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Luck paces Stanford to rout of Oregon State

Nov 6, 2011 - 12:34 AM Corvallis, OR (Sports Network) - Andrew Luck threw two touchdowns in the third quarter to lead the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal past the Oregon State Beavers 38-13.

Luck completed 20-of-30 passes for 206 yards, three touchdowns and an interception to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 17 games.

Stepfan Taylor racked up 95 yards on the ground on 13 carries and added 26 yards and a score on two catches for Stanford (9-0, 7-0 Pac-12), giving the Cardinal their first 9-0 start since 1951.

Sean Mannion threw for 252 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-30 passing, while James Rodgers hauled in six passes for 77 yards and a score for Oregon State (2-7, 2-4), which has lost three of its last four.

"We could have done better and we're going to work hard to become better than that," Mannion said. "There was some good stuff, but we just have to become a better team."

Coming off a thrilling 56-48 triple overtime victory over USC last Saturday, Stanford looked to be in a low-scoring affair this week, holding a 17-7 lead after the first half.

The Beavers came out firing in the second half with Mannion finding Joe Halahuni for a 42-yard strike down the left sideline on 3rd-and-2, moving Oregon State to the Cardinal two. Malcolm Agnew rumbled into the end zone on the next play and Trevor Romaine's blocked extra point made the score 17-13.

But after trading punts, Stanford put the game out of reach with two quick strikes. Taylor recorded 44 yards on four carries before hauling in a 27-yard score over the middle, and Luck capitalized on a short field after a Mannion fumble on the Beavers' next touch by hitting Coby Fleener for a 14-yard touchdown in the closing minute of the third.

Tyler Gaffney's 10-yard TD run with just over six minutes left in regulation capped a 95-yard drive lasting over seven minutes to extend Stanford's lead.

The Beavers then failed to convert a 4th-and-2 inside Stanford territory and the Cardinal ran out the remainder of the clock to seal the win.

"I give credit to Oregon State, they played tough and are a good football team," said Luck.

After a scoreless first quarter in which Stanford had a potential touchdown dropped in the end zone and Luck was intercepted, Jeremy Stewart capped an 11- play, 92-yard drive by plunging into the end zone from two yards out on the first play of the second quarter to put the Cardinal on the board.

The Beavers were then held to a three-and-out and Stanford converted four straight third downs before Luck lobbed a 17-yard pass to Griff Whalen in the corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

But Oregon State quickly answered with a five-play scoring drive capped by Rodgers hauling in a slant across the middle and running 15 yards for a TD.

There was a scary moment on the ensuing drive when Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu caught a short pass and lowered his shoulder as Oregon State cornerback Jordan Poyer rushed towards him. Poyer also lowered his shoulder trying for the hit and the two players' heads collided, causing Owusu to collapse.

Owusu lied on the ground motionless for several minutes and had to be taken off the field in an ambulance, but he was awake when he was taken off the field and even gave a thumbs up before being closed into the vehicle.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he had full range of motion and was diagnosed with a concussion.

"The good thing is, he was conscious. He was fine, but they had already made the decision to put him on the stretcher," Stanford head coach David Shaw said about Owusu. "He is already back in the locker room."

When play resumed, Eric Whitaker connected on a 31-yard field goal and Romaine's 50-yard attempt in the closing seconds of the second was blocked to make it a 17-7 game at the half.

Game Notes

This was the first game this season in which Stanford did not score in the first quarter...Stanford leads the overall series against Oregon State, which dates back to 1919, 50-25-3...Rodgers' six catches gave him 212 for his career and moved him to one reception behind James Newson for second place in school history. He sits eight catches behind Mike Hass' school record of 220...Stanford outgained Oregon State on the ground 300-33.