41 years later, Beavers beat #1 again!

Freshman running back Jaquizz Rodgers rushed for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns on 37 carries Thursday night and his brother James Rodgers caught two touchdown passes, to lead the Oregon State Beavers to a thrilling 27-21 victory over #1 ranked USC, in a Pac-10 conference game at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.

The Beavers came out tough in the first half, opening numerous holes for Rodgers and buying time for Quarterback Lyle Moevoa to run the passing game.

Oregon State opened the scoring in the first quarter, as Moevoa hit James Rodgers for an 8 yard scoring pass. Sean Senham added the extra point and the Beavers led 7-0 after one. Oregon State would increase the lead with a pair of scores in the second quarter. Jacquizz Rodgers scored on a 2 yard run, then Moevao hit James Rodgers again, this time from 3 yards out. Senham added both extra points and the unranked Beavers led 21-0 at the half. The last time USC had trailed by as many as 21, was in their 33-31 loss in Corvallis against OSU in 2006.

The Trojans showed why they were the top ranked team, with a strong start to the second half. Mark Sanchez threw two touchdown passes, the first a 26 yarder to Ronald Johnson and the second, a 29 yarder to Damian Williams. David Buehler added the conversions, bringing USC to within 7, at 21-14 late in the third. But, instead of panicking, or wilting under the pressure of a comeback by the top ranked team in the nation, Oregon State kept their poise and responded. The Beavers once again took control of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, eating up yardage on the field and time off the clock. With a 7 point lead and time working against them, Trojan quarterback Mark Sanchez tried to rally his squad. However, he overthrew a reciver and Oregon State safety Greg Layborn intercepted at the 30. Layborn's return set the Beavers up with a first and goal at the 2, from where Jacquizz Rodgers scored his second touchdown of the evening. Senham's PAT hit the upright, leaving the lead at 27-14, with less than three minutes remaining. USC responded quickly though, as Sanchez hit Patrick Turner with a 14 yard scoring strike with 1:19 remaining. However, Oregon State was able to recover the onside kick and run out the clock for the 27-21 victory, just their second over a #1 ranked team in the program's 115 year history. The other was the famous 3-0 victory over USC in 1967.

Besides Jacquizz Rodgers 186 yards rushing and two touchdowns for the Beavers, James Rodgers caught 6 passes for 36 yards and two touchdowns as well. Moevao completed 18 of 28 passes for 166 yards and the 2 TD passes to James Rodgers. For the Trojans, Sanchez completed 18 of 29 passes for 227 yards, 3 touchdowns and threw the one key interception late in the game.

Oregon State had 344 yards total offense to USC's 314, 23 first downs to the Trojans 19, were 7 of 16 in third down conversions to USC's 2 of 10, and ran 72 totals plays to the Trojans 51. "I'm a little dude" said Jaquizz Rodgers in the postgame bedlam engulfing Reser Stadium. "They couldn't find me." Beavers Head Coach Mike Riley, nearly overcome with emotion over the magnitude of the victory, praised his team's play, saying "I'm very proud of the way our team played." OSU has won 3 of the last 4 games played between the two teams in Corvallis.

Oregon State, 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Pac-10, face another tough opponent next week, traveling to Utah for a Thursday night contest against the Utes. Kickoff is set for 8:00p.m. Central time and will be shown live on Versus and heard on the Beavers Sports Network. USC, 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the Pac-10, hosts Oregon next Saturday.













OSU, our hats are off to you
Beavers, Beavers, fighters through and through
We'll root for every man, we'll cheer for every stand
That's made for old OSU.
(Fight! Fight! Fight!)
Watch our team go tearing down the field
Men of iron, their strength will never yield.
Hail, hail, hail, hail
Hail to old OSU.
B-E-A-V-E-R-S!!!!