USC Runs Oregon State Out of the Race, 48-6

Todd Marinovich threw for three first-half touchdowns as ninth-ranked USC rolled to a 48-6 victory over Oregon State on Saturday and took clear command of the Pacific 10 title race.

The win put the Trojans at 7-2 overall and 5-0 in the conference as they contend for their third consecutive Rose Bowl berth.

No other Pac-10 team has fewer than two conference losses.

Oregon State, beaten by Southern Cal for the 18th consecutive time, came into the game third with a 3-1-1 mark. Their second Pac-10 loss dropped them to 4-4-1 overall.

The Trojans, who have won 18 straight Pac-10 games and have Arizona and UCLA remaining on their schedule, got more breathing room Saturday when Arizona, second in the Pac-10 with a 4-1 record, was upset 29-28 by Cal.

Marinovich helped stake the Trojans to a 34-0 halftime lead against the overmatched Beavers, then yielded to backup Shane Foley at 3:47 into the third period with Southern Cal ahead 41-0.

Marinovich, a redshirt freshman who ranks ninth on the Trojans’ all-time completions list after just nine games, completed 14 of 18 for 226 yards in the romp.

Southern Cal dominated the Beavers in virtually every department. Ricky Ervins led the Trojan rushers with 110 yards on 20 carries and scored three times on runs of 17 yards, 7 and 1.

On the 7-yard score, he picked up a Marinovich fumble on the first bounce and bulled his way into the end zone.

Ervins also was perfect on one passing attempt. He took a pitch from Marinovich, pulled up and completed a 33-yarder back to the quarterback to help set up the second touchdown for the Trojans, who scored the first three times they had the ball.

Marinovich’s touchdowns came on throws of 57 yards to John Jackson, 31 to Gary Wellman and 17 to Joel Scott.

The Trojans’ defense completely overpowered the Beavers, with linebacker Junior Seau leading the charge with 3 1/2 sacks, giving him 13 1/2 this season to break the school record of 13 set by Jack Del Rio in 1983.

Oregon State’s lone score came on a 14-yard pass from Matt Booher to Maurice Wilson 47 seconds into the final quarter.

Booher was 24 of 32 for 216 yards with two interceptions.