SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 2, 2010
Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan Katz passed for a career-high 263 yards and two scores, and Oregon State opened Pac-10 play with a 31-28 victory against visiting Arizona State on Saturday.
The Beavers (2-2, 1-0 Pac-10) took the lead for good on Rodgers' first touchdown run, a 4-yard score with 2:10 left in the first quarter to make it 10-7.
The Sun Devils (2-3, 0-2 Pac-10) cut it to 24-20 in the fourth quarter, but Rodgers padded the lead with a 74-yard touchdown run. Arizona State again closed the gap to 31-28 on Cameron Marshall's 21-yard touchdown run with 2:56 left, but the Sun Devils' final drive ended with their third turnover of the game, and their 10th in the past two games.
Arizona State freshman Deantre Lewis rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown, and Marshall added 83 yards and a score on the ground, but the Sun Devils struggled in the passing game. Steven Threet, who entered the game as the Pac-10's leading passer with 307 yards per game, completed 16 of 31 passes for 199 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Even without star receiver James Rodgers, who is recovering from a concussion, Katz had his best day as Oregon State's quarterback, completing 19 of 29 passes for 263 yards and throwing first-half touchdown passes to Aaron Nichols and Joe Halahuni.
Oregon State has not committed a turnover in four games this season.