Jeremiah Masoli threw for 222 yards and a score
to go along with 164 rushing yards and a TD, as the 10th-ranked Oregon Ducks
used a strong second half to dominate the fourth-ranked USC Trojans, 47-20, in
a key Pac-10 battle at Autzen Stadium.
Masoli completed 19-of-31 passes for the Ducks (7-1, 5-0 Pac-10), who have won
seven in a row since a season-opening loss at Boise State. LaMichael James
rushed for a career-high 183 yards and a score on 24 carries for Oregon, which
sits two games ahead of USC in the Pac-10 standings.
Kenjon Barner and Andre Crenshaw each had a rushing TD. Jamere Holland caught
three passes for 33 yards and a score for the Ducks, who outgained the
Trojans, 613-327.
"We knew that this game was going to be really hard. USC is a great team,"
James said. "I am very patient and I just want to look good on the field and
do whatever I can to help the team win. We believe in ourselves and have high
expectations every week we go into practice. We followed the plan and we were
a better team today. I love the challenge and big games."
Matt Barkley connected on 21-of-38 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns, and
an interception for the Trojans (6-2, 3-2), who had a four-game winning streak
snapped. Joe McKnight rushed for 95 yards on 15 carries.
"You never think about this stuff. Tonight was not one of these nights.
Before this season I never thought this could happen," Barkley said.
Damian Williams hauled in nine balls for 82 yards and a score, and Ronald
Johnson caught a TD pass for the seven-time defending Pac-10 champions.
"We couldn't keep up with the fast paced offense of Oregon, and we couldn't
settle the ball," USC head coach Pete Carroll said. "It was a real mess with
the running game, they out ran us and we couldn't make the tackles."
After USC made a field goal to cut the gap to 27-20, Oregon used the ground
game to take control of the game.
The Ducks scored a TD to make it a 34-20 game with 5:50 to go in the third.
A 26-yard Masoli run and a five-yard James rushing touchdown bookended a
seven-play, 80-yard march that lasted just over 2 1/2 minutes in length.
The Oregon defense then forced the Trojans offense to punt. The Ducks rushed
the ball six times during an eight-play, 81-yard drive that Barner finished
off with a three-yard TD run for a 41-20 lead going to the fourth.
A Morgan Flint 22-yard field goal made it 44-20 with eight minutes to go in
the fourth. Flint then drilled a 23-yard field goal with 2:05 left to account
for the final margin.
The Trojans marched down the field on the opening possession of the game.
Barkley completed 6-of-7 passes on a 12-play, 57-yard drive that Jordan
Congdon capped off with a 28-yard field goal. Barner returned the ensuing
kickoff 77 yards to the USC 15. However, Oregon was forced to settle for a 32-
yard Flint field goal to deadlock the tilt with 7:30 left in the first period.
After forcing USC to go three-and-out, Masoli led the Ducks' offense on a 13-
play, 78-yard scoring march. A 23-yard reception by D.J. Davis helped set up
Masoli's three-yard TD run. Masoli faked a handoff on a first-and-goal and
scampered untouched into the end zone for a 10-3 lead with 1:37 to go in the
first.
The Trojans capitalized on the first turnover of the contest to tie things up.
Malcolm Smith forced Oregon's Jeff Maehl to fumble and Will Harris was there
to recover for USC in Ducks territory. Six plays later, Barkley used a pump
fake to find Johnson in the end zone from three yards with 10:55 remaining
until halftime.
Oregon responded with a touchdown to take a 17-10 lead. Rushes of 33 and 11
yards by James helped set up Crenshaw's one-yard rush into the end zone with
8:39 left. USC deadlocked things again with a 12-play, 71-yard drive that
Williams capped with a four-yard TD catch with 3:17 left.
Masoli had rushes of a 48 and 13 yards before finding Holland in the back of
the end zone from 17 yards out to make it 24-17 at the break.
The Ducks got the ball to start the third and settled for Flint's 35-yard
field goal to take a 27-17 lead with under 12 minutes to go. The Trojans
responded with a 39-yard Congdon field goal to make it 27-20 with 8:26 left.
Game Notes
Oregon had 391 yards on the ground, compared to 140 for the Trojans...The
Ducks converted on 8-of-15 third downs, while USC went 4-of-14 on third
down...This was the Trojans' worst loss since 1997, when they lost 35-7 to
Arizona State and 27-0 to Washington...USC had not lost a game by more than a
touchdown since a 27-16 loss to Notre Dame in 2001...Despite the loss, USC
holds a 37-17-2 advantage in the all-time series. These two teams had split
the previous 12 meetings. The Trojans had won four of the last five against
the Ducks, including a lopsided 44-10 decision last year...Oregon is 5-0 in
Pac-10 play for the first time since 2000...The Ducks' seven-game winning
streak is their longest since winning seven in a row in 2005...Since 1994,
Oregon is 9-2 at Autzen Stadium against top 10
opposition...USC travels to Arizona State next Saturday, while Oregon heads to
Stanford.
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