EUGENE, Ore. - The underdog Oregon Ducks stunned perennial Pac-10 Powerhouse USC Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
And after they initially stunned them, they continued stomping them. By the time it was over, Oregon had won 47-20, handing the Trojans their worst loss in the past 12 years.
The win vaulted Oregon into the driver's seat for a Rose Bowl berth. It also delivered a staggering blow to USC's hopes of any prestigious bowl game.
During the last several years, USC has run into trouble in the Northwest as it made a run at national championships. Losses to Oregon State and to Oregon handed them serious conference losses, and robbed them of undefeated seasons.
However, until this year, the Trojans still managed to win all their other Pac-10 games, to take the conference title and go on to the Rose Bowl. This time, thanks to the Ducks and a previous loss to another Northwest team, the Washington Huskies, USC has two conference losses.
That's gotta hurt if you're a USC fan. It also makes the victory that much sweeter for Oregon fans.
Jeremiah Masoli threw for 222 yars and a touchdown. He also ran for 164 yards. Redshirt freshman LaMichael James ran for 183 yards, including a touchdown. The Ducks rolled up 391 yards on the ground against a team that, until Saturday, had held its opponents to an average of less than 80 rushing yards per game. The Trojans kept trying to come back, but a tough defense repeatedly denied them the opportunity, while the Oregon offense continued to grind out the yards, eat up the clock and add to its scoreboard margin.
Oregon now ranks among the nation's top football powers. Several big challenges still lie ahead, including next weekend's game against Stanford. But if Oregon wins out - and possibly even if the Ducks lose one conference game - they could still go to the Rose Bowl. And keep USC out of it.
Also Saturday, Oregon State won a Pac-10 thriller in Reser Stadium. The Beavers held on to beat UCLA, 26-19. The Bruins rallied back from a 16-point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game, but OSU responded with a 70-yard drive, capped by a James Rodgers touchdown with 44 seconds left to win the game.
All in all, a tough day for the teams from L.A. and a sweet one for the teams from Oregon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
