, but the Ducks' Ifo Ekpre-Olomu intercepted the pass in the end zone.

The Ducks then toyed again with USC's defense as Barner made a terrific 27-yard touchdown run on third-and-5. Barner zigzagged through the Trojans' defense like no tailback has this season.

Just when it looked like a blowout, Barkley found a wide-open Lee for a 75-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-10 with 14:36 left in the first half.

That did not faze the Ducks, who merely went 87 yards with ease as Barner scored on a 5-yard touchdown.

But Barkley found Robert Woods on an 8-yard touchdown pass and it suddenly was 27-17 with 5:59 left. Oregon then took 50 seconds to score another touchdown before Barkley found Nelson Agholor for a 76-yard touchdown pass.

Notes: Lee set a Pac-12 record with 251 yards in kickoff returns. ... USC had never allowed an opposing team to score 62 points. The previous record was Stanford's 56 last season.

Game 9 | Kenjon Barner and up-tempo Oregon fly by USC, dream matchup vs. Alabama on everyone's mind

2012-11-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

Kenjon Barner and up-tempo Oregon fly by USC, dream matchup vs. Alabama on everyone's mind

7 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--kenjon-barner-oregon-offense-alabama-defense-dream-matchup.html

LOS ANGELES – LaMichael James, who left Oregon as the best running back the school has ever seen, stood underneath the tunnel at the L.A. Coliseum and talked about the greatest offense he's ever seen.

Kenjon Barner celebrates with teammates after scoring in the first half. (AP)

And really, what else could he say? His former team, the Oregon Ducks, had just dropped 62 points on USC (which scored 51 in a losing effort) in a game that should have Nick Saban's head spinning.

Yeah, we'll get to Saban in a moment.

But back to the Ducks, who showed Tinseltown why they're college football's version of George Clooney. On Saturday, they scored early – touchdown No. 1 came one minute, five seconds into the game – they scored often – five TDs by halftime – and they scored with ease – nine TDs total on 14 offensive possessions.

Five of those came from Kenjon Barner, who racked up 324 yards rushing (a school record) and still wasn't the Ducks’ offensive leader on the night. That award went to freshman Marcus Mariota, who threw for 304 yards and ran for 119 more.

In a nutshell, this is Oregon football: try to score on every single play and if they don't, line up as fast as they can so they can try again.

And this is why it's so enticing to root for Alabama vs. Oregon in what would be the juiciest season finale in years.

It was just last month that Alabama coach Nick Saban cried foul over the hurry-up offense, saying that it doesn't allow defenses to line up, puts them at greater risk of injury and insinuated that it was ruining the game.

"I just think there's got to be some sense of fairness in terms of asking: is this what we want football to be?" he wondered allowed.

This bit of whine came after Saban's Crimson Tide beat up Ole Miss, a Pinto of an offense in comparison to Oregon's Ferrari.

Chip Kelly's full-throttle attack is a sight to behold. There's nothing flashy about it, other than it always seems to move forward. (Barner rushed the ball 38 times against USC; 36 of those went for positive yards.) They run stretch plays to the left, stretch plays to the right, their receivers block downfield really well, and just when you think they're going to run it again, boom, Mariota pops one over the top.

It's a double-barrel attack that can endure even 484 yards and five touchdowns from Matt Barkley.

The "We are SC" crowd is surely wondering now if Lane Kiffin is the future of the program, this after loss No. 3 in a season the Trojans entered ranked No. 1 in the polls. But really, what could Kiffin do? His offense slapped 51 points on the board and never had a chance.

The question now is, does anyone?

Going into Saturday, the obvious answer was Alabama. But after struggling to hold back an LSU team whose offense is as explosive as a golf clap, it's clear the Tide are not the world-beaters we thought they were. (Somewhere, Steve Spurrier is chuckling about that.)

Kenjon Barner scores in the third quarter of Oregon's win over USC. (Getty)

But if there is a team that can slow the Ducks, Alabama is it. And if there is a team that can slice through the stiff 'Bama defense, it's Oregon.

When asked if he would relish the chance to take their hurry-up attack against Alabama, Barner refused to take the bait.

"I'm not thinking about Nick Saban," he said. "I'm just focused on playing Oregon football."

That's what makes the prospect of Oregon vs. Alabama in the BCS title so intriguing.

Yes, there's still a long way to go between now and then, and Kansas State and Notre Dame are still in the championship picture. But this – Oregon vs. Alabama – is the dream matchup to end the 2012 season.

It would be strength vs. strength. Cardiac Kelly vs. Systematic Saban. West Coast flair vs. Southeastern tradition.

Simply, it would be the two best teams in college football playing in a championship game not even a four-team playoff could guarantee.

It'd be so perfect, it would almost make us forget how much we hate the BCS.

Almost.

Game 9 | 9 - 0 | Oregon 62, USC 51

2012-11-04T05:31:00.000-08:00

Oregon 62, USC 51

By The Sports Xchange | The SportsXchange – 8 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oregon-62-usc-51-030009514--ncaaf.html

LOS ANGELES -- Oregon tailback Kenjon Barner put on a Heisman-worthy performance Saturday night, scoring five touchdowns and rushing for a school record 324 yards as the No. 4 Ducks blew past No. 17 USC 62-51 before 93,607 fans at The Coliseum.

The teams combined for 1,357 yards, but the Ducks were the superior team as Barner's running kept USC off-balance for much of the game.

Barner wasn't the only one to be part of five touchdowns as USC quarterback Matt Barkley threw for five scores and 489 yards in the losing cause.

Barner's 5-yard touchdown run with 9:15 left gave the Ducks a 55-38 lead that they did not relinquish.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner (24) breaks a tackle by Southern California cornerback Nickell Robey (21) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. Oregon won 62-51. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

Lee had an outstanding game in both receiving (12 catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns) and kickoff returns (9 for 234 yards).

Oregon took only 65 seconds to start the scoring as Mariota coolly took the team 75 yards in five plays, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown pass to De'Anthony Thomas.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) carries the ball before he is run down by Southern California cornerback Nickell Robey (21) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

USC responded with a 39-yard field goal by Andre Heidari after an apparent 44-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor was ruled incomplete after a video review.

But Oregon ignored that score and went another 75 yards in just more than three minutes, with Mariota throwing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Josh Huff and a 14-yard advantage.

USC drove inside Oregon's 10-yard line on the next possession, but the Ducks' Ifo Ekpre-Olomu intercepted the pass in the end zone.

The Ducks then toyed again with USC's defense as Barner made a terrific 27-yard touchdown run on third-and-5. Barner zigzagged through the Trojans' defense like no tailback has this season.

Just when it looked like a blowout, Barkley found a wide-open Lee for a 75-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-10 with 14:36 left in the first half.

That did not faze the Ducks, who merely went 87 yards with ease as Barner scored on a 5-yard touchdown.

Game 9 | 9 - 0 | Barner, No. 2 Oregon beat No. 18 USC 62-51

2012-11-04T05:06:00.003-08:00

Barner, No. 2 Oregon beat No. 18 USC 62-51

By GREG BEACHAM (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 6 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/barner-no-2-oregon-beat-030126380--ncaaf.html

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kenjon Barner knew it was his last chance to play back home in Southern California with dozens of friends and family members in the Coliseum stands, all of them waiting for something special.

The Oregon tailback had a little something for them, all right - and with plenty of help he kept the No. 2 Ducks on track in the national title race.

Barner ran for a school-record 321 yards and five touchdowns, Marcus Mariota threw four TD passes, and Oregon produced another landmark offensive performance in a 62-51 victory over No. 18 Southern California on Saturday night.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Southern California, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

Barner celebrated every touchdown with vigor, although the Riverside, Calif., native playfully refused to talk about what he might have shouted to the Trojans' dismayed fans.

Oregon (9-0, 6-0 Pac-12) racked up 730 yards and 62 points - the most ever allowed by USC, which began playing football in 1888.

