What started out like a post-halloween horror story at Reser Stadium in Corvallis for Oregon State, proved the trick ended up being played on the visiting Arizona State Sun Devils as the #11 ranked Beavers treated themselves to a night, not soon forgotten in Beaver Nation.
OSU (5-1/7-1) snapped a 19-19 halftime tie, enroute to beating down the Sun Devils, 36-26 to improve the Beavers record to 7-1. That’s the best record in program history since 2002, and the 4th time the Beavers have beaten ASU in the last 5 contests.
The loss is ASU’s (3-3/5-4) 3rd straight League setback.
The win keeps Oregon State in the race for the Pac-12 North Division Title, and a shot at the P12 Championship game, and a trip to the Rose Bowl not since 1965.
Arizona State scored on the return after Vaz fumbled on Oregon State’s opening drive, but the Beavers pulled away to keep the Sun Devils from bowl eligibility.
(Click link below to see highlights below from KVAL-TV)
Vaz appeared shaky, but the Beavers’ next possession ended with Trevor Romaine’s 41-yard field goal. ASU countered with Cameron Marshall’s 1-yard scoring run for a 14-3 lead.
The Beavs and Vaz came back with a 50-yard scoring pass to Markus Wheaton, but then Arizona State got a safety on a blocked punt for a 16-10 lead.
The Sun Devils added a 31-yard field goal from Jon Mora to make it 19-10.
Terron Ward (pictured above) filled in for Storm Woods, and Malcom Agnew with and pounded the Devils defense for 146-yards on 19-carries including a 53-yard TD run which narrowed the lead again for Oregon State.
The Beavers tied it at 19 going into halftime on Romaine’s 45 yard field goal.
45,979 enjoyed the late night game as it proved to be the 4th largest crowd in OSU history, and the 3rd sellout of the season.
In the 2nd Half, Vaz and the Beavers really came to life as Vaz connected with Marcus Wheaton for a 17-yard TD making it 26-19 Beavers. In the first half, the two connected for a 50-yard score.
Then, Vaz hit Brandin Cooks, after a Trevor Romaine 33-yard field goal, for a 49-yard TD strike to put OSU up 36-19.
Romaine also connected on a 41-yard FG in the first half to give the Beavs much needed points against a salty ASU defense. He added a 45-yard strike, too.
Wheaton finished the evening with 108-yards receiving, and Cooks with 116. For Wheaton, it was his ninth career 100-yard game, moving him into sole possession of fourth in OSU history.
In the end, Vaz completed 14 of 33 passes. He was intercepted once and sacked six times.Â
But, it was Terron Ward that kept the chains moving for the Beaver running game.
“Terron had a great night,” Vaz said. “He stepped up big for us and had some great runs and kept them guessing a little bit on defense. We were able to gash them with some big runs so they weren’t able to pressure us as much.”
As it was, the Sun Devils sacked Vaz six times, but just once in the second half. That allowed him to find his receivers and he finished with 267 yards (14-33) and three touchdowns, two to Wheaton, and one interception.
“They have a great defense and a great group of athletes and they really got after it tonight,” Vaz said. “But at the same time we needed it and we had guys on the offensive line step up and guys on the perimeter step up and they played for us.”
Meantime, the Beaver defense was shutting down the Devils to protect the late game lead.
Arizona State was 4-of-17 on third-down conversions. Opponents have converted on just 27-of-112 (24.1 percent) on third down conversions this season.
Oregon State heads to Palo Alto to face #17 Stanford (5-1/7-2) Saturday. Game time TBA. ASU heads to LA to meet USC (4-3/6-3).
(Click below link to see official Box Score)
http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2012-2013/osu-asu.html
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