USC GAME REPORT

1st QUARTER

USC 7, Oregon State 14

*

THE SCORING: * Oregon State 7, USC 0: C. Johnson, 15-yard pass from Smith at 9:28. 59-yard drive, seven plays. Key gain--Simonton, 16-yard run on second and two from Oregon State 49. PAT--Cesca (kick).

* Oregon State 14, USC 0: Simonton, 20-yard run at 5:04. 76-yard drive, seven plays. Key play--Houshmandzadeh, seven-yard pass from Smith on third and seven from USC 42. PAT--Cesca (kick).

* Oregon State 14, USC 7: Nickels, 12-yard pass from Palmer at 2:33. 71-yard drive, eight plays. Key play--Palmer, 18-yard run, plus 15-yard face-mask penalty on second and 20 from USC 45. PAT--Newbury (kick).

TURNING POINT: USC closed the quarter with an eight-play, 71-yard scoring drive after the Beavers jumped to a 14-0 lead. Palmer ran for 18 yards on second and 20 at the USC 45 and a 15-yard face-mask penalty gave the Trojans the ball at the Oregon State 22.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Oregon State scored 36 consecutive points against USC dating to the fourth quarter of last season’s game, a 37-29 victory by the Trojans.

STAT WATCH: Oregon State outgained USC, 202-67, in total yardage and had 12 first downs to USC’s four. Simonton had 61 yards in nine carries. Palmer was the Trojans’ leading rusher with 20 yards in two carries. Simonton has rushed for a touchdown in six consecutive games.

2nd QUARTER

USC 14, Oregon State 14

THE SCORING: * Oregon State 14, USC 14: Moreno, 80-yard fumble return at 13:45. PAT--Newbury (kick).

TURNING POINT: Defensive tackle Ryan Nielsen hit Oregon State running back Patrick McCall and forced a fumble. Moreno grabbed the ball and ran untouched into the end zone for his third touchdown in two games against Oregon State. Last season, the linebacker returned a fumble and interception for scores.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: After being pushed around in the opening quarter, USC’s defensive line put pressure on Smith and made him rush several passes. On one possession, Moreno and Troy Polamalu both recorded sacks.

STAT WATCH: Simonton added 52 yards in the quarter and outrushed USC, 113-49, before halftime. Sultan McCullough had 32 yards rushing in eight carries. Smith completed only three of 12 passes for 33 yards. USC ran 33 plays to Oregon State’s 48.

3rd QUARTER

USC 14, Oregon State 14

THE SCORING: None.

TURNING POINT: USC appeared to have taken a six-point lead midway through but Palmer’s three-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Antoine Harris was nullified by a delay-of-game penalty. Kicker David Newbury subsequently hit the right goal post on a 20-yard field-goal attempt.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: USC’s McCullough suffered an ankle injury with 13:25 to play and didn’t return the rest of the quarter. Maleafou McKenzie replaced him but it didn’t matter. The Trojans had trouble running the ball.

STAT WATCH: USC outgained Oregon State, 125-47, in total yardage but only 11 came on the ground. Marcell Allmond caught a 33-yard pass from Palmer. The Beavers attempted only two passes, completing neither.

4th QUARTER

USC 21, Oregon State 31

THE SCORING: * Oregon State 21, USC 14: Simonton, two-yard run at 11:14. Six-yard drive, three plays after fumble recovery at the USC six. PAT--Cesca (kick).

* Oregon State 24, USC 14: Cesca, 41-yard field goal at 8:04. three-yard drive, four plays after 36-yard punt return to USC 27.

* Oregon State 24, USC 21: Pierson, one-yard pass from Palmer at 2:16. 12-yard drive, four plays. Key play--MacKenzie, 11-yard pass from Palmer on third and 10 from Oregon State 12. PAT--Newbury (kick).

* Oregon State 31, USC 21: Simonton, 36-yard run at 1:18. 45-yard drive, three plays. PAT--Cesca (kick).

TURNING POINT: USC fullback Petros Papadakis had the ball stripped just outside the Trojan goal line. Harris attempted to pick up the ball and run with it but fumbled and Oregon State’s Calvin Carlyle recovered. The Beavers immediately took the lead on Simonton’s short touchdown run.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: With no running game, Palmer tried to bring USC back by himself but two ill-advised passes resulted in interceptions. Then with USC desperately needing a stop on third down, Simonton finished off the Trojans.

STAT WATCH: Simonton added 67 yards to set a career high with 234. Cesca’s field goal was his first of the season. It was also his first try. USC had four turnovers and now has eight in two games.