''Well, I'm from L.A., so it means a lot,'' Barner said with a shrug. ''We know we have an exceptional offense, but this was a great test for us to have to play four quarters and fight to the end. We're going to benefit from this in the long run. As a competitor, you want to be in a great game if you can.''

The teams combined for the third-highest scoring game involving ranked teams in the 76-year history of the AP poll. The ones ahead of it also came this year, with West Virginia beating Baylor 70-63 and Texas A&M topping Louisiana Tech 59-57.

Barner, a product of Riverside, Calif., set a rushing record for a USC opponent by the third quarter, topping Curtis Enis' 241 yards for Penn State in 1996, and smashed LaMichael James' Oregon record shortly afterward.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner, top, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Southern California, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman)

He didn't get his usual late-game break, either: With Matt Barkley and his receivers shredding Oregon's defense, the Ducks' offense stood up to its first late-game pressure of the season.

''We're built for that, though,'' said Mariota, who went 20 of 23 for 304 yards without an interception. ''We go through a lot of conditioning, and we're always ready to play four quarters. This was a good test for us.''

Josh Huff caught two touchdown passes, and De'Anthony Thomas and Daryl Hawkins also scored as the Ducks outlasted USC in a back-and-forth second half to extend their winning streak to 12 games since the Trojans (6-3, 4-3) won in Eugene last season.

Barkley passed for 484 yards and four touchdowns while hitting Marqise Lee with 12 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans, who have lost two straight after a 6-1 start.

Barkley contained any frustration he might feel about USC's defense, which never slowed down Oregon.

''We've done a great job moving the ball since the beginning of the season, and we've just got to do a better job putting the ball in the end zone,'' Barkley said.

Oregon, which is likely to move up in the BCS standings after this win and Notre Dame's narrow victory, had won every game this season by at least 17 points.

Another laugher appeared to be upcoming when Oregon took a 21-3 lead 12 seconds into the second quarter, but Barkley threw TD passes of 75 yards to Lee and 76 yards to Nelson Agholor in the second quarter. USC's offense did its part, scoring more points and gaining more yards (615) than Oregon had allowed all year.

The Trojans' defense simply couldn't keep up with Oregon's relentless pace and precision.

''We haven't lost a road game since Nov. 7, 2009, and I think that's because we don't make a big deal of it,'' Oregon coach Chip Kelly said. ''We knew those guys were good, so we had to do whatever it takes. When two great teams go against each other, things are going to happen.''

Mariota also rushed for another 96 yards.

USC's defense harassed Darron Thomas into a sub-par performance in this matchup last season, but the freshman who has replaced him showed absolutely no nerves in the historic stadium while playing against the team expected to be Oregon's biggest obstacle in Pac-12 play.

Robert Woods also caught a scoring pass for USC.

The Trojans twice pulled within three points in the second half, but Barner was viciously effective on almost every drive, and USC's defense had no answer.

''We were in the showers just now, thinking about it,'' USC linebacker Hayes Pullard said. ''We told ourselves it can't ever happen again. We knew they were extremely fast. A lot of them are from here, so we know them. We just couldn't get stops.''

The Trojans' 38-35 win in Eugene last November was arguably the highlight of Barkley's four-year career, snapping the Ducks' 21-game home winning streak and 19-game conference streak while knocking Oregon out of the national championship race.

But USC got off to a fast start at Autzen Stadium in that shocker, and the Ducks were much quicker in the rematch at the Coliseum.

In fact, the Ducks needed just 65 seconds to take the lead, with Thomas' 16-yard TD reception capping a five-play drive while the late-arriving part of the sellout crowd filed into the Coliseum.

Barkley hit Woods and Agholor for scores in the final minutes before halftime to keep the lead down to 34-24.

The Ducks gained 460 yards in the first half, yet weren't in control.

Redd's first TD trimmed the Ducks' lead to three points, but Oregon converted two fourth downs on their next drive, ending in Barner's third TD.

Randall Telfer caught a short TD pass with 5:27 to play, and USC narrowly missed recovering an onside kick.

Barkley had one more chance to drive, but turned it over on downs with 3 minutes left. Agholor had six catches for 162 yards, and Silas Redd rushed for 92 yards and two TDs.

Game 8 | 8 - 0 | No. 2 Ducks Move to 8-0 with 70-14 Win over Colorado

2012-11-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

No. 2 Ducks Move to 8-0 with 70-14 Win over Colorado

http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205720917

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Kenjon Barner rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 2 Oregon easily took care of Colorado 70-14 on Saturday in advance of next weekend's Pac-12 showdown with 10th-ranked USC.

De'Anthony Thomas rushed for another score and added a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown before most of the Ducks' offensive starters were pulled midway through the second quarter. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota passed for 136 yards and two TDs.

The Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) built a 56-0 lead by halftime and their 70 points were the most they'd ever scored against a conference opponent. It was Oregon's 11th straight overall victory dating to a 38-35 loss at home to USC last season.

Christian Powell rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns for the Buffaloes (1-7, 1-4), who lost their fourth straight.

The Ducks piled up 617 yards in total offense, including 425 on the ground, and the Buffs simply could not keep up. Colorado went into the game ranked 112th in the nation on defense, allowing an average of 489 yards. Oregon had 447 by halftime.

Colorado has yielded at least 50 points in its last three games, including last weekend's 50-6 loss to USC.

Oregon scored twice at the start of the game - on Barner's 1-yard run and Thomas' 9-yard run - before Colorado's offense even got the ball. Mariota added a 5-yard scoring run then hit Bralon Addison with a 16-yard TD all before the first quarter ended.

Barner added a 24-yard scoring run before Thomas' stunning 73-yard punt return gave Oregon a 42-0 lead. Mariota found Daryle Hawkins with a 7-yard touchdown pass before leaving the game with most of Oregon's other starters.

Backup Ducks quarterback Bryan Bennett added a touchdown on a 6-yard keeper before the break and Oregon's 56 points at halftime were its most since scoring 59 on New Mexico in 2010.

Powell had a 1-yard scoring run early in the third quarter to avoid the shutout for the Buffs, then added a 20-yard TD dash to narrow it to 56-14. Bennett answered with two keepers, from 3 and 17 years out, to put Oregon up 70-14.

Colorado coach Jon Embree started junior quarterback Jordan Webb before putting in sophomore Nick Hirschman. Webb completed seven of 11 passes for 31 yards, while Hirshman finished 7 of 16 for 64 yards.

While Oregon remained at No. 2 in the AP Top 25 this week, the Ducks dropped to No. 4 in the BCS standings, which prompted coach Chip Kelly to quip that perhaps the computers were shut down at night before the Ducks played.

A victory against USC next weekend would go a long way toward proving that Oregon is worthy of higher standing. The Nov. 3 game at the Coliseum has been touted by many as the most important Pac-12 game of the season - or at least a preview of the conference championship game.

Last year the then-No. 18 Trojans came to Autzen Stadium and won, dropping the Ducks from No. 4 to No. 9 in the polls and effectively dashing any hopes at a national title bid. USC is considered Oregon's biggest threat again this season.

Game 9 | UO vs @USC | Still a lot at stake between Oregon and USC

2012-11-02T00:48:00.001-07:00

Still a lot at stake between Oregon and USC

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Wed, Oct 31, 2012 3:41 PM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/still-lot-stake-between-oregon-190858655--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Back at the start of the season, Oregon's game at USC was circled on lots of calendars.

It appeared at the time to be the marquee matchup of the Pac-12 season, as well as a possible preview of the league championship game, with the Trojans entering the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll and Oregon ranked fifth.

Adding to the anticipation was USC's 38-35 upset victory over the Ducks at Autzen Stadium last season.

Eight weeks later, the shine is off the game a bit. USC has lost two games, including a 39-36 loss at Arizona last weekend, and fallen to No. 18 in the AP rankings.

Undefeated Oregon has climbed to No. 2 and has taken aim at a second national championship berth in three seasons. The Ducks are leading the nation with an average of 53.38 points per game. Their vaunted offense is ranked third with an average of 331 yards rushing and seventh in total offense with 540 yards on average.

