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Oregon State takes another step toward Rose Bowl with win over Cal

Nov 16, 2008 - 4:54 AM CORVALLIS, Oregon (Ticker) -- Jacquizz Rodgers ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown and James Rodgers scored twice to lead No. 25 Oregon State to a 34-21 victory over California on Saturday.

James Rodgers returned a kickoff 86 yards for a TD in the first quarter to tie the game at 7-7. Jacquizz Rodgers added a 2-yard TD run later in the quarter to put the Beavers on top 14-7.

Keenan Lewis provided the death blow with an interception return for a touchdown with 31 seconds to play that gave the Beavers a 34-21 lead.

"It was a good football game between two teams that really went after each other," Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. "I was really proud of our team for being relentless. That's what I thought we were. There were a lot of things that happened; they made some plays. When we came out of halftime and it was a tight game, I just didn't think our guys were going to get beat."

If Oregon State (7-3, 6-1 Pac-10) wins its final two games, the Beavers will represent the conference in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1964. Oregon State closes its season at Arizona and home against Oregon.

The Beavers and Southern California are tied with one conference loss each, but Oregon State holds the tiebreaker via a 27-21 victory over the Trojans on September 21.

"We are just taking it one game at a time," James Rodgers said. "Next week we have Arizona and after tomorrow we are going to look at film and try to get better."

The Pac-10's leading rusher, Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 145 yards on 25 carries while his brother James Rodgers caught six passes for 50 yards and ran 18 yards for a TD in the third quarter to make it 27-14.

"It's hard to hold him down; he is a great back," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said of Jacquizz Rodgers. "He made a couple guys miss in the hole. You have to give him a lot of credit; he is a very good back. For the most part, we had him wrapped up. He wasn't making huge runs. I think he had a couple nice runs, but he was getting eight yards a crack down the stretch and leaving them in second and short. That ends up being the difference."

Lyle Moevao completed 14-of-28 passes for 145 yards for Oregon State, which has not lost a game at Reser Stadium this season and stopped Cal's two-game winning streak in Corvallis.

Jahvid Best rushed 15 times for 115 yards, including a 65-yard scamper in the third quarter that pulled the Bears to within 27-21.

Kevin Riley threw a 5-yard TD pass to Verran Tucker early in the first quarter to give Cal (6-4, 4-3) a 7-0 lead, but that was one of the few things that went well for Riley.

Riley finished 11-of-26 for 117 yards and was sacked five times. He threw an interception that was returned for a TD by Oregon State, but caught a break with a penalty before the snap. On the next play he was picked by Lewis, effectively ending the game.

"Their defense was definitely good," Riley said. "We knew that. It's about us not making enough plays. We had chances the whole game. I missed a throw, we get a penalty, a dropped ball. I mean, it's everything. Throughout the game we just messed up too many times.

"We have to see where we are as a team now. We don't want it to happen, the same thing as last year where there were a couple losses in a row. We have to look at ourselves and make plays, learn from mistakes and be a football team."