CORVALLIS — It was a fitting end to a tragic season.
Ranked as high as No. 6 after a 6-0 start to the season, Oregon made the biggest fall in the history of the program after a 45-24 Civil War loss to Oregon State on Saturday.
Losers of five of the last six games, including their final three Pacific-10 Conference games — the first time they’ve lost three straight in the same season since 1996 — the Ducks (7-5 overall, 3-5 Pac-10) finished the regular season in eighth place in the conference’s standings. The Ducks’ most likely postseason bid will be to the Dec. 27 Seattle Bowl, although even that may be out of reach.
In front of a sold-out Reser Stadium crowd of 37,154, Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson (370 passing yards, four touchdowns) continued the season-long assault of Oregon’s secondary, and Oregon State tailback Steven Jackson (153 rush yards, three total touchdowns) became the school’s single-season rushing leader with 1,656 yards as the Beavers handed the Ducks their third-straight loss in Corvallis. Oregon State’s 45 points were the most it has ever scored in 106 Civil Wars.
“As a senior, it’s something I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life. It sucks,” Oregon defensive end Seth McEwan said.
Oregon’s battered offense, playing without tailback Onterrio Smith, struggled to find its touch against an Oregon State (8-4, 4-4) defense ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10.
With the Rose Bowl on the line here two years ago, Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington threw five interceptions in a 23-13 Oregon State victory. On Saturday, junior Jason Fife followed in his predecessor’s footsteps, completing just 14-of-33 passes for 183 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
“That was a pretty good defense, I give them credit,” Fife said. “But we didn’t show up today … and I take that upon myself.
“For us not to be productive and score, it’s hard. Very hard.”
In Smith’s place, backup tailback Ryan Shaw went down with a sprained ankle in the first quarter, and freshman Terrence Whitehead had just 20 yards on six rushing attempts. Senior Allan Amundson had his best game in an Oregon uniform, rushing for 77 yards on 11 attempts.
“A loss always hurts. A loss like this hurts a lot worse,” said Amundson, who averaged fewer than three carries per game prior to Saturday. “It’s tough to swallow, but I had the time of my life.”
It’s been a broken record this season, but Oregon met its doom in the third quarter. The Beavers (8-4, 4-4) led 24-17 at the half and padded their lead with two third-quarter scores, the latter on Jackson’s third touchdown of the game. In their last three games, the Ducks have been outscored 30-7 in the third quarter, with their only score coming on an interception returned for a touchdown.
With the game seemingly out of reach in the fourth quarter, senior Keenan Howry gave the Ducks a glimmer of hope with a 63-yard punt return for a score, reminiscent of his touchdown return in the 2001 Civil War in Eugene, when the Ducks won 17-14.
“Next year, a few years from now, nobody’s going to remember what I did,” Howry said. “They’ll just remember that we lost.”
After Howry’s punt return cut the Beavers’ lead to 38-24 with 5:51 remaining, Oregon’s attempted onside kick was recovered by Jackson. On Oregon State’s ensuing drive, Anderson hit James Newson for a 40-yard score to seal the victory.
Jackson gave Oregon State a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter with his second touchdown. Jackson took a pass from Anderson, broke an attempted tackle by Oregon’s David Martin and jolted 69 yards into the end zone. His first score was a 16-yard run with 4:15 left in the first quarter.
The Ducks made it 17-10 when Fife hit Howry for an 84-yard bomb midway through the second quarter. After Oregon State punted out of its own end zone, Oregon took possession at the OSU 37. Five plays later, Fife ran 11 yards for a touchdown, bouncing off two defenders, to tie the game at 17.
But penalties hurt the Ducks on their next drive, forcing them to punt from their own end zone. Oregon State took advantage, as Anderson hit Shawn Kintner for a 10-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining in the first half, and the Beavers never looked back.
With Thanksgiving break this week, the Ducks will take some time off before regrouping next Monday, and perhaps preparing for a bowl game.
“We’re excited about playing in a bowl game,” Amundson said. “We don’t want to end on this note.”
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