Oregon hasn't dropped a game since that loss to the Trojans last season, a string of 11 straight victories.

So it follows that the Ducks (8-0, 5-0 Pac-12) are favored to win Saturday night's game in Los Angeles.

Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas (6) breaks through the pack and heads down the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

But don't count out USC just yet, warned Colorado coach Jon Embree, who has seen both teams.

''With a team like that, you'd rather play them after a win than a loss,'' Embree said. ''They're going to come out fighting and with a different sense of purpose.''

Colorado is the most recent team to fall to the Ducks, losing 70-14 last weekend at Autzen Stadium. The Buffaloes, with just one win this season, really never stood a chance with Oregon leading 56-0 at the half and eventually piling up 617 yards in total offense.

Earlier in the season, the Buffaloes lost to the Trojans 50-6 in Los Angeles. USC quarterback Matt Barkley tied his school record by throwing for six touchdowns.

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian, whose Huskies have also faced both teams - and also lost to both in back-to-back weeks - wasn't willing to pick a winner.

''I think it will be a good game,'' Sarkisian said. ''I think they're different in their style and their approaches. But they're both good teams, both well-coached. It will be a fun game to watch.''

USC's loss to the Wildcats changed the tone of the season for the Trojans, who were picked in the preseason to win the conference championship and now sit at 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference.

The Trojans still lead the Pac-12 South after Arizona State's loss to UCLA at home, but they lost a chance to get some separation. They also lost any realistic hope of playing for the national title.

Still, USC did put up some impressive offensive numbers against Arizona, including Marqise Lee's Pac-12-record 345 yards receiving on 16 catches, along with two touchdowns. Lee was named the Pac-12 player of the week.

Barkley threw for a school-record 493 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans rolled up 618 yards.

But the Trojans hurt themselves with 13 penalties for 117 yards. USC has been the most penalized team in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with 10.25 penalties for 84.63 yards per game.

In contrast, Oregon blanked Arizona 49-0 earlier this season.

CORRECTS OREGON QUARTERBACK TO MARCUS MARIOTA - Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, left, hands off to running back Kenjon Barner during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012. Mariota passed for 136 yards and two TDs while Barner rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon defeated Colorado 70-14. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

''Both teams have great athletes on both sides of the ball, and certainly a lot of guys that are going to be playing on Sunday,'' Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. ''Oregon's philosophy is to try to go faster offensively, at a different tempo than USC goes, but I think it's going to be a great ball game.

''You've got a lot of veteran players that understand their systems and it seems that both teams are pretty healthy going into it. We didn't play well at all against Oregon, of course, but there were moments we didn't play well against USC.''

Even though the Trojans aren't living up to expectations, they're still playing for the Pac-12 South and a spot in the league championship game on Nov. 30 - where they could face Oregon again. And a USC upset for the second straight season could derail the Ducks - again - in a bid for a national title.

Oregon's players are aware of what's at stake.

''This game has been hyped all season and it's finally here. But we couldn't focus on them the whole year because then we wouldn't be where we are,'' Oregon safety Brian Jackson said. ''So now it's time to focus on them and they definitely have our attention.''

Week 10 | Bama, Oregon, K-State, ND rise to top of AP poll

2012-11-02T00:36:00.001-07:00

Bama, Oregon, K-State, ND rise to top of AP poll

By RALPH D. RUSSO (AP College Football Writer) | The Associated Press – Sun, Oct 28, 2012 9:13 PM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bama-oregon-k-state-nd-203252625--ncaaf.html

Breaking down the AP college football poll after Week 9 of the regular season.

---

MAKING A STATEMENT:

Call them the fantastic four. Or maybe the final four in the race for No. 1.

Alabama, Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame hold the top four spots in The Associated Press college football poll released Sunday.

The Crimson Tide is No. 1 for the ninth straight week and the Ducks are No. 2 for the sixth consecutive week.

The third-ranked Wildcats and fourth-ranked Fighting Irish each moved up a spot after Florida lost 17-9 to Georgia. That dropped the Gators from third to eighth.

The BCS standings came out later Sunday and Alabama was first again, but Kansas State and Notre Dame followed with Oregon fourth.

The Tide, Ducks, Wildcats and Irish will spend the last month of the regular season competing against each other from a far, vying for two spots in the BCS national championship game. All of them could get to Dec. 2, BCS selection day, unbeaten.

The finish line is now in sight, but no peeking.

''It's tough not to, knowing you're so close, but man, you just have to focus in on next week, focus in on next game,'' K-State wide receiver Chris Harper said after the Wildcats' 55-24 victory against Texas Tech. ''It's really hard not to look ahead, but the position that we're in, you can't do it.''

Alabama and Oregon both face big tests Saturday. Emerging Heisman trophy contender AJ McCarron and the Tide go to Baton Rouge, La., to face No. 5 LSU in a game that could decide the SEC West.

The Pac-12's game of the year was supposed to be Saturday as well. The Ducks will be at No. 18 Southern California, but the Trojans are coming off their second loss of the season. USC fell 39-36 at Arizona and hasn't looked much like a team that started the season No. 1.

Still, Matt Barkley and crew figure to provide some resistance to an Oregon team that has yet to enter the fourth quarter of a game with the result in doubt.

Kansas State is home against Big 12 rival Oklahoma State. Notre Dame, coming off a 30-13 victory at Oklahoma, takes on Pittsburgh in South Bend, Ind.

A BCS mess looms. Alabama's position as No. 1 is safe as long as the defending national champions keep winning. The other three will jockey for the position behind the Tide, and voters (both in the AP poll and the two used in the BCS standings) will parse scores and schedules, looking for the slightest flaws to separate the Ducks, Wildcats and Irish.

Good luck with that.

---

MOVING UP

Dismissed after getting thumped at South Carolina, No. 7 Georgia moved up five spots in the latest rankings and moved into position to win a second straight SEC East title.

The Bulldogs put together by far their best defensive performance of the season against the Gators. It really came out of nowhere. Georgia, with a lineup full of future NFL draft picks, had been allowing more than 200 yards per game on the ground over its last three.

All-American linebacker Jarvis Jones, who has been slowed by injuries, was spectacular with 13 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Florida ran for only 81 yards.

Georgia needs to beat Mississippi and Auburn to book a trip to the Southeastern Conference title game for the sixth time in 12 seasons under coach Mark Richt. Yes, the Bulldogs have benefited from a favorable schedule the past two seasons, missing the best teams from the SEC West. But you can only play the teams on your schedule and Georgia has beaten almost all of them.

Still, many Bulldogs fans have been exasperated by their team and coach in recent seasons. Georgia hasn't won the SEC since 2005, and while Florida, Alabama, Auburn and LSU have won the last six national titles, Georgia hasn't won any.

That's a high standard to meet, but that's where the bar is set for the top SEC programs these days.

---

MOVING DOWN

USC, now that's a disappointing team.

Even after losing at Stanford in September, the Trojans were No. 10 with a chance to work their way back into the national title race. Another sloppy performance led to their second loss of the season.

The Trojans had more than 600 yards, including 493 passing by Barkley, against Arizona. Star receiver Marqise Lee had 16 catches for a Pac-12 record 345 yards. But USC committed five turnovers and 13 penalties and let a 15-point, second-half lead slip away.

Coach Lane Kiffin's talented team has been its own worst enemy all season. USC is the most penalized team in the country, averaging 10.3 per game for 84.6 yards. The Trojans are tied for 94th in the nation with 18 giveaways.

The irony is USC will still be front and center in the national championship chase.

The Trojans play Oregon on Saturday, and finish their regular season on Nov. 24 at home against Notre Dame. The Trojans still control their destiny in the Pac-12 South, and could reach the conference title game, possibly for a rematch with Oregon.

Playing spoiler, however, is not what the Trojans had in mind this season.

---

IN AND OUT

From undefeated to unranked.

Rutgers pulled off that trick with a ghastly performance at home against Kent State.

