Final: Oregon 47, USC 20
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Related story: Poll: Who has been more disappointing, USC or UCLA?
The last time this kind of thing happened to Pete Carroll and USC?
Never.
Oregon’s 47-20 win over the Trojans tonight in Eugene was notable for a couple of reasons.
The 47 points are the most a Carroll-coached USC team has given up in nine seasons. The margin of the Ducks’ victory also was record-setting for that era.
Carroll’s worst loss at USC before tonight was 11 points to Notre Dame in 2001, his first season. His worst Pacific10 Conference loss was two years ago on this same Autzen Stadium field, 24-17.
The score of tonight’s game was tied, 17-17, with a little more than three minutes to play before halftime.
From then on? All Ducks.
USC can forget playing for a national championship. Or even in the Rose Bowl.
Oregon, which is now two games up on the Trojans in the Pac-10 standings, appears headed for Pasadena and the Rose Bowl -- unless the Ducks get some help and wind up playing a week later for the national title.
They certainly looked like world beaters against USC. But remember, the Ducks lost to Boise State in their season opener.
Oregon outgained USC, 614 yards to 269. The Ducks had 393 rushing yards and averaged 8.2 yards a carry.
LaMichael James rushed for 184 yards in 24 carries for Oregon, and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli ran 12 times for 165 yards and completed 19 of 31 passes for 221 yards.
For USC, Joe McKnight rushed for 96 yards in 15 carries. Quarterback Matt Barkley passed for 160 yards and two touchdowns, completing 19 of 32 on a night he overthrew several open receivers.
Would more accurate passing by Barkley made a difference? Yes.
A 27-point difference? No.
Oregon 47, USC 20 (late in fourth quarter)
Make it nine trips inside the USC 20 yard-line in 11 possessions by Oregon.
And add another field goal, from 23 yards out, by Morgan Flint.
By the way, before tonight Pete’s Carroll’s worse loss at USC was by 11 points to Notre Dame.
In Pacific 10 Conference games it was seven points -- to Oregon two years ago.
Oregon 44, USC 20 (midway through fourth quarter)
The Ducks have had the ball 10 times in this game.
They’ve moved inside the USC 20 on eight of them.
Morgan Flint kicked a 22-yard field goal to give Oregon 44 points -- significant for a couple of reasons.
First, that’s the most points USC has given up in Pete Carroll’s nine seasons.
Second, that’s one more point than the Trojans gave up in their first five games this season.
Since then, however, it hasn’t gone so well for USC. Notre Dame scored 27 in a loss, Oregon State scored 36 in a loss and now these 44, which, um, will not have been scored in a loss.
Happy Holiday (bowl) Trojan fans.
--Mike Hiserman
Oregon 41, USC 20 (end of third quarter)
LaMichael James continues to give the Trojans fits.
The running back made an ankle-breaking 18-yard run during a scoring drive he capped with a three-yard touchdown run on the final play of the third quarter.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli also had a 17-yard scramble during the drive.
Oregon’s 41 points are the most they have ever scored against USC.
Oregon 34, USC 20 (third quarter)
Oregon running back LaMichael James is doing a great impression of Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
The smallish James had runs of 10, nine and 18 yards, which helped set up his five-yard touchdown run.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli started the drive with a 26-yard scramble.
Masoli has rushed for more than 100 yards. James also is over 100 yards for the first time this season.
Oregon 27, USC 20 (third quarter)
USC kicker Jordan Congdon said this week that he actually liked kicking on the road because the crowd noise helped him concentrate.
Congdon came through with his second field goal, a 39-yarder, to pull the Trojans to within seven points with 8:31 left in the third quarter.
Congdon’s field goal ended a 47-yard, eight-play drive that featured a 26-yard run by Joe McKnight.
Congdon might like the noise but the Trojans’ offense does not. USC has been called for six false start penalties.
Oregon 27, USC 17 (third quarter)
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli kept the pressure on the Trojans by firing consecutive passes of 16 and 18 yards to start the second half.
Masoli’s fourth-down pass to D.J. Davis gave the Ducks a first down at the Trojans’ 36, and his 18-yard strike to Jeff Maehl helped set up Morgan Flint’s second field goal, a 35-yarder that increased the lead to 10 points.
Oregon 24, USC 17 (halftime)
Oregon outgained USC, 251 yards to 193 yards, in the first half behind quarterback Jeremiah Masoli.
Masoli rushed for 75 yards in eight carries and completed seven of 11 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown without an interception.
Masoli’s 17-yard touchdown pass went to former USC receiver Jamere Holland.
Running back LaMichael James rushed for 79 yards in nine carries.
USC quarterback Matt Barkley is 16 of 22 for 138 yards, with touchdown passes to Ronald Johnson and Damian Williams.
Oregon 24, USC 17 (halftime)
Oregon receiver Jamere Holland came back to haunt the Trojans.
Holland, a former star at Woodland Hills Taft High, transferred from USC to Oregon after the 2006 season.
Holland caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jeremiah Masoli to put the Ducks ahead with 1:49 left in the half.
Masoli helped set up the touchdown by scrambling for 48 yards on the first play of the drive.
USC 17, Oregon 17 (second quarter)
USC punched back.
Matt Barkley’s four-yard touchdown pass to Damian Williams capped a 71-yard, 12-play drive.
Barkley completed a 12-yard pass to tailback Joe McKnight on a third-and-13 play and McKnight ran for five yards on fourth down to help set up the scoring sequence.
Williams has seven receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.
Oregon 17, USC 10 (second quarter)
Running back LaMichael James might be small but he’s giving the Trojans big problems. As is USC’s kick-off coverage unit.
Starting at the USC 44, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli completed an 11-yard pass and then James broke off 33- and 11-yard runs on consecutive plays.
Three plays later, running back Andre Crenshaw ran the ball across the goal line from a yard out for a seven-point lead with 8:39 left in the half.
USC 10, Oregon 10 (second quarter)
USC has been starved for turnovers the last few weeks, forcing fumbles but failing to recover them.
They finally came up big early in the second quarter when linebacker Malcolm Smith hit Oregon receiver Jeff Maehl after a reception and safety Will Harris recovered the loose ball.
Matt Barkley then completed four consecutive passes as the Trojans moved from the Oregon 44-yard line to the five.
Barkley then passed three yards to Ronald Johnson for a touchdown.
Oregon 10, USC 3 (end of first quarter)
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli got rolling while directing the Ducks’ no-huddle offense.
Masoli expertly directed a 78-yard, 13-play scoring drive, keeping the Trojans off balance with keepers and short passes.
Masoli’s 23-yard pass to receiver D.J. Davis and a third-and-six pass to running back LaMichael James helped give the Ducks a first and goal at the three.
Masoli then made a terrific fake to James and ran into the end zone to give the Ducks the lead.
USC 3, Oregon 3
USC put together an impressive drive to start the game, but the Trojans stalled in the red zone and had to settle for Jordan Congdon‘s 28-yard field goal.
USC drove 57 yards in 12 plays.
Matt Barkley completed five of six passes during the drive, including a 15-yard completion on third down to Ronald Johnson early in the march.
The Trojans had first and goal at the 10, but a two-yard rush by Allen Bradford, a two-yard loss on a pass to Damian Williams and an incomplete attempt to Williams in the end zone brought on Congdon.
Kenjon Barner returned the ensuing kickoff 77 yards for Oregon, giving the Ducks a first down at the Trojans’ 15-yard line. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli rushed for a yard and then threw two incomplete passes, brining on Morgan Flint for a 32-yard field goal.
-- Gary Klein