COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Defense Lifts Oregon Past Washington State : Pacific 10: Ducks return two interceptions for touchdowns and beat the Cougars, 26-7.

EUGENE, Ore. —  Isaac Walker and Paul Jensen returned interceptions for Oregon touchdowns as the 12th-ranked Ducks used their defense to beat Washington State, 26-7, Saturday night.

Oregon, 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Pacific 10, struggled on offense most of the night against the Cougars’ fast, aggressive defense. Ricky Whittle, the No. 2 rusher in the Pac-10 going into the game, gained just 13 yards in 17 carries.

But the two big defensive plays allowed the Ducks to avenge their only Pac-10 loss during their Rose Bowl march last season.

Walker’s 82-yard return ended the Cougars’ comeback hopes. Trailing 16-7, Washington State (3-4, 2-2) had driven to the Oregon 24-yard line. But on third-and-seven, Oregon’s Kenny Wheaton deflected Chad Davis’ pass and Walker grabbed it. He raced down the left sideline, then cut inside Davis near midfield and ran untouched for the score to make the score 23-7 with 9:25 to play.

Oregon’s “Gang Green” defense shut out Washington State after the Cougars went 71 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown on their first possession. Davis threw four yards to Bryant Thomas for the score. Frank Madu, who rushed for 106 yards in 29 carries, had 59 yards in five attempts in the opening drive.

Jensen gave Oregon its first score when Davis threw the ball right into the Duck linebacker’s arms and he ran 35 yards for the score. The extra point was blocked.

The Ducks, winners against the Cougars in seven of their last nine meetings, took the lead for good on Tony Graziani’s third-down pass to wide-open tight end Blake Spence to make it 13-7 with 2:29 left in the first quarter.