The Scarlet Knights committed seven turnovers and the Golden Flashes won 35-23 for the Mid-American Conference's fourth victory this season against the Big East. For the second straight week, a ranked and unbeaten Big East team lost to a MAC team. Last week, it was Cincinnati losing at Toledo.

Rutgers, which only had six turnovers coming into the game, had been ranked 18th.

The silver lining for the Scarlet Knights is they are still very much in play for their first Big East championship. They play Army next week before finishing the season against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and No. 12 Louisville.

The Big East didn't have much chance of sending a team to the national title game, but those nonconference loses have taken some of the luster off what was set to be an intriguing league race.

Elsewhere in the MAC, Ohio University also went from unbeaten to unranked. The Bobcats, ranked for the first time since 1968, lost 23-20 to league rival Miami of Ohio.

MAC teams Toledo (8-1, 5-0), Kent State (7-1, 4-0), Northern Illinois (8-1, 5-0) and Ohio (7-1, 3-1) all received votes in the latest AP Top 25.

Also falling out of the rankings was Michigan. Moving back in was No. 21 Nebraska, No. 24 Arizona and No. 25 UCLA.

---

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Louisville has not been ranked this high since it reached No. 8 early in the 2007 season, the year after Bobby Petrino coached the Cardinals to the Orange Bowl, and then bolted for the NFL.

Louisville fell out of the rankings in September 2007, and didn't get back in until the start of this season.

---

ODDS AND ENDS

Newly ranked Arizona and UCLA play at the Rose Bowl on Saturday. ... No. 16 Texas A&M is at No, 17 Mississippi State. The Bulldogs, who were trounced by Alabama 38-7 on Saturday, will try to avoid a two-game losing streak after starting the season 7-0.

---

AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta in Manhattan, Kan., contributed to this report.

---

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

AP Top 10

1. Alabama (60)

2. Oregon

3. Kansas St.

4. Notre Dame

5. LSU

6. Ohio St.

7. Georgia

8. Florida

9. Florida St.

10. Clemson

Game 8 | 8 - 0 | Second-ranked Oregon dispatches Colorado 70-14

2012-11-02T00:16:00.001-07:00

Second-ranked Oregon dispatches Colorado 70-14

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Sat, Oct 27, 2012 7:57 PM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/second-ranked-oregon-dispatches-colorado-221613978--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Ducks spent all last week saying they weren't looking past Colorado to next weekend's Pac-12 showdown at USC.

So after the second-ranked Ducks easily dispatched the Buffaloes 70-14 on Saturday at Autzen Stadium, it was OK to finally talk about the Trojans.

Well, sort of. USC was still just another ''faceless opponent'' to undefeated Oregon.

''It's a big game, but we treat every game the same,'' said redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota, who threw for 136 yards and two touchdowns against Colorado.

The Trojans took some of the drama away from next week's game at L.A. Coliseum, losing at Arizona 39-36 later Saturday afternoon.

Oregon players said they would revel in their victory over Colorado for another day before shifting their focus to the Trojans.

Kenjon Barner rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, while De'Anthony Thomas rushed for another score and added a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown against the overmatched Buffs. Most of Oregon's offensive starters were pulled by the midway point of the second quarter.

Oregon running back Kenjon Barner, right, rushes down the sideline ahead of Colorado defender Derrick Webb during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

''When you've got Kenjon, De'Anthony, Marcus, you really force people to defend everyone,'' coach Chip Kelly said.

Colorado freshman Christian Powell rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns for the Buffaloes (1-7, 1-4), who lost their fourth straight.

''Yes, they're a good team. They're fast, they're just what everybody would expect. They're disciplined, they made a lot of plays, they're a great team,'' Powell said about the Ducks.

Colorado has yielded at least 50 points in its last three games, including last weekend's 50-6 loss to USC.

''I've been saying it all week, they (the Ducks) have a great opportunity to hold that crystal ball at the end of the year,'' Colorado coach Jon Embree said.

Barner added a 24-yard scoring run before Thomas' stunning 73-yard punt return gave Oregon a 42-0 lead. The winding sprint to the endzone offered another glimpse of the sophomore's jaw-dropping speed.

''I'm not really one of those guys about stats,'' Thomas said. ''I'm more about wins and being there for my team.''

Mariota found Daryle Hawkins with a 7-yard touchdown pass before leaving the game with most of Oregon's other starters.

Backup Ducks quarterback Bryan Bennett added a touchdown on a 6-yard keeper before the break and Oregon's 56 points at halftime were its most since scoring 59 on New Mexico in 2010.

''Once we get everyone on the same page, it's hard to beat this team,'' Barner said.

Before Saturday, it was looking as though a victory against USC next weekend would go a long way toward proving that Oregon is worthy of higher standing. The Nov. 3 game at the Coliseum has been touted by many as the most important Pac-12 game of the season - or at least a preview of the conference championship game.

The Trojans fell to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Pac-12 with the loss to the Wildcats.

Game 7 | 7 - 0 | No. 2 Oregon runs over Arizona State 43-21

2012-11-02T00:12:00.002-07:00

No. 2 Oregon runs over Arizona State 43-21

By JOHN MARSHALL (AP College Football Writer) | The Associated Press – Fri, Oct 19, 2012 12:39 AM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-2-oregon-runs-over-042837079--ncaaf.html

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Kenjon Barner ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns, Marcus Mariota added 135 yards, and No. 2 Oregon manhandled Arizona State in a 43-21 victory Thursday night.

Facing its first true road test, Oregon (7-0, 4-0 Pac-12) turned what was supposed to be a duel in the desert into another we've-seen-this-before rout by running over the Sun Devils in the first half.

The Ducks had their way against what had been the Pac-12's best defense, racing to a 36-point halftime lead and rushing for 406 yards to win their nation-leading 12th straight road game.

Arizona State (5-2, 3-1) got the start it wanted, forcing a fumble on Oregon's second play and scoring a touchdown on its first.

The Sun Devils wilted after that, unable to make up for the early loss of star defensive tackle Will Sutton or find a way to slow down the Ducks as they raced past.

Taylor Kelly, the Pac-12's pass efficiency leader, threw two interceptions that set up Oregon touchdowns in the first half and had 93 yards on 10-of-18 passing while being chased by the Ducks most of the game.

Arizona State's defense, its anchor through the first six games, allowed 454 total yards, including 48 more rushing than it had the previous four games combined.

Mariota threw for one touchdown, ran for another and had one receiving in his first true road game.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) scrambles for yardage as he is pursued by Arizona State defenders during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Sun Devil Stadium hadn't been the stage for a game like this for some time, maybe back to 2005, when Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and No. 1 Southern California beat the Sun Devils 38-28.

Oregon had become the standard for success in the West, winning three straight Pac-12 titles, last season's Rose Bowl and earning a trip to the BCS title game the year before that.

The Ducks may be even better this season, again scoring points quickly and in bunches, with an improved defense to go with it.

Arizona State was one of the surprises the first half of the season, winning five games and nearly pulling out a sixth under new coach Todd Graham.

To swat down the Ducks on national TV would be a big boost to the Sun Devils, a we-have-arrived moment that would turn the spotlight full blast toward the desert.

More than 70,000 fans showed up for this highly anticipated duel, creating a ''black out'' with their synchronized black shirts.

The Ducks quickly made it look like they were attending a funeral in the first half.

Arizona State at least got off to a good start, recovering a fumble by Mariota on Oregon's second play, scoring 7 seconds later on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Kevin Ozier.

The game had barely started, but that was about it for the Sun Devils, who lost Sutton for the game and possibly longer to a right knee injury on Mariota's fumble.

Two plays later, Barner ran up the middle, hesitated for a second and raced 71 yards for a touchdown.

Then it was Mariota to Bralon Addison for a 6-yard touchdown. Mariota was on the receiving end for the next score, catching a 2-yard pass from backup Bryan Bennett, who wriggled the ball forward while in the grasp of two defenders.

