COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Washington Takes Off on Kickoff Mistakes

Damon Huard surpassed the 4,000-yard mark in passing and 18th-ranked Washington used its kickoffs as a major weapon Saturday in a 26-16 victory over mistake-prone Oregon State.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Tim Alexander rushed for 182 yards in 24 carries, passed for 140 yards and scored two touchdowns in his first start for Oregon State.

The Beavers rushed for 348 yards and outgained the Huskies, 488-369, but Oregon State couldn’t overcome five turnovers and two big mistakes by the kickoff receiving team.

Fullback Richard Thomas scored twice on short runs and Huard passed for 165 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies, 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-10, beat Oregon State (1-4, 0-2) for the eighth consecutive time.

Alexander scored on runs of 32 yards and one yard and also had non-scoring runs of 54 and 33 yards.

Washington took a 17-0 lead in the first half. The Huskies scored 10 points after twice taking kickoffs away from the Beavers, once on a short, high kick that was caught by Washington’s Ikaika Malloe, and later on an on-side kick that resulted in one of John Fiala’s two fumble recoveries.

After Alexander’s 32-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 17-10 with 10:02 to play in the third quarter, the Beavers held the Huskies. Alexander ran 54 yards to the Washington 13, and the Beavers seemed headed for the tying score.

But two plays later, Mark Olford fumbled and Fiala recovered at the 11. The Huskies then went 89 yards in 10 plays.