Washington State in High Gear Against No. 25 Oregon, 55-44

Ryan Leaf passed for four touchdowns and ran for another and Michael Black rushed for 161 yards and a score as Washington State defeated No. 25 Oregon, 55-44, in a Pacific 10 game Saturday.

Leaf completed 16 of 25 passes for 225 yards with one interception before sitting out the fourth quarter. The Cougars defense held the Ducks scoreless for more than 18 minutes in the second and third quarters.

But Oregon, 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the Pacific 10, capitalized on Washington State mistakes on kickoff returns to stage a fourth-quarter rally.

Washington State (2-1, 1-0) used a balanced offense--234 yards rushing and 225 passing--to overshadow Oregon’s Ryan Perry-Smith, who was 21 for 46 for 291 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception.

Black, a junior college transfer from West Los Angeles College and Dorsey High, rushed 22 times, gaining 98 yards in the first half and scoring on a three-yard run in the second quarter. Leaf also plunged across for a 1-yard score.

After trailing by as much as 52-14 in the third quarter, the Ducks made a 27-point fourth-quarter run. Oregon recovered three Cougar fumbles in that span.