Sean Canfield threw two touchdowns and ran one
in, as Oregon State upended 23rd-ranked California, 31-14, in a Pac-10 battle
at Memorial Stadium.
Canfield completed 29-for-39 throws for 342 yards and a pick, while Joe
Halahuni had six catches for 128 yards for the Beavers (6-3, 4-2 Pac-10), who
have won their past two games. James Rodgers and Jordan Bishop each caught a
touchdown pass, while Jacquizz Rodgers ran one in.
"They did a nice job defending us in the running game and that's why you need
to be able to do, something else," said Oregon State head coach Mike Riley. "I
have a lot of respect for, and still do, for their defensive front. I thought
they played very well and I thought we protected our quarterback pretty well
to allow him to throw the ball. So those two things were big factors. They
played well up front and really held our running game in check, but to counter
it we were able to protect and throw the ball."
Kevin Riley went 19-for-34 with 200 yards, a touchdown and an interception
for the Golden Bears (6-3, 3-3), who had won their previous three games.
Verran Tucker had six catches for 74 yards and a score in the loss.
"When the numbers are like they are and we can't get anything going on third
down and their winning field possession with special teams," said California
head coach Jeff Tedford. "They had an advance plan and they executed it and
we didn't. Any time you lose a game, it is not just on the players. They are
the ones on the field, but it is the coaches' responsibility to put them in a
position to be successful. We obviously did not do a good enough job of that
tonight."
California, though, suffered a huge blow in the game, as star running back
Jahvid Best left the game in the second quarter on a stretcher.
In the second quarter, Best took a handoff around the left end and leaped into
the end zone on a seven-yard score. While in the air, he was hit and wound up
landing on his back and knocking his helmet off as he hit the ground.
He was immediately attended to by medical staff and after several minutes he
was immobilized, lifted onto a gurney and taken to a local hospital, where
the early diagnosis stated that he has a concussion with full movement in all
his limbs.
"Thankfully, the tests came back negative," said Tedford. "When he came
off the field, he had full movement. It looks like it was just a pretty
serious concussion.
"When it happened, it was unbelievably scary. He was out of it pretty good.
There is always great concern for any player on the field like that. Our
prayers go with him overnight as a team to make sure he recovers."
On its second possession of the game, Oregon State put points on the board to
take the lead. The ball began near midfield, and on the second play Canfield
and Halahuni got together for a 48-yard play to set up a 1st-and-goal at the
three. Canfield completed the drive with a one-yard push into the end zone for
a 7-0 lead with 3:48 to play in the first.
The Beavers held the Bears to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and
added to their lead with a drive that spanned the first and second quarters.
With the ball at the OSU 10, James Rodgers took the ball 28 yards on the first
play. The drive was capped when Canfield hit James Rodgers, who broke a tackle
on his way into the end zone from 15 yards out for a 14-0 lead with 13:46 to
play in the first half.
California responded on its next touch with a 15-play drive that covered 81
yards and was capped on Best's injury-inducing touchdown to make it a 14-7
game with 6:07 to play in the half.
Oregon State answered with a long drive of its own, as an 11-play, 56-yard
march was finished when Canfield and Bishop hooked up for a three-yard score
to give the team a 21-7 lead heading into the break.
The teams exchanged interceptions to start the second half, but Oregon State's
pick came deep in Cal territory, and a 24-yard field goal from Justin Kahut
gave the team a 24-7 lead.
The offenses exchanged punts over the next several possessions, but early in
the fourth the Beavers tried a 50-yard field goal that Kahut missed.
Jacquizz Rodgers' 24-yard touchdown run up the middle with 2:08 left in the
game extended the Beavers' lead to 24 points, but Riley got the Bears into the
end zone with 1:01 to play on a three-yard touchdown pass to Tucker to cap the
scoring.
Game Notes
California hosts Arizona next Saturday, while Oregon State hosts Washington
...The Beavers have won the last three games against the Bears, but the
Bears still hold the edge in the series, 33-29...Jacquizz Rodgers finished the
game with 25 carries for 67 yards, while James Rodgers had six catches for 80
yards.
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