Bad Snap Sinks Ducks as Beavers Win, 15-12 : Pacific 10: Botched punt attempt late in the game leads to the winning touchdown.

After both offenses had struggled on a cold, foggy evening, a crucial mistake in Oregon’s punting game finally made the difference.

A botched punt attempt set up J.J. Young’s two-yard touchdown run with 3:50 to play to give Oregon State a 15-12 victory over the Ducks Saturday in their 97th “Civil War” game.

For Tommy Thompson, Oregon’s punter and kicker from Lompoc, it was a frustrating end to an outstanding collegiate career. Thompson, who earlier missed a 24-yard field-goal attempt, had to leap to catch center Willy Tate’s high snap and was unable to get off the punt because Oregon State’s Marc Williams was pressuring him.

“Willy has always done an excellent job of snapping the ball to me,” Thompson said. “It was just unfortunate that his only bad one had to come when they lined everybody up to come and get it.”

Thompson tried to run and was tackled at the Ducks’ 24-yard line with 6:26 to play.

The Beavers (4-7, 2-6) needed six plays to score. Young, from South Pasadena, gained 20 yards in five carries during the short drive. Quarterback Rahim Muhammad, from Fairfax High, ran for the two-point conversion to put Oregon State ahead, 15-12.

Thompson didn’t second-guess his decision not to try to punt. “There was no question in my mind that I couldn’t have gotten the ball off,” he said.

The victory left Oregon State Coach Jerry Pettibone 2-1 in Civil War games and 2-0 in games played at Eugene.

“I told our players for the last two weeks that usually when you get in a close game like this something happens in the kicking game that has a big impact on who’s going to win,” Pettibone said.

After the Beavers went ahead, Oregon (5-6, 2-6) was unable to move the ball on its next possession and had to punt. Oregon Sate then ran out the clock.