Oregon Answers Critics

The 14th-ranked Oregon Ducks wanted to answer critics who called their controversial victory over Oklahoma two weeks ago a fluke.

Oregon did more than that in a 48-13 rout of Arizona State. On a 95-degree afternoon at Tempe, Ariz., the Ducks, 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the conference, also stamped themselves a contender for their first Pac-10 title since 2001.

“I thought our players played with great purpose today,” said Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti, whose team set up a top 25 showdown against California next Saturday in Berkeley. “I told our players that we have to understand we are the hunted.”

It was Oregon’s first game since the officials erroneously awarded them possession of an onside kick in a 34-33 victory over Oklahoma on Sept. 16 -- a mistake that resulted in Pac-10 suspensions of on-field officials and two replay officials.

All week Bellotti had said his team didn’t receive credit for its play against the Sooners. That figures to change after the Ducks used a balanced attack and a relentless defense to overwhelm the Sun Devils (3-2, 0-2).

Dennis Dixon threw for 215 yards and three touchdowns, Jonathan Stewart ran for 142 yards and Jaison Williams caught 10 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense registered six sacks and limited the once-potent Arizona State attack to 175 yards and a pair of field goals. Terry Richardson returned a kickoff 100 yards for Arizona State’s only touchdown.

“As a team on defense, we were able to dominate the line and really put some pressure on the quarterback,” said Ducks defensive end Dexter Manley II, who had three sacks.

Arizona State suffered its worst home loss in six seasons under Coach Dirk Koetter, and its worst defeat in Sun Devil Stadium since a 59-23 loss to UCLA Nov. 12, 1994. Koetter fell to 2-18 against top 25 opponents.

Koetter called the loss “horrendous.”

“I apologize to our fans,” Koetter said. “We should be paying them for making them sit through that.”

Arizona State, after being ranked No. 22 two weeks ago, has been outscored 97-34 over the last two Saturdays.

Sun Devils quarterback Rudy Carpenter, who led the nation in passing efficiency last season, continued his recent struggles. Carpenter completed six of 19 passes for 33 yards and threw an interception in the end zone.

No. 20 California 41, Oregon State 13 -- Nate Longshore threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Marshawn Lynch, and the Golden Bears (4-1, 2-0) defeated the Beavers (2-2, 0-1) at Corvallis, Ore.

Lynch finished with three touchdowns for California, running 15 yards for another score.

Longshore’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Lavelle Hawkins gave Cal the early lead. Before the first quarter was over, Longshore found DeSean Jackson with a 27-yard scoring pass and Lynch’s touchdown run made it 21-0.

Lynch had his second touchdown reception of the season, a 27-yard pass from Longshore, midway through the second quarter.

Tom Schneider kicked a 37-yard field goal to make it 31-0, before Alexis Serna, last season’s Lou Groza Award winner for the nation’s top kicker, made a 58-yarder to make it 31-3 at the half.

The kick matched the school record set by Chris Mangold against San Jose State in 1982.

Serna also made a 40-yarder for Oregon State, and a turnover led to the team’s lone touchdown.

Washington 21, Arizona 10 -- Isaiah Stanback threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Huskies (4-1, 2-0) over the Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) at Tucson for their third consecutive win.

Washington scored three times in the last 6:07 of the first half to take a 21-3 lead and held Arizona to minus-seven yards rushing.

Coach Tyrone Willingham’s Huskies have already doubled their win total from last year, his first as Washington coach.

Stanback passed to Sonny Shackelford on a 50-yard pass that set up a three-yard touchdown pass to Shackelford, erasing Arizona’s 3-0 lead.

Shackelford caught five passes for 105 yards, all in the first half.

Washington quickly got the ball back and scored again on a short drive highlighted by Stanback’s 45-yard pass to Anthony Russo, who was being played by heralded Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason.