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Ducks push past No. 17 Arizona State

Oregon's Nick Reed blocks Chris MacDonald's punt during the third quarter. (Associate Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Oregon's Nick Reed blocks Chris MacDonald's punt during the third quarter. (Associate Press / The Spokesman-Review)

TEMPE, Ariz. – Kellen Clemens threw for 279 yards and Terrence Whitehead ran for 122 to power No. 25 Oregon to a 31-17 victory over No. 17 Arizona State on Saturday night.

Whitehead also caught nine passes for 100 yards for the Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Pac-10), who scored 24 consecutive points after the Sun Devils took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Sun Devils (3-3, 1-2), coming off an emotional, bruising, 38-28 home loss to No. 1 USC, lost to Oregon for the first time in four years.

Sam Keller completed 31 of 56 for 277 yards and two touchdowns. He threw two interceptions and was sacked four times. Clemens completed 20 of 39. He threw for two touchdowns and was picked off twice. Whitehead scored on a 6-yard reception and a 1-yard run.

The Ducks rushed for 234 yards to 53 for Arizona State.

Matt Evensen, a walk-on freshman kicking in place of injured Paul Martinez, kicked three field goals, including a 51-yarder as the first half ended to put the Ducks ahead 13-10.

Evensen’s 42-yard field goal early in the third quarter made it 16-10, then Nick Reed blocked Chris MacDonald’s punt and recovered at the Arizona State 1.

Whitehead scored from there, then Clemens’ tossed a shuffle pass to James Finley for the two-point conversion, and Oregon led 24-10 with 7:33 left in the third quarter.

Arizona State needed only 1:25 to go 69 yards in six plays. Keller was 4 for 5 on the drive, capped by a 1-yard scoring pass to Zach Miller that cut it to 24-17 with 6:08 left in the third.

But it was the only glimpse of the Sun Devils’ usual high-powered offense all night.

An interception by Zach Cantanese had Arizona State threatening for the tying touchdown. But Justin Phinisee picked off Keller’s pass and returned it 51 yards to the Sun Devils 33.

The Ducks drove to the 1, but Arizona State held.

The Sun Devils couldn’t capitalize though, and Clemens’ 34-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Demetrius Williams put Oregon ahead 31-17 with 11:27 to play.