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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 5:53 p.m., Saturday, October 4, 2008

No. 9 USC bounces back to beat Oregon 44-10

By KEN PETERS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES — Mark Sanchez threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns today night and No. 9 Southern California stormed back from a stunning loss to rout No. 23 Oregon 44-10.

The Trojans (3-1, 1-1 Pac-10) shook off a defeat at Oregon State in Corvallis that knocked them out of the No. 1 ranking, and dominated the Ducks (4-2, 2-1), who had been considered the better of Oregon's two Pac-10 schools.

Sanchez, coming off a so-so performance in the 27-21 loss, completed 19 of 28 and did not throw an interception.

He threw to seven different receivers, with Joe McKnight catching five passes for 86 yards, and Patrick Turner grabbing five for 77 yards and a TD. The Trojans also used a committee of five runners, led by C.J. Gable's 49 yards on 10 carries, and Stafon Johnson's 43 yards on seven carries.

Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli, a third-stringer pressed into duty by injuries and making his second college start, completed 18-of-29 for 156 yards, with one interception.

USC's defense, which allowed Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers to run for 186 yards and two scores the previous game, held the Ducks' tandem of Jeremiah Johnson and LaGarrette Blount to a combined 45 yards — all by Johnson. Blount was held to 0 yards on nine carries.

Trailing 10-3 midway through the second quarter, USC reeled off 24 points before halftime, then tacked on another touchdown in the opening minutes of the third quarter.

Taking advantage of blown coverage by the Oregon secondary in the second quarter, Sanchez connected on scoring passes of 34 yards to a wide-open Damian Williams in the left flat and 63 yards to Ronald Johnson several steps beyond the final defenders.

David Buehler's second field goal of the game, a 36-yarder 40 seconds before halftime, had put the Trojans up 20-10, and an Oregon turnover set up still another USC touchdown.

Josh Pinkard recovered Jaison William's fumble at the Ducks 20 and, with 22 seconds on the clock, Sanchez threaded an 11-yard scoring pass to Turner, who caught the ball at the goal line with a defender right on him.

Finishing off the Trojans' first possession of the third quarter, a hemmed-in Stafon Johnson stopped, changed direction, then got a good block from Sanchez on his way to a 22-yard touchdown.

The six-time defending Pac-10 champion Trojans haven't lost two games in a row since early in coach Pete Carroll's first season in 2001. By throttling the Ducks, they also avenged last year's 24-17 loss in Eugene.

After the Ducks took the opening kickoff and marched to a touchdown, the Trojans put together a drive of their own. But with a first-and-goal from the 6, USC couldn't punch it in and had to settle for Buehler's 21-yard field goal.

Masoli had taken Oregon on a 70-yard touchdown march capped by Jeremiah Johnson's 1-yard run with for a quick 7-0 lead 5:19 into the contest. The drive originally stalled at the USC 27 and Matt Evensen kicked a field goal, but a roughing the kicker call gave the Ducks a first down at the 13.

The Trojans wrapped up the scoring with 1:26 remaining on Mitch Mustain's 59-yard TD pass to David Ausburry. Mustain, who moved into the backup role during the week, went 5-of-8 for 111 yards and threw one interception.

USC leads the series 37-16-2, but Oregon holds a 5-4 edge in the nine latest meetings.