Oregon prevails over rival Oregon State in thriller with trip to Rose Bowl on line
EUGENE — Oregon’s thorny start has come up roses.
Redshirt freshman LaMichael James ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns Thursday night to send No. 7 Oregon to the Rose Bowl with a 37-33 victory over No. 13 Oregon State in the Civil War.
Oregon (10-2, 8-1 Pacific-10 Conference) claimed the Pac-10 championship with the victory, ending Southern California’s seven-season hold on the title.
The Ducks, who have not been to the Rose Bowl since 1995, will face Ohio State in Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
LeGarrette Blount, who had not played since throwing a punch after Oregon’s season-opening loss to Boise State, returned to the field and scored on a 12-yard run in the third quarter.
Afterward, fans thrust roses into his hands.
“This means everything to me,” he said. “I’m kind of at a loss for words.”
Oregon State (8-4, 6-3) was vying for its first Rose Bowl berth since the 1964 season.
The Beavers will have to wait until Sunday to find out in which bowl they will play.
It was the first time the annual rivalry game was a winner-takes-all path to Pasadena — circumstances that dubbed this Civil War as The War of the Roses.
Jeremiah Masoli threw for 201 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks, who capped a stunning turnaround from their 19-8 crash in the season opener against the Broncos.
“I think our team has always been capable of this greatness,” Masoli said.
Sean Canfield threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns for the Beavers. Jacquizz Rodgers, the Pac-10’s second-leading rusher with an average of 119.4 yards a game, rushed for just 64 yards and a score.
Oregon State had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth but Canfield threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-15 from the Oregon 28.
Masoli took over with more than six minutes remaining and ran out the clock with an impressive drive that featured two fourth-down conversions. He absorbed a hit during a 6-yard scramble on fourth-and-3 and pitched it to Kenjon Barner to set up a 4-yard run on fourth-and-2 that allowed the Ducks to finish it off.
It was a disappointing end for Oregon State, which hung tough for much of the night behind Canfield, Rodgers and his older brother, James.
Justin Kahut kicked three field goals in the first half, Jacquizz Rodgers had a 1-yard run for his school-record 20th rushing TD this season and James Rodgers had a 28-yard touchdown reception with 14 seconds left in the half to give the Beavers a 23-21 lead.
Masoli hit Jeff Maehl for a 73-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter. Maehl has caught a scoring pass in the past three Civil Wars.
Canfield’s 9-yard scoring pass to Casey Kjos made it 30-21 early in the third before Blount sparked Oregon’s comeback. He had a 12-yard score to pull the Ducks within two points and finished with 51 yards rushing.
Blount was suspended for the season after he punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the aftermath of the Ducks’ loss on Sept. 3. He missed eight games, but was kept on scholarship and allowed to practice with the team.
Blount was reinstated in mid-November after meeting certain academic and behavior conditions set by coach Chip Kelly.
“Last home game at Autzen Stadium, and he’s a senior,” James said about Blount. “I’m happy for him.”
Kahut’s fourth field goal made it 33-28, but James had a 52-yard scoring run late in the third. Oregon’s 2-point conversion failed, and Morgan Flint kicked a 34-yard field goal with 10:13 left for the final margin.
“You have to have a short memory in this game,” Masoli said. “You can’t let a start get to you.”
Last season Oregon State was headed to the Rose Bowl with a victory in the Civil War. But the Ducks came to Reser Stadium and romped to a 65-38 victory.
“It’s tough to swallow,” Canfield said of missing out on a trip to Pasadena for the second season in a row. “I said earlier it was such a great football environment, everything I thought it would be. I’m just disappointed.”
