USC's victory sets up Pac-10 game of the year
October, 24, 2009
Oct 24
11:57
PM ET
Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller
USC held on.
Give Oregon State credit. The Beavers were throwing punches until the end.
But USC's 42-36 win means game-on at Oregon on Saturday.
It will be the biggest Pac-10 game since, well, since the last time these two teams met in Eugene in 2007, when Oregon was ranked No. 5 and USC was ninth. The Ducks won 24-17 that day and appeared headed to the national title game until quarterback Dennis Dixon blew out his knee.
The Beavers made it a one-score game after USC quarterback Matt Barkley tossed his second interception. They went 74 yards in 10 plays for the touchdown, and you could sense the Coliseum crowd getting nervous.
Oregon State rolled up 482 yards against a defense that previously was yielding only 260 yards per game.
The Trojans took over with 5:41 left. They needed first downs to keep the ball away from Sean Canfield and company. And they got them.
The most critical was a 7-yard pass from Barkley to Damian Williams on third-and-2 from the USC 45. After that, the Trojans were able to run out the clock.
It was a breakout game for Trojans running back Allen Bradford, who rolled up 147 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. USC ran for 227 yards.
On the downside for USC, stellar tight end Anthony McCoy appeared to hurt his ankle. He limped of the field and his status figures to be uncertain for the Oregon game.
Moreover, two Barkley picks and a porous USC pass defense surely will raise an eyebrow from the Ducks.
Still, Oregon and USC both managed to avoid the upset.
Now they will play for the Pac-10 lead. And maybe more.
USC held on.
Give Oregon State credit. The Beavers were throwing punches until the end.
But USC's 42-36 win means game-on at Oregon on Saturday.
It will be the biggest Pac-10 game since, well, since the last time these two teams met in Eugene in 2007, when Oregon was ranked No. 5 and USC was ninth. The Ducks won 24-17 that day and appeared headed to the national title game until quarterback Dennis Dixon blew out his knee.
The Beavers made it a one-score game after USC quarterback Matt Barkley tossed his second interception. They went 74 yards in 10 plays for the touchdown, and you could sense the Coliseum crowd getting nervous.
Oregon State rolled up 482 yards against a defense that previously was yielding only 260 yards per game.
The Trojans took over with 5:41 left. They needed first downs to keep the ball away from Sean Canfield and company. And they got them.
The most critical was a 7-yard pass from Barkley to Damian Williams on third-and-2 from the USC 45. After that, the Trojans were able to run out the clock.
It was a breakout game for Trojans running back Allen Bradford, who rolled up 147 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. USC ran for 227 yards.
On the downside for USC, stellar tight end Anthony McCoy appeared to hurt his ankle. He limped of the field and his status figures to be uncertain for the Oregon game.
Moreover, two Barkley picks and a porous USC pass defense surely will raise an eyebrow from the Ducks.
Still, Oregon and USC both managed to avoid the upset.
Now they will play for the Pac-10 lead. And maybe more.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ted Miller
Miller has been covering college football since 1997, starting with Auburn and then heading West to Washington and the Pac-10. His columns for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer won first place in 2007 APSE Best Writing contest. The Atlanta native and University of Richmond graduate presently lives with his wife in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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