Offense sputters, but OSU edges Arizona 17-10

Two late interceptions help Beavers seal road win; USC next

By Kerry Eggers

LocalNewsDaily.com, Oct 21, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

TUCSON, Ariz. – Oregon State won a very important game Saturday, one that puts the Beavers on course for a potential bowl game. But the Beavers didn’t leave themselves a lot of room for error.

The Beavers (4-3 overall, 2-2 in Pac-10 play) jumped to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, then held on to beat Arizona (3-5, 1-4) 17-10 before a crowd of 57,113 at Arizona Stadium.

The win wasn’t secure even after linebacker Joey LaRocque stepped in front of an Arizona receiver and intercepted a Kris Heavner pass, returning it 14 yards to midfield with 2:25 remaining.

Arizona got one last chance, taking the ball after an OSU punt at its own 20 with 59 seconds to play. The Wildcats moved swiftly on three pass completions to the Beavers’ 28 with 29 seconds to go. But after an Alan Darlin sack of Heavner, Arizona wound up with the ball at its 40 with six seconds remaining. When Heavner’s Hail Mary attempt was intercepted by the Beavers’ Daniel Drayton intercepted a pass at the one, the victory was finally in the bag.

“A great win,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. “It’s not easy to win on the road, let alone two weeks in a row. It was great to see our guys battle like this. They had to go right to the end to finish (the Wildcats), but I’m proud of them.”

After consecutive road victories over Washington and Arizona, Oregon State gets the ultimate challenge next week with a Reser Stadium date against second-ranked Southern Cal.

“It gives us good momentum going home and facing a great team in SC,” OSU safety Sabby Piscitelli said. “We’re excited for the opportunity.”

Oregon State quarterback Matt Moore completed 16 of 22 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. But Moore – who was intercepted six times and fumbled late in the game in Arizona’s 29-27 upset of OSU in Corvallis last year – also served up two first-half interceptions that kept the hometown ‘Cats in the game.

“Matt’s numbers were pretty good,” Riley said. “We would like to have taken away a couple of turnovers that would have changed the game and made it more comfortable earlier. We had a good balance going. When they started taking away the run, it made it harder for us. I don’t want to drop back (to pass) against that team all game long, I’ll tell you that.

“I knew this win was going to boil down to hanging in there against their defense. (The Arizona defense) is good, one of the best we’ll play against all year. If we would not have turned the ball over early, it would have made a big difference. We did, and therefore it became hard.”

Riley hopes the victory doesn’t come at great cost in the former of injury. OSU tailback Yvenson Bernard gained 107 yards on 26 carries, but left in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Riley said he didn’t know the extent of the injury the Beavers’ meal ticket in the backfield, but if he is out of the lineup for any length of time, it’s a major blow.

Oregon State’s offense didn’t get a lot done after a blistering first quarter, but the OSU defense put in its third straight sterling performance, keeping the Wildcat offense out of the end zone. Arizona’s only touchdown came on a 67-yard punt return by Syndric Steptoe in the third quarter.

The Beavers ended with a large edge in first downs (17-10) and total offense (332-183) and held Arizona to 22 yards rushing. Heavner completed 17 of 26 passes for 161 yards, but for no TDs and with two interceptions. The OSU defense sacked Heavner – Arizona’s third-string QB thrust into action after injuries to Willie Tuitama and Adam Austin – three times and forced the Wildcats to go the air for any kind of yardage.

“I can’t say enough about our defense,” Moore said. “They played a heck of a game.”

The Beavers led 14-3 at halftime, Moore passing for one TD and running for another. The way the offense started, though, the margin could have been much worse

Oregon State held a huge advantage in first downs (10-2), total offense (171-28) and possession time (10:21 to 4:39) in mounting a 14-0 lead after one quarter. Moore was 6 of 7 passing for 86 yards and a TD and Bernard carried 12 times for 68 yards. But the Beavers didn’t move the ball into Arizona territory in either the second or third quarters.

Momentum swung suddenly midway through the third quarter when Arizona’s Steptoe fielded a punt near the left sideline at the Arizona 33, raced upfield and went 67 yards untouched for a touchdown. With 6:40 left in the quarter, the Beavers’ lead was trimmed to 14-10.

“He is a great returner, as good as we’ve seen,” Riley said. “As soon as I saw the punt had no hang time and only one guy within the vicinity, I knew it was trouble.”

On the second play of the fourth quarter, OSU’s Clinton Polk – on his first rush of the game – fumbled and Arizona’s Spencer Larsen recovered at the Beavers’ 41. Arizona went three and out, though, and after a punt, the Beavers took over at their own 15.

The Beavers finally got the offense back, just in time. They drove 84 yards in 11 plays, keyed by Moore passes to Joe Newton for 22 yards and to Sammie Stroughter for 25 yards. On fourth-and-goal from inside the Arizona one, Riley elected to kick a field goal. Alexis Serna booted it through from 18 yards and OSU’s lead was at 17-10 with 7:26 to play.

“They hadn’t score (an offensive) touchdown all day,” Riley said. “If we go for it and don’t make it, they still have to score a touchdown, but then they win the game. We had played outstanding defense all day long. It was the right call, because it worked.”

Arizona’s defense provided a major test for the OSU offensive line with its aggressive, blitzing style. The Wildcats sent even more people at the line in the second half and forced the Beavers to throw.

“You have to be balanced against them,” Riley said. “When we couldn’t run, it was a little bit like pulling teeth. We hit them with some screens and some bootlegs to keep them moving, but eventually a good defense like that settles into some stuff and makes it hard. We came back and made some big plays on that last drive. It’s unfortunate we didn’t get it done with a touchdown.”

Oregon State’s defense was the key to victory, but its players on that side of the ball weren’t gloating.

“That’s football for you,” said LaRocque, who had a game-high nine tackles to go with the interception, a fumble recovery and a tackle for loss. “One side struggles at times and the other has to pick up the slack. Overall, the offense did a great job tonight. They drove pretty well. It doesn’t need to be a big scoring game. They did fine, and our defense obviously played pretty well.”

Arizona came out with a surprise – wide receiver Anthony Johnson at quarterback – and the Wildcats went three-and-out on the game’s first series. But Arizona punter Nick Folk blasted a 55-yard punt that forced Oregon State to start on its own six-yard line.

“It didn’t last long,” Riley said of Johnson’s start at QB. “I can’t say we were prepared for that.”

The poor field position didn’t deter the Beavers, who drove 94 yards in 10 plays for their opening touchdown. Moore hit Stroughter for 34 yards and the score, and OSU led 7-0 with 8:10 left in the first quarter.

After another three-and-out for Arizona – this time, with Heavner taking the snaps – Oregon State moved again, taking the ball to the Arizona 24. But on second-and-12, Moore tried to force a ball into double coverage to Ruben Jackson, and Arizona’s Marcus Hollingsworth intercepted at the 20.

Arizona returned the favor three plays later. Heavner fumbled the snap and LaRocque recovered at the Arizona 45. The Beavers rode Bernard to paydirt from there, using the junior tailback on five of seven plays. Moore scored on a sneak from the one and OSU’s lead was 14-0 with 3:18 still on the clock in the period.

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