The first of Kelly's two interceptions, by Boseko Lokombo, set up Barner for a 1-yard scoring run. Mariota then raced up the middle 86 yards for a touchdown. Barner scored again on a 1-yard run, again after an interception, this one by Avery Patterson.

Oregon led 43-7 at halftime and had 329 yards rushing, 29 fewer than Arizona State allowed against Colorado, California, Utah and Missouri combined.

The Ducks coasted through the second half, resting many of their starters as Arizona State scored two touchdowns.

It didn't matter at that point.

Game 6 | 6 - 0 | No. 2 Oregon defeats No. 23 Washington 52-21

2012-11-01T23:31:00.001-07:00

No. 2 Oregon defeats No. 23 Washington 52-21

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Sun, Oct 7, 2012 3:09 AM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-2-oregon-defeats-no-055420005--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Marcus Mariota says part of his progression as a young quarterback is learning how not to do too much.

Oregon's redshirt freshman put his faith more in his teammates on Saturday night, throwing for 198 yards and four touchdowns in the No. 2 Ducks' 52-21 victory over No. 23 Washington.

''I just really have to trust them, and trust my ability to get them the ball,'' he said.

Mariota rebounded from an interception on the Ducks' opening series to complete 15 of 24 passes and Oregon (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) won its ninth straight overall dating back to last season, as well as its ninth straight in the series against the rival Huskies (3-2, 1-1).

Mariota connected with tight end Colt Lyerla with two touchdowns, and also found Keanon Lowe and Josh Huff. Lyerla caught three passes for 71 yards, including touchdowns of 10 and 13 yards.

''I think today was a really good example of a team effort,'' Mariota said.

Kenjon Barner, who went into the game ranked 10th in the nation with an average of 121 yards rushing per game, joined in, running for 122 yards.

On Washington's side, Bishop Sankey ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Keith Price completed 19 of 31 passes for 145 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked once.

''We really felt like we could come in and play with them,'' Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. ''We felt like we had a plan offensively. But we had a hard time tackling the quarterback when he got out of the pocket. That made things difficult for us.''

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota unleashes a pass as Washington defender Andrew Hudson watches at right during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

The two Pacific Northwest teams have a lengthy rivalry. Huskies' fans remember ''The Pick'' in 1994 when freshman cornerback Kenny Wheaton saved the day for the Ducks when he intercepted a pass by Damon Huard and ran it back 97 yards for a score.

The victory sent Oregon to the Rose Bowl - and a clip is still played on the video scoreboard for fans before every home game.

The Huskies raised the ire of Ducks' fans in 2002 when, after beating Oregon 42-10, the team danced for nearly an hour on the ''O'' on the 50-yard line at Autzen Stadium.

But because of Oregon's recent domination of the series, the intensity of the rivalry has diminished in recent years. The Ducks' nine-game winning streak is the longest for either side in the series history, which dates back to 1900.

There was little visible contentiousness between the two teams on Saturday night, except for a brief shoving match in the third quarter.

Mariota, normally cool on the field, said there was a point where he stood up for himself after being pushed out of bounds.

''We try to take each game like it's a rivalry,'' Mariota said.

De'Anthony Thomas opened the scoring for the Ducks when he wove his way through several defenders for a 16-yard touchdown, set up when the Huskies fumbled on a punt return and Oregon's B.J. Kelley recovered on the Washington 20.

Mariota found sophomore Lowe with a 21-yard scoring pass before Avery Patterson scored on a 43-yard interception return. It was Patterson's second straight game with an interception return for a touchdown.

Sankey, who had also run for 100 yards in each of Washington's previous two games, had a 1-yard touchdown dive for the Huskies to make it 21-7 early in the second quarter.

The Ducks answered with Mariota's 10-yard TD pass to Lyerla. A short time later, a running Mariota hit Huff with a 34-yard catch-and-run.

Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas celebrates his touchdown with offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Washington in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

Rob Beard, who missed a 41-yard field goal attempt in the first half, made a 28-yarder early in the second to make it 38-7. Sankey ran for a hard-fought 6-yard touchdown before the end of the third quarter.

Lyerla opened the fourth with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mariota, and a short time later Byron Marshall ran for a score to make it 52-14.

Erich Wilson had a 1-yard TD run for Washington with 32 seconds left in the game.

''I don't think the final score is indicative of their football team as compared to ours and that part's really frustrating to me,'' Sarkisian said.

The victory was Chip Kelly's 40th as Oregon's head coach.

Washington popped into the rankings last week after a 17-13 victory over then-No. 8 Stanford.

The Ducks were the Huskies' third top-10 opponent this season. Washington also fell 41-3 to then-No. 3 LSU.

They struggled as much against the Ducks, who went into the game averaging more than 52 points a game and 550 yards in total offense.

Last season, Oregon defeated Washington 34-17 in the final game played at the old Husky Stadium before an extensive renovation that is set to be completed for the 2013 season.

Game 5 | 5 - 0 | No. 2 Ducks shake Wazzu in 2nd half for 51-26 win

2012-11-01T23:10:00.001-07:00

No. 2 Ducks shake Wazzu in 2nd half for 51-26 win

By TIM BOOTH (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Sun, Sep 30, 2012 3:09 AM EDT

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-2-ducks-shake-wazzu-061845561--ncaaf.html

SEATTLE (AP) -- Avery Patterson didn't believe the halftime talk from Oregon's coaches was suitable to print.

Whatever was said, the second-ranked Ducks certainly woke up.

De'Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner sandwiched touchdown runs around Patterson's 34-yard interception return for a score, and No. 2 Oregon used a third-quarter scoring blitz to shake Washington State for a 51-26 win on Saturday night.

Playing for the first time outside the Eugene city limits, the Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) looked shaky at times in the first half and led just 23-19 at the break, but put together a nearly flawless third quarter to run away from the Cougars.

''Just our mindset. We came out and we didn't execute as well as we wanted in the first half and we knew that,'' Barner said.

Thomas capped an 18-play drive to start the half with a 4-yard TD, then Patterson stepped in front of Connor Halliday's pass for Oregon's third interception return for a TD in two games. After Washington State (2-3, 0-2) went three-and-out, Barner scored on a 10-yard run to cap the 21-point spurt in just over 4 minutes.

Barner finished with four total touchdowns, including scoring runs of 22 yards in the first quarter and an 80-yarder in the fourth to go along with a 30-yard touchdown reception in the first half. His 195 yards rushing was the second-best rushing game of his career behind the 201 yards he had against Fresno State earlier this season.

The Ducks started the second-half with their longest scoring drive - by plays - of the season, a methodical 18-play march that ate up more than 6 minutes. They ran nine times and threw nine times on the drive and only three times faced third down. The last came from the Cougars 4 when Barner went in motion and the middle opened for quarterback Marcus Mariota to hand off to Thomas, who plowed in for his fifth rushing TD of the season.

Oregon's Kenjon Barner, second from right, runs for a touchdown in the second half, ahead of Washington State's Robert Barber (94), in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

''You just got to set the tone,'' Barner said. ''It's a game of runs, you want the momentum on your side and sometimes a long drive like that will get things going for you.''

But the catalyst for Oregon's third-quarter surge might have been set at the end of the first half.

Washington State was driving with a chance to potentially take the lead at the break. The Cougars reached the Oregon 17 before Dion Jordan, Michael Clay and Wade Keliikipi recorded consecutive sacks that knocked the Cougars back 38 yards and forced a punt.

''As a front for the defense we needed to get after the quarterback to help out those guys in the back end,'' Jordan said. ''That's what we did and guys made big plays. ... We knew their opportunity was coming soon so we just had to take advantage of the situations.''

With the defense setting the tone with the surge of sacks, it was time for them to add another big scoring play. Before Washington State got a chance to answer Thomas' TD, Patterson was stepping in front of a pass intended for Gabe Marks and racing untouched the other direction for a score. Patterson joined Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Troy Hill with returning interceptions for touchdowns this season.

