Beavers hold off Huskies

CORVALLIS, Ore. – As the final minutes of a Washington loss ticked off the clock Saturday night, the Huskies had a feel-good moment that took some sting out of a 29-23 defeat to Oregon State.

Quarterback Jake Locker, who earlier in the evening left Reser Stadium in an ambulance, walked back onto the UW sideline wearing a neck brace, receiving a standing ovation from the Oregon State crowd.

Locker was injured on a second-quarter run, and left the field in an ambulance after being strapped to a back board and placed on a stretcher.

Trailing 13-0 at the time, the Huskies fell behind by another field goal before halftime, and their second-half comeback effort came up short.

Locker was attempting to gain a first down on third-and-six when he took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Oregon State safety Al Afalava. Locker ducked his head just before Afalava came in for the tackle.

Locker went down in front of the Huskies’ bench and stayed on the ground for about 15 minutes before being put on a stretcher and leaving in an ambulance. Locker’s facemask was removed from his helmet before he was taken from the field.

Immediate reports from the sideline were that Locker had movement in his extremities, but that there was concern of a neck injury. Locker’s parents, Scott and Anita, were on the sideline as doctors tended to their son, and Anita rode with Locker in the ambulance to Corvallis’ Good Samaritan Hospital.

Locker was 6 for 14 passing for 16 yards, and had six carries for 16 yards.

This is the second straight year Washington has lost its quarterback to injury against the Beavers. In last year’s meeting, Isaiah Stanback suffered a season-ending foot injury on a running play. Oregon State’s win was the fourth straight over Washington, something the Beavers have never done in the history of the series. OSU kicker Alexis Serna made all five of his field-goal attempts, making him 18 for 18 against Washington in his career.

The Washington defense came up with two turnovers early in the third quarter that led to a field goal and a touchdown, making the score 16-10.

The Beavers answered, however, with a Serna field goal, his fifth of the game, and after a Louis Rankin fumble, a TD to make it 26-10. Washington responded with a 41-yard TD pass from Carl Bonnell to Anthony Russo and an 86-yard pass to Cody Ellis that made it 29-23.