University of Oregon
Arizona State
Ducks Cool Sun Devils
10/09/05 | Football
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Kellen Clemens threw for 279 yards and Terrence Whitehead ran for 122 to power No. 25 Oregon to a 31-17 victory over No. 17 Arizona State on Saturday night.
Whitehead also caught nine passes for 100 yards for the Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Pac-10), who scored 24 consecutive points after the Sun Devils took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Sun Devils (3-3, 2-2), coming off an emotional, bruising 38-28 home loss to No. 1 USC, lost to Oregon for the first time in four years.
Sam Keller completed 31 of 56 for 277 yards and two touchdowns. He threw two interceptions and was sacked four times. Clemens completed 20 of 39. He threw for two touchdowns and was picked off twice. Whitehead scored on a 6-yard reception and a 1-yard run.
The Ducks rushed for 234 yards to 53 for Arizona State.
Matt Evensen, a walk-on freshman kicking in place of injured Paul Martinez, kicked three field goals, including a 51-yarder as the first half ended to put the Ducks ahead 13-10.
Evensen's 42-yard field goal early in the third quarter made it 16-10, then Nick Reed blocked Chris MacDonald's punt and recovered at the Arizona State 1. Whitehead scored from there, then Clemens' tossed a shuffle pass to James Finley for the two-point conversion, and Oregon led 24-10 with 7:33 left in the third quarter.
Arizona State needed only 1:25 to go 69 yards in six plays. Keller was 4-for-5 on the drive, capped by a 1-yard scoring pass to Zach Miller that cut it to 24-17 with 6:08 left in the third. But it was the only glimpse of the Sun Devils' usual high-powered offense all night.
An interception by Zach Cantanese had Arizona State threatening for the tying touchdown. But Justin Phinisee picked off Keller's pass and returned it 51 yards to the Sun Devils 33.
The Ducks drove to the one, but Arizona State held.
The Sun Devils couldn't capitalize though, and Clemens' 34-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Demetrius Williams put Oregon ahead 31-17 with 11:27 to play.
On Oregon's' first possession, DeWayne Hollyfield blocked Evensen's 55-yard field goal try and Arizona State took over at the ASU 43. Five plays later, Keller threw to a wide-open Derek Hagan for a 20-yard scoring play that made it 7-0.
With the reception, Hagan tied the school record with 25 career TD catches.
Game Notes
Tailback Terrence Whitehead moved to seventh all-time on the UO all-purpose running list after finishing the day with 222 all purpose running yards. Whitehead passed Don Reynolds (1972-74/3,468) and Terry Obee (1986-89/3,530) and now has 3,679 career all-purpose running yards.
With 108 receiving yards today, senior wide receiver Demetrius Williams moved to fifh all-time on the UO receiving list, surpassing Terry Obee (1986-89/2,233). Williams now has 2,281 career receiving yards.
Williams' 108-yard performance was his 10th career 100-yard game. He has the most 100-yard receiving games in school history.
Walk-on placekicker Matt Evensen got his first career start today, replacing the injured Paul Martinez (thigh). Evenson, a true freshman from Portland, had successful field goals of 41, 42 and 51 yards.
Demetrius Williams (108) and Terrence Whitehead (100) became the first Oregon duo to catch 100-yards each in a game since Tim Day (152 yards) and Williams (126 yards) accomplished the feat last season at Washington State Oct. 9, 2004.
Whitehead's 100 yards receiving and 122 yards rushing makes him just the second player in school history to accumulate over 100 yards in both receiving and rushing. Bobby Moore is the only other player to do it ? he had 107 yards rushing and 131 yards receiving vs. UCLA in 1970.
Oregon's last win over a ranked opponent on the road came vs. then-No. 25 UCLA in 2002.