''It was definitely a momentum shift and we took it and ran with it,'' Patterson said.

After another three-and-out by the Cougars and a short punt, Oregon needed just seven plays for Barner to find the end zone for the third time and a 44-19 lead.

Barner put a cap on his night and an explosive second half when he escaped a pileup near the Oregon sideline and skirted free to run 80 yards early in the fourth quarter. His four total TDs is second behind a five-touchdown performance in 2010 against New Mexico.

Oregon's Kenjon Barner (24) is lifted up by Hroniss Grasu (55) and Kyle Long (obscured) as they celebrate Barner's touchdown in the second half, after Barner ran into the end zone ahead of Washington State's Robert Barber (94), in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

''It felt like the end zone was running away from me,'' Barner said about the second-longest TD run of his career.

Mariota finished 21 of 32 passing for 169 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the first road start of his career. He also had a 13-yard TD run in the first quarter.

Thomas had just six touches in the first half for a total of 33 yards and no play longer than 15. He got four touches on the first drive of the second half alone including the capping TD run. He also got his first kickoff returns of the season after most teams had refused to kick toward the speedy sophomore, but his longest return was 19 yards.

Washington State continued its series of playing once a year at the home of the Seattle Seahawks and for the foreseeable future it will be either Oregon or Oregon State as the foe. While the crowd of 60,929 was mostly crimson, there was plenty of green and highlighter yellow that made the trip north to see the Ducks first road game of the season.

Connor Halliday threw for 348 yards and Marquess Wilson had 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown to become Washington State's all-time leader in yards receiving. But the Cougars had no ground game finishing with (minus)-8 net yards rushing. Halliday was sacked seven times.

''I thought that we competed in this game better from start to finish than we've competed in any other game this year and we need to learn from this game and grow from it, but there are a lot of positives in this game,'' Washington State coach Mike Leach said. ''The results aren't what I would like, but I thought the personal effort as far as individual players I thought was the best work we've done during the season.''

De'Anthony Thomas and Five Other Oregon Ducks on SI Covers | Can Fastest Man in Football Outrun SI Cover Jinx?

2012-09-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

De'Anthony Thomas and Five Other Oregon Ducks on SI Covers

Can Fastest Man in Football Outrun SI Cover Jinx?

By Harold Andrews | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 22 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/deanthony-thomas-five-other-oregon-ducks-si-covers-163000205--nfl.html

De'Anthony Thomas is featured on the cover of the September 24, 2012 issue of Sports Illustrated, as "The Fastest Man In Football".There is a common belief (myth or reality) that SI cover appearances can be a jinx, leading to future failure. This is a brief review of five other Oregon Ducks football players, and what happened to them after their Sports Illustrated cover appearances.

Akili Smith, April 19, 1999: Smith only played one season at Oregon, as a senior quarterback in 1998. His 32 touchdown passes in 11 games were enough to make him a potential #1 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. The SI cover asks whether the Cleveland Browns should make Smith, or Tim Couch (Kentucky) the #1 overall pick. The two players, plus a Browns' fan, are shown in Cleveland jerseys. Drafted #3 overall by Cincinnati, Akili Smith was a bust, starting 17 games in four years and completing only five touchdown passes. Jinxed?

Joey Harrington, August 13, 2001: SI's annual College Football Preview Issue featured Harrington in the foreground and Ken Simonton (Oregon State) in the background, with the headline "State of War". Harrington capped his career at Oregon throwing for 350 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-16 victory over Colorado in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl, and finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Like Smith before him, he was the #3 overall pick in the NFL Draft (Detroit, 2002). In four seasons as the Lions' QB, Harrington was intercepted 62 times, including 22 (most in the NFL) in the 2003 season. Released by Detroit, he played two more seasons, one each with Miami and Atlanta, but finished his NFL career with 26 wins, 50 losses, 85 interceptions against 79 touchdowns. Professional Jinx?

Jason Fife, September 29, 2003: Fife followed Harrington as the Ducks starting quarterback in 2002 and was ranked as the #2 QB in the nation. His SI cover followed an upset win over the Michigan Wolverines, which moved Oregon up to #10 in the national rankings with a 4-0 record. The Ducks promptly lost their next three games in a row. Fife was reduced to sharing the QB position the following season, went undrafted by the NFL in 2004, is listed as a member of the New Orleans Saints in 2006 with no NFL game appearances. Double Jinx?

Jeremiah Masoli, August 18, 2009: Masoli came to as a junior college transfer in 2008 and moved from third string to started as injuries hit the Ducks hard at quarterback. He appeared with the Ducks' center, Jordan Holmes, on the annual College Football Preview issue, which listed Oregon as #11 in the country. In 2009 Masoli had a stellar season, leading the Ducks to the Pac-10 championship, finishing in a 26-17 loss to Ohio State in the 2010 Rose Bowl. Less than a year after his Sports Illustrated cover, Masoli was dismissed from the Oregon program due to off-field activities. He went on to play for Mississippi, and is in the Canadian Football League. Jinxed?

LaMichael James, December 13, 2010: Anyone who is even a casual fan of Oregon football knows LaMichael James, and would call his career a success. Oregon's career rushing leader, 2010 Doak Walker Award winner and #3 in the Heisman voting, 2011 Pac-12 Championship Game MVP, are but a few of his accomplishments. In 2012 LaMichael James is a rookie with the San Francisco 49ers. The Sports Illustrated cover appeared just prior to the playing of the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, which Oregon (and LaMichael James) lost 22-19 to Auburn (and Cam Newton). BCS Jinx?

Can the "Fastest Man in Football" outrun the Sports Illustrated cover jinx? I sure hope so.

Harold Andrews has been a fan of the Oregon Ducks for nearly 50 years, through the good and the bad. He gets excited every time De'Anthony touches the ball.

sources:

sportsillustrated.cnn.com

goducks.com

nfl.com

http://insidesportsillustrated.com/

Game 4 | 4-0 | No. 3 Oregon wins Pac 12 opener

2012-09-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

Scott Reed
Duck Sports Authority Staff Analyst

http://oregon.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1412794&PT=4&PR=2

The No. 3 Oregon Ducks entered their conference opener against the No. 22 ranked Arizona Wildcats with some questions surrounding their defense and their ability to close games early in the season. While the conference opener against an improved Arizona squad under first year coach Rich Rodriguez may not have been able to completely dispel all of those questions, it could go a long way given Rodriguez' prodigious early season offense at Arizona.
In an early fourth down conversion attempt, the Ducks gave Arizona excellent field position at the Duck 35 yard line. Arizona, showing a good mix of run and pass with Matt Scott doing much of the work, were unable to capitalize, though, when a bad snap on a field goal attempt stopped the Wildcats first drive.

The Duck offense was out of synch early. After regaining the ball inside their own 15 yard line, Marcus Mariota fumbled the ball back to the Wildcats at the 11 yard line but the Ducks quickly turned the tide with an Ifo Ekpre-Olumu interception.

After the interception the Ducks marched down the field to open the scoring on a 17 yard touchdown pass from Mariota to Daryle Hawkins to give the Ducks an early 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing drive the Wildcats, with the aid of penalties, once again moved the ball inside the Duck 5 yard line but were unable once again to capitalize when a fourth and goal attempt failed.

Oregon mistakes kept Arizona in the game early. After moving the ball out of the shadow of its own end zone, De'Anthony Thomas fumbled the ball back to the Wildcats. once again, though, the Duck defense stiffened and blocked a Wildcat field goal attempt.

The Wildcats offense, which seemed to move well in between the twenty yard lines had difficulty inside the red zone.

Oregon extended the lead with a 27 yard field goal with just under six minutes left in the first half.

In a first half that did not see near the offensive fireworks that many expected, teh Ducks took a 13-0 lead into the half after a second Rob Beard field goal from 41 yards with less than a minute to play in the second quarter.

Arizona opened the second half much the same way as the first with some success followed quickly by a Duck stop. After a quick first down, the Ducks punted right back and the first half defensive struggle seemed to be back for both teams.

