Stanford stops Oregon State

Toby Gerhart ran for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns in 19 carries in his first game back from a knee injury and Stanford took advantage of two bizarre fumbles in the end zone to beat visiting Oregon State, 36-28, in a Pacific 10 Conference game Thursday night.

The first fumble gave the Cardinal the lead for good on a safety late in the third quarter. The second came with only 47 seconds left, when Darrell Catchings tried to stretch the ball over the goal line before Taylor Skaufel knocked it loose and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback.

Gerhart, who played at Norco High, made a strong return from the injury that forced him to miss all but one game a year ago.

Quarterback Lyle Moevao and the Beavers attacked Stanford’s defense on the perimeter with short passes and end arounds. But it was on one of those plays that the momentum changed late in the third quarter.

On second and 16 from the Oregon State nine-yard line, Moevao attempted to throw a swing pass to Ryan McCants against a blitz. Moevao was on the two when he threw the ball and it landed on the one before rolling out of the side of the end zone. The official signaled the play was a lateral and ruled it a safety, giving Stanford a 22-20 lead.

Stanford took the ensuing free kick and scored again on the first play of the fourth quarter when Anthony Kimble took a pass from Tavita Pritchard and ran it in for a 15-yard touchdown.

No. 23 Wake Forest 41, Baylor 13 -- Riley Skinner threw three touchdown passes, two to Chip Brinkman, and the Demon Deacons played up to their first preseason ranking in school history with a victory at Waco, Texas.

Skinner, whose 72% completion percentage led the nation last season, was efficient against the Bears, going 27 of 36 for 220 yards with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ben Wooster in the third quarter.

South Carolina 34, North Carolina State 0 -- At Columbia, S.C., the Gamecocks overcame four interceptions by first-time starter Tommy Beecher to give Coach Steve Spurrier his 16th consecutive opening-game victory.

Wolfpack freshman quarterback Russell Wilson, who was taken off the field on a stretcher after taking a knee to the head while being sacked, had a concussion and was doing well after going to the hospital, North Carolina State officials said.

Georgia Tech 41, Jacksonville State 14 -- Jonathan Dwyer and quarterback Josh Nesbitt each ran for two touchdowns, and Morgan Burnett intercepted two first-half passes by Ryan Perrilloux in the host Yellow Jackets’ victory in Paul Johnson’s debut as coach.

Perrilloux was in line to start for Lousiana State before being dismissed for disciplinary reasons. Looking for a place to play immediately, he landed at Jacksonville State and became the starter.

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In other games:

Graig Cooper had a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown and rushed for another score, and quarterback Jacory Harris accounted for two touchdowns as Miami won its first home game at Dolphin Stadium, 52-7 over Charleston Southern. . . . Quarterback Chris Nickson rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns and passed for another touchdown to lead Vanderbilt to a 34-13 victory over Miami of Ohio at Oxford, Ohio.