Oregon makes a major statement by crushing USC

Even with the Arizona Wildcats on a bye this week, there was plenty of action in the Pac-10 to discuss, including the most shocking final score of the season.

Oregon 47, USC 20: The balance of power has officially shifted in the Pac-10.

The Oregon Ducks gained an incredible 613 yards (392 of it on the ground) on their way to a dominant 47-20 win over the No. 5 USC Trojans last night.

This was the worst defeat USC has suffered in the Pete Carroll era, with the 47 points the most this traditionally stout defense has given up. Seemingly every play worked for Oregon in the second half, as the Ducks simply overwhelmed the Trojans with sheer speed.

Redshirt freshman LaMichael James (seeing an increased workload since LaGarrette Blount’s suspension) throttled USC, gaining a career-high 184 yards on 24 carries. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli added 164 yards on the ground on 13 carries.

True freshman Matt Barkley started out well, but struggled mightily in the second half. His stats (21-38, two touchdowns) looked OK, but his 4.9-yard-per-attempt average was alarming. USC typically makes enough big plays to squeak out a win even in games when it isn’t playing well, but not this season.

Make no mistake; this was no fluke. Oregon was clearly the better team.

Since that embarrassing season-opening loss to Boise State, the Ducks have been the nation’s most impressive teams, reeling off seven wins in a row and establishing itself as the team to beat in the Pac-10 race.

With two conference losses for the first time in what seems like forever, the Trojans are all but out of the national championship picture, and will need serious help to get back in the Pac-10 title hunt (a title USC has won the last seven years).

Oregon State 26, UCLA 19: It looked like the Bruins might finally win their first conference game, but OSU’s Rodgers brothers wouldn’t be denied.

After trailing for much of the contest, UCLA tied the game at 19 with 2:06 remaining, thanks to a pair of Kevin Prince touchdown passes. The freshman had a career day, going 22-34 for 323 yards and two scores.

However, the Rodgers brothers marched the ball down the field, with James scoring on a 17-yard run before time expired. Jacquizz and James combined for 140 rushing yards and 198 receiving yards.

Even though the Beavers have some weaknesses on their roster, those Rodgers boys give them a chance to beat anyone in this conference.

No. 24 California 23, Arizona State 21: In the battle of underachievers, Cal outlasted Arizona State, with Italian kicker Giorgio Tavecchio drilled a 24-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining to give the Golden Bears the razor-thin victory.

It was only a few weeks ago when Cal was ranked in the top-10 and seen as the biggest threat to USC’s stranglehold on the Pac-10 standings, but a pair of embarrassing losses to Oregon and USC put those thoughts to rest.

However, the Bears have bounced back with three straight wins and are now bowl eligible.

Jahvid Best had 124 total yards with one touchdown. Earlier this year, he was considered a dark-horse Heisman contender, but Cal’s inability to find balance in its offense has forced Best to run against eight- and nine-man fronts for most of the season.

Arizona State certainly had chances to pull out the win in front of its home crowd, but three costly turnovers and 11 penalties kept that from happening. At 4-4 on the season and a brutal final month of the season (USC, at Oregon, at UCLA, Arizona), the Sun Devils will need to catch a few breaks to qualify for a bowl game.

No. 23 Notre Dame 40, Washington State 14: The less said about this one, the better.

In the lone out-of-conference match-up for Pac-10 schools, the Fighting Irish thrashed the Cougars in San Antonio, of all places.

Few people expected the lowly Cougars to put up much of a fight here, and they didn’t. Notre Dame held position for more than 40 minutes and out-gained the Cougars 592 to 206.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747