Oregon Keeps Hopes for Bowl Bid Alive, 7-0

Oregon beat Oregon State, 7-0, in a driving rain Saturday, then waited to find out if its 6-5 record is good enough for a berth in the Independence Bowl.

The Ducks, who finished 4-4 in the Pacific 10, held Oregon State (1-9-1, 0-7-1) to 110 total yards, 88 rushing. Oregon State had been 11th in the nation in rushing at 236 yards per game.

“I just didn’t believe we could shut them down like that, but certainly our defense did a tremendous job,” Oregon Coach Rich Brooks said.

Willy Tate outfought Zechariah Davis to catch a three-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in the second quarter for the game’s only score.

Two representatives of the Independence Bowl attended the game and said the bowl’s selection committee will meet Monday. The Ducks’ chances improved when Wisconsin, also under consideration for a bid, was beaten by Northwestern.

Wake Forest already has accepted a berth in the Dec. 31 game at Shreveport, La.

Brooks wouldn’t speculate on the Ducks’ chances.

“The results of today might change a lot of people’s opinion around the country about who’s going where,” he said.

“All I know is we’re 6-5 and 4-4 in the toughest league without a doubt from top to bottom in the country. I think we are a very good team, not a great team.”

Oregon State fumbled eight times, but lost only two. Winds estimated at 30 m.p.h. blew during the first three quarters, but subsided during the final quarter.