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USC bowl eligible after win over Oregon State

Trojans QB Cody Kessler threw for 247 yards and a TD. USC has won three of its last four games under interim coach Ed Orgeron. (Associated Press)
Anne M. Peterson Associated Press

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Javorius Allen ran for 133 yards and three touchdowns, Marqise Lee returned from a knee injury and had five catches for 105 yards and a score, and USC beat Oregon State 31-14 on Friday night for the Trojans’ first win in Corvallis since 2004.

Cody Kessler threw for 247 yards and a touchdown and Silas Redd ran for 140 yards for Southern California, which has won three of its last four games under interim coach Ed Orgeron. With the victory, the Trojans (6-3, 3-2 Pac-12) became bowl eligible.

Oregon State’s Sean Mannion threw for 277 yards and a touchdown but also threw three uncharacteristic interceptions in the loss, the second straight for the Beavers (6-3, 4-2) after a six-game winning streak.

Mannion, who went into the game leading the nation with an average of 408 yards passing, looked slightly off against the Trojans. He was sacked eight times last weekend in the Beavers’ 20-12 loss at home to No. 6 Stanford.

Mannion hit favorite target Brandin Cooks with a 43-yard pass on the opening series and the Beavers were helped by a pass interference call, but Trevor Romaine’s 46-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

The Trojans took over on the 29 and, on the first play from scrimmage, Kessler hit Lee with a 71-yard touchdown pass to put USC up 7-0.

Lee, last year’s Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top receiver, was questionable going into the game because of a left knee injury that has sidelined him for two of the last three games.

The Trojans went up 14-0 on Allen’s 9-yard scoring run late in the first quarter.

Oregon State closed the gap with Mannion’s 27-yard touchdown pass to Cooks. On the next series, Ryan Murphy intercepted Kessler’s pass and ran it back 41yards to even it at 14 with 9:29 to go in the half.

Allen, a sophomore who had scored two touchdowns this season going into the game, put USC back on top with an 18-yard run and the Trojans led 21-14 at halftime. Southern California opened the second half with Andre Heidari’s 34-yard field goal.

Allen added a 52-yard touchdown run with 3:25 left in the third quarter to cap the scoring and USC had its 31-14 margin.