Arizona worked hard to neutralize De'Anthony Thomas. Two times early in the third quarter, the Wildcats were able to keep the ball away from Thomas on punts, first with a quick kick on fourth and three and then with a beautiful 61 yard punt.

The Duck offense got a jolt from De'Anthony Thomas' 38 ya5rd punt return and quickly turned it into points with a 35 yard pass to Colt Lyerla and a 1 yard touchdown run by Colt Lyerla. A quick two point conversion took the lead to 21-0 midway through the third quarter.

The Duck defense continued to be stingy. Kiko Alonso intercepted Matt Scott late in the third quarter and the Duck offense struck quickly with a two play 59 yard drive capped by a 57 pass to freshman Bralon Addison.

The Duck defense just kept coming in waves as Ifo Ekpre-Olumu intercepted Scott on the next possession and returned it 54 yards for his first career touchdown to put the Ducks up 35-0 early in the fourth quarter .

After another crucial stop on fourth and short, the Ducks took over intent on running out as much of the clock as possible with just over ten minutes left in the game. Taking the ball 86 yards in 12 plays and 6:35 time of possession to extend the lead to 42-0 with just over four minutes left in the game.

From there, the outcome was academic, but the Duck defense wanted to finish the game and shutout the high powered Arizona offense. But the defense was not done scoring yet another defensive touchdown on Troy Hill's 29 yard interception return on the very next play for Arizona.

The Wildcats, who came in averaging 596 yards of total offense per game were held to nearly half that total as the Wildcats put up just 350 yards of total offense. The running game was largely absent for the Wildcats as they gained just 3.0 yards per carry. Without the threat of the run, Matt Scott, who came into the contest averaging 331 yards per game through the air, finished the game 23-45 for 212 yards and 3 costly interceptions.

Oregon would force a final 3 and out and run the clock out to secure their first conference shutout since 2003 with the 49-0 drubbing over the No. 22 ranked Arizona Wildcats.

Oregon, now 4-0, takes to the road for the first time next week for a neutral site game in Seattle against the Washington State Cougars.

Game 4 | 4-0 | No. 3 Oregon blanks No. 22 Arizona 49-0

2012-09-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

No. 3 Oregon blanks No. 22 Arizona 49-0
By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 4 hours ago

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-3-oregon-blanks-no-061417904--ncaaf.html;_ylt=AgKIrlW0xznaIKJ7U5yyM0XD1LYF

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- For all the talk about the Oregon's quick-striking offense, the credit for the conference-opening win over Arizona goes to the Ducks' defense.

No. 3 Oregon held the No. 22 Wildcats out of the end zone in a 49-0 victory on Saturday night, and the defense helped with two touchdowns of its own off interceptions.

''The defense did an unbelievable job. To hold them to zero points says enough about what they did,'' Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota said.

It was the Ducks' first shutout in conference play since a 35-0 victory over Stanford on Oct. 25, 2003.

The game was billed as an offensive juggernaut between the Pac-12's two fastest and highest-scoring offenses, but Oregon's D thwarted the Wildcats in the red zone six times and forced four Arizona turnovers.

''I'll say we didn't expect this,'' Oregon safety Brian Jackson said. ''But I'm not surprised it happened.''

Oregon came in averaging 54 points per game, while Arizona wasn't far behind at a little more than 46 points. Much was made about the meeting between the speedy Ducks under Chip Kelly and Arizona's spread offense under no-huddle, up-tempo pioneer Rich Rodriguez.

But the Ducks (4-0, 1-0) held just a 13-0 lead at the break before finally finding their stride in the second half. Arizona never found it.

''Offensively, it was a tale of four bad quarters. Disappointing we didn't execute better, especially in the red zone. You can't afford to do that against anybody, let alone Oregon,'' Rodriguez said.

Mariota threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, including a 55-yard scoring pass to freshman Bralon Addison. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Tory Hill each returned interceptions for scores.

Matt Scott passed for 210 yards for Arizona (3-1, 0-1) but was intercepted three times. Scott left the game for a few minutes in the first quarter and although he appeared to be fine when he sprinted back on the field, Rodriguez later revealed that Scott had hurt his hip.

Oregon held Arizona to 332 total yards in offense, well off the Wildcats' average of 605 yards going into the game.

Things got off to a sloppy start Saturday as Oregon failed on fourth down and each team turned the ball over before Mariota found Daryle Hawkins with a 17-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter.

Arizona got as close as the 2-yard line on the next series, but couldn't punch it in and turned the ball over on downs. The Wildcats' struggles' continued when John Bonano's 31-yard field goal was blocked early in the second quarter.

Rob Beard hit a 27-yard field goal to increase Oregon's advantage to 10-0. It was the Ducks' first FG of the season. Beard added a 41-yarder late in the first half to make it 13-0 at the break.

Oregon's hybrid 3-4 defense under longtime coordinator Nick Aliotti held the Wildcats to 141 yards in total offense in the first 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Arizona's new 3-3-5 defense kept the normally prolific Ducks from piling on points.

There was more of the same to open the second half, and the first two possessions by both teams ended in punts.

But then the Ducks started rolling. De'Anthony Thomas returned Arizona's third-straight punt 38 yards, setting up a 35-yard pass to Colt Lyerla, who finished it off with a 1-yard touchdown run. The drive took just three plays and 29 seconds.

Kiko Alonso intercepted Scott, leading to Mariota's long TD pass to Addison, before Ekpre-Olomu ran his interception back 54 yards to make it 35-0.

Bryan Bennett added an 8-yard scoring run with 4:02 left in the game and Hill intercepted Scott's backup, B.J. Denker, for a 29-yeard touchdown and the final margin.

''It's our job to make the score on the other side as low as possible,'' Oregon's Jackson said. ''And tonight we made it as low as possible.''

Arizona opened coach Rodriguez's tenure with a victory over Toledo before upsetting then-No. 18 Oklahoma State 59-38 in their second game. Last weekend in a 56-0 win over South Carolina State, the Wildcats ran a school-record 102 offensive plays.

The Wildcats were the first big test for Oregon, which opened the season with victories over Arkansas State, Fresno State and lower-division Tennessee Tech.

Before this season, Arizona hadn't been ranked in the AP Top 25 since November 2010, when the No. 20 Wildcats were knocked out with a 48-29 loss to the then-No. 1 Ducks.

Last season, Oregon defeated Arizona 56-31 in Tucson.

Oregon's last shutout of Arizona came in 1964, when the Ducks won 21-0 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Oregon's last overall shutout was a 69-0 victory over Portland State in 2010.

Game 3 | 3-0 | No. 4 Oregon defeats Tennessee Tech 63-14

2012-09-16T04:36:00.000-07:00

No. 4 Oregon defeats Tennessee Tech 63-14

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 11 hours ago
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-4-oregon-defeats-tennessee-224600928--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Three games into the season and No. 4 Oregon still has plenty of work to do, at least according to coach Chip Kelly.

The Ducks rolled past lower-division Tennessee Tech 63-14 on Saturday. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns before the starters were pulled. Multitalented De'Anthony Thomas had 222 all-purpose yards on 10 touches. He ran for a 59-yard touchdown and caught a 16-yard scoring pass from Mariota.

And while the Ducks piled up 652 yards in total offense compared to the Golden Eagles' 177 yards, Oregon had an uncharacteristic 12 penalties for 105 yards.

''There's a lot of stuff to teach from this game,'' Kelly said. ''But it's always easier to teach off a win than a loss.''

The Ducks (3-0) were playing their final nonconference game before hosting Arizona next Saturday. They have barely been tested so far, jumping out to big leads in wins against Arkansas State and Fresno State.

The Golden Eagles (2-1) have never defeated an FBS-level team in 28 tries. The game against the Ducks was the Ohio Valley Conference team's first against a Pac-12 opponent.

Tennessee Tech coach Watson Brown thought that his team got some valuable experience.

''I'm proud of my kids. We always go and we always fight our hearts out and give it our best. It's bittersweet because you know coming in you've got a tough road . but at the same time, I think we get a lot out of it,'' Brown said.

Da'Rick Rogers, who transferred to Tennessee Tech from Tennessee right before the season started, had three catches for 38 yards and the first touchdown of the game. He took a short pass from Tre Lamb and ran for a 23-yard TD.

Rogers was suspended indefinitely by Tennessee on Aug. 23. He told reporters it was because of failed drug tests.

He was a first-team all-SEC receiver in 2011, with 67 receptions for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns for the Volunteers. He faced Oregon when the Ducks visited Knoxville in 2010, finishing with a carry for 21 yards in Oregon's 48-13 victory.

The Ducks quickly answered Rogers' TD with Kenjon Barner's 1-yard scoring run and Thomas' 59-yard touchdown sprint.

On Oregon's next series, Thomas had a 49-yard run that appeared to be an easy touchdown, but he was caught from behind by Tennessee Tech's DaJuan Brown and fumbled. Ducks right tackle Jake Fisher pounced on it for the 1-yard touchdown to make it 21-7.

''It's a teachable moment for me,'' said Thomas, who is already getting some Heisman buzz. ''You've got to finish to the finish line, like it's a track meet.''

Oregon further padded the lead with Mariota's 4-yard scoring pass to tight end Colt Lyerla, but Rob Beard's attempt at a 25-yard field goal was blocked.

Thomas pulled down his 16-yard scoring pass from Mariota as the first half ended to give the Ducks a 35-7 lead.

Mariota found Keanon Lowe with a 3-yard touchdown early in the third quarter before Oregon subbed out many of its starters. Backup Bryan Bennett had a 4-yard run to make it 49-7.

Tennessee Tech scored on Darian Stone's 6-yard pass to Doug Page but Bennett added a 6-yard keeper to make it 56-14 at the end of the third quarter.

True freshman Byron Marshall ran for a 4-yard score in the final quarter. Marshall finished with 125 yards rushing in the game.

Lamb, who started for the Golden Eagles and played until midway through the third quarter, completed eight of 13 passes for 46 yards and the TD to Rogers. He threw one interception and was sacked five times.

''That's football. That's what happens when you play quarterback in a spread offense. You're going to get hit after you throw, you're going to get hit while you throw and you're going to get hit when you're running the ball,'' he said.

In addition to the penalties, Oregon had three fumbles, including one for a loss, and Mariota and Bennett were each intercepted once.

''When we turn the ball over - we're not supposed to do that. When we have penalties - we're not supposed to do that,'' Kelly said. ''Luckily today it didn't come back and rear its ugly head.''

Kelly called the Ducks ''a work in progress.''

The victory capped a difficult week for Oregon, which was hit by the loss of two of its senior leaders, free safety John Boyett and guard Carson York.

Boyett told his hometown newspaper that he needed surgery to repair patellar tendons in both knees. The injury will end his career with the Ducks unless Oregon successfully petitions the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility.

York hurt his right kneecap during Oregon's 42-25 win over Fresno State last weekend. He announced to reporters that he also required surgery and his season was done.

Junior receiver Josh Huff, who went down with what appeared to be a left knee injury on a first-half kickoff return last week against Fresno State, was in uniform but did not play.

Despite the errors Saturday, Fisher says the Ducks are ready for the Pac-12.

''Absolutely. Of course,'' he said. ''We were prepared in fall camp.''

Game 2 | 2-0 | No. 4 Oregon beats Fresno State 42-25

2012-09-16T04:34:00.000-07:00

No. 4 Oregon beats Fresno State 42-25

By ANNE M. PETERSON (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – Sun, Sep 9, 2012 2:08 AM EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/no-4-oregon-beats-fresno-022632853--ncaaf.html

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Kenjon Barner set an example when the Ducks got lethargic.

The senior running back took over and scored late in the fourth quarter to cement No. 4 Oregon's 42-25 victory over persistent Fresno State on Saturday.

Barner ran for a career-best 201 yards, and scored three touchdowns. But he made his statement with his final TD, running the ball nine times before a 16-yard dash into the end zone with 3:51 left in the game. It was Oregon's only touchdown of the second half.

''You've got to keep moving and keep grinding,'' he said. ''You've got to adjust to the mistakes that you make.''

The Ducks (2-0) sprinted to a 35-6 first-half lead before the Bulldogs were able to slow them down in the second half.

''We knocked them off schedule when they tried to go fast in the second half. They tried to go fast again, and we knocked them off schedule again,'' said Fresno State defensive coordinator Nick Toth.

De'Anthony Thomas ran for 102 yards and two additional scores for the Ducks, while redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 19 of 27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

Derek Carr, the younger brother of former Bulldogs QB David Carr, completed 29 of 47 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (1-1), a new member of the Mountain West Conference this season. Quentin Breshears kicked four field goals, including one from 43 yards.

The Ducks were coming off a 57-34 victory over Arkansas State in their opener last weekend, while the Bulldogs opened with a 37-10 win over Weber State in new coach Tim DeRuyter's debut.

DeRuyter, who took over when longtime coach Pat Hill was dismissed, has brought in a new spread offense he's dubbed ''fast, physical, fanatical'' while he and Toth have transformed Fresno State's 4-3 defense from last season into an attacking 3-4.

But in the end the Bulldogs were outmatched by the Ducks.

Fresno State went ahead first on Breshears' 39-years field goal but the lead was short-lived and Thomas scored on his first touch of the game, taking a pitch from Mariota and running 39 yards to make it 7-3.

Thomas appeared to score again on Oregon's next series on a 2-yard run, but the touchdown was nullified when the officials went back and reviewed the previous play, determining that Mariota had gone out of bounds at the 3-yeard-line and not the 2. Barner ran the 3-yards remaining for the score on the next play.

Oregon was hurt in the first half when starting receiver Josh Huff went down on a kickoff return. Huff appeared to hurt his left knee and had to be helped off the field. While he later walked unaided to the locker room, he came out on crutches in the second half.

After the game, Huff shrugged off the injury and said he'd be back at practice on Monday.

Guard Carson York, who tore his right patellar tendon in Oregon's Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin last season, was also hurt during the game, but the extent of his injury was not available.

And Oregon was without senior free safety John Boyett, who did not dress for the game but was shagging balls during warmups. Oregon does not discuss injuries so it is uncertain if he was hurt.

Mariota found tight end Colt Lyerla with a 22-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter, and Thomas darted 51 yards, breaking several tackles, for another touchdown to make it 28-3.

Barner added a 3-yard scoring run before Breshears hit a 43-yard field goal to make it 35-6 at halftime.

Fresno State narrowed it to 35-16 in the third quarter when Carr found Isaiah Burse with an 18-yard touchdown pass and Breshears kicked a 25-yard field goal. Breshears added a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to make it 35-19.

''Fresno State did a great job adjusting and we kind of came out like we had the game in hand,'' Barner said. ''We didn't have that intensity.

So Barner took it upon himself to rekindle it late in the fourth quarter, when he ran for 66 yards on 10 carries for Oregon's final scoring drive.

''He really took over on that last drive and put the game out of reach,'' Mariota said.

Barner takes over as Oregon's starting running back now that former Heisman finalist LaMichael James has moved on to the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.

Bulldogs' senior tailback Robbie Rouse capped the game with a 2-yard scoring dash for the final margin. Rouse ran for 115 yards on 27 carries. With 665 career carries, he has surpassed Michael Pittman (1993-97) for most in school history.

In his college debut last weekend against Arkansas State, Mariota threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns. On the practice squad last season, Mariota takes over for Darron Thomas, who threw for a school-record 33 touchdowns last season before leaving school with a year of eligibility left.

This Saturday didn't go as smoothly for Mariota, but that's what these early season games are for, offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said.

''That's the part of it these guys have to learn,'' he said.

Fresno State has not defeated the Ducks since a 10-4 victory at Autzen Stadium in 1982. Oregon is 7-2 all-time against the Bulldogs.