Oregon Holds Clinic for UCLA, Wins 60-13
EUGENE, Ore. – This week’s AP No. 1 had no problem. And so they shall stay No. 1.
Darron Thomas threw for a career-high 308 yards and three touchdowns and Oregon pounded 60-13 Thursday night in its first-ever game as the top-ranked team in the country.
The Ducks’ victory stopped a run of losses for the No. 1 team. Alabama lost to South Carolina two weekends ago and Ohio State lost at Wisconsin last week.
LaMichael James, the nation’s top rusher, finished 123 yards and two TDs on the ground for Oregon (7-0, 4-0) after spending part of the first quarter on the sideline with an apparent injury. Reserve Remene Alston ran for three scores.
The last time the No. 1 team in The Associated Press Top 25 lost in three consecutive weeks was November 1960, when Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri all fell.
The Bruins (3-4, 1-3) were without quarterback Kevin Prince, who did not suit up against the Ducks because of a knee injury. He was replaced by sophomore Richard Brehaut, who completed 16 of 23 passes for 159 yards.
James, getting increasing Heisman buzz, went down late in the first with what appeared to be an ankle injury. But before long, the dynamic back was high-stepping on the sidelines and returned.
James, who was averaging 169.6 yards per game, upped his total for the season to 971 yards in six games. It was the sophomore’s 14th career game with at least 100 yards.
James ran 8 yards for the opening touchdown. While he rested on the sidelines after going down, Alston added a 1-yard scoring plunge and Nate Costa ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 15-0.
After Kai Forbath made a 25-yard field goal for the Bruins, Thomas hit Josh Huff for a 22-yard touchdown pass and tight end David Paulson for a 6-yard score to make it 29-3.
Thomas added a 3-yard TD pass to Jeff Maehl in the second half, and James scored on a 6-yard run. Thomas completed 22 of 31 passes, and also ran for 48 yards.
Alston had a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs in the fourth, including one set up by a Brehaut fumble.
Brehaut, who made his first career start earlier this season in ’s 42-28 victory over Washington State, ran for a 6-yard score with 1:53 left in the game.
, which runs a Pistol offense, came into the game averaging just 95.5 yards passing.
The Bruins also were without receiver Josh Smith and F-back Morrell Presley, who were suspended for the game for violating team rules. Coach Rick Neuheisel has refused to comment on the specifics.
leads the series against Oregon 39-24, but the Ducks have won the last three. The Bruins’ last win over a No. 1 team came in the 1976 Rose Bowl against Ohio State.
Oregon fans turned out to celebrate the ranking, many wearing yellow for the benefit of the national television audience.
“We’ve been here since 1959 and never have we been No. 1. For a long time it was just year after year of losing. Terrible,’‘ said 76-year-old Ginger Newman, who was at the game with her husband, Mel Newman, 80.
While the Ducks were No. 1 in the AP media poll, they were ranked No. 2 in the first rankings released this past Sunday, behind Oklahoma.
Game Notes
No. 1 Oregon vs. • Oct. 21, 2010 • Eugene, Ore. (Autzen Stadium)
• SO QB Darron Thomas set career highs with 22 completions (31 attempts) and 308 passing yards. His 356 yards of total offense were a new personal best by 1 yard.
• SO RB LaMichael James broke the 100-yard rushing mark for the 14th time in his career, tying Jonathan Stewart (2005-07) for the most in UO history.
• James, who finished with 123 yards on 20 carries, scored two touchdowns, giving him at least one score in all six games he has played this season and 11 total for the year.
• James went over 2,500 rushing yards for his career and now has 2,517 to rank sixth all-time at Oregon.
• Thomas completed his first 11 pass attempts on the day, giving him 13 straight dating to the previous game at Washington State.
• SR WR Jeff Maehl caught a touchdown for the fifth straight game and extended his string of games with at least one reception to 28.
• Maehl recorded his second straight 100-yard receiving game and fourth of his career, finishing with eight grabs for 107 yards.
• SR RB Remene Alston Jr. had a career-high three touchdowns, all rushing.
• SR DE Kenny Rowe had one sack, giving him 20.5 in his career to rank sixth on UO’s career list.
• True freshman Joss Huff scored a touchdown for the fourth time in five games, hauling in a 22-yard pass from Thomas.
• The first-quarter interception by SO S John Boyett was his second of the season and fifth of his career.
• JR TE David Paulson now has 26 career receptions, 24 resulting in either a first down or a touchdown. He finished with four catches for 62 yards and a score.
• The 60 points scored by UO were the most in 64 all-time meetings against the Bruins. The Ducks’ 47-point margin of victory broke the previous mark of 27 in 1929 (27-0).
• The Ducks are 7-0 to start the year for the first time since 1933 and third time in 115 seasons.
• Oregon’s 386 points is not only a school record for a seven-game stretch (326 points in 2007), but its also the most in a nine-game span.
• The Bruins became the first team to score in the fourth quarter against UO this season with a late touchdown.
• The Ducks have won 14 consecutive games at Autzen Stadium, including 11 in Pac-10 play.
• UO has now won 8 of 10 meetings vs. , including three straight at home.
• Oregon improved to 19-3 in Pac-10 play since the start of the 2008 season.
• With a crowd of 59,372, Oregon recorded its 72nd consecutive sellout at Autzen Stadium, dating to 1999.
Updated 10-22-2010
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