Beavers have a little fun

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Derek Anderson heeded his coach’s advice before the Civil War: go play, have fun.

Anderson’s fun came at the expense of the Oregon Ducks. He threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns Saturday to give Oregon State a 50-21 victory that made the Beavers bowl eligible.

“Guys didn’t press. We were confident in what we were doing,” he said. “I was really relaxed out there.”

The Ducks and the Beavers both entered the Civil War needing a win to qualify for a bowl berth. While Oregon State awaits a postseason invite, the Ducks headed home with their first losing season since 1993. They have not missed the postseason since 1996, when they finished 6-5.

Afterward, Oregon State fans rushed the field, but extra police officers were ready and quickly quelled any moves made toward the goal posts.

Anderson couldn’t stop grinning afterward.

“Fifty to 21. That’s a lot of points,” he said.

Anderson also ran for a score for the Beavers (6-5, 5-3 Pac-10) in the 108th edition of the West Coast’s longest running rivalry, dating back to 1894.

The home team has won the Civil War for the past eight seasons.

Anderson completed 24 of 41 passes, with Mike Hass catching nine throws for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Alexis Serna kicked five field goals of 20, 19, 32, 23 and 31 yards.

Anderson said coach Mike Riley always tells his players to have fun before the game. Riley was a bit more specific.

“One of the main things we talked about last night was that our seniors were playing their last game here at this stadium and we would, with them, put everything we could into this one night so we could have one more game,” Riley said.

Kellen Clemens was 13 of 29 for 126 yards and three touchdowns for the Ducks (5-6, 4-4). He also was intercepted three times.

“I have no idea what to do with Christmas break this year,” Clemens said.

On the game’s first series, Anderson hit Joe Newton with a 19-yard pass to put the Beavers on Oregon’s 9, but Oregon State settled for the first of Serna’s field goals.

The Ducks went up 7-3 on Clemens’ 4-yard scoring pass to tight end Tim Day, who played only briefly last week in Oregon’s 34-26 loss to UCLA because of a calf injury.

After Anderson’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Hass put Oregon State back in front 10-7, the Beavers faked a field goal at fourth-and-10 on the Oregon 26, and holder Colt Charles completed a 17-yard pass to Bill Swancutt. Serna ended the drive with a 19-yarder.

Marcel Love caught Anderson’s 10-yard touchdown pass to make it 20-7, before Oregon came back with Clemens’ 12-yard TD pass to Demetrius Williams.

Anderson dove a yard into the end zone for a 27-14 Beavers’ lead at halftime. His shoe flew off during the play and sailed across the end zone.

Clemens added another TD pass to Day, this time for 2 yards as Oregon closed in, but Oregon State pulled away with Anderson’s 16-yard scoring pass to Newton, and a 30-yarder to Hass.

Serna widened Oregon State’s with a pair of field goals in the fourth quarter.

Oregon has not won in Corvallis since 1996.

Oregon State’s 50 points was the highest score by either school in the 108-year history of the series.

“Oregon State played well. We played poorly,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. “I felt we were capable of more.”