Rodgers brothers spark Beavers

No. 23 Oregon State edged closer to its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1965 with a 34-21 victory over California on Saturday in Corvallis, Ore.

Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers and his older brother James each ran for touchdowns for the Beavers (7-3, 6-1 Pac-10), who won their fifth straight.

Because Oregon State defeated then-No. 1 USC 27-21 on Sept 21, the Beavers hold the tiebreaker for a Rose Bowl berth should both teams win out. Oregon State visits Arizona next weekend before hosting Oregon in the Civil War rivalry game.

Lyle Moevao completed 14 of 28 passes for 145 yards for Oregon State.

Jacquizz Rodgers, the Pac-10’s leading rusher, ran for 144 yards and a score while James Rodgers caught six passes for 50 yards and ran 18 yards for a touchdown.

Kevin Riley started for Cal (6-4, 4-3) and completed 11 of 25 passes for 117 yards and a score. Jahvid Best ran for 116 yards and a touchdown.

(6) Southern California 45, Stanford 23: C.J. Gable made sure there wouldn’t be a second Stanford stunner.

Gable returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and ran for another score to help the Trojans (9-1, 7-1) overcome an early deficit and avenge last year’s loss to the Cardinal (5-6, 4-4) with a victory in Stanford, Calif.

Mark Sanchez added two touchdown passes and Stafon Johnson ran for two scores for the Trojans, who had their season ruined a year ago when they lost as a 41-point home favorite, 24-23 to the Cardinal.

The loss still stung 13 months later and there were plenty of reminders in the first sellout in three seasons at the remodeled Stanford Stadium. From the highlights of the game played on the video board during warmups, to the “Greatest Upset Ever” T-shirts worn by many fans in the crowd to the Stanford band spelling out the score of last year’s game at halftime, the Cardinal did their best to extend the memory.

Their play on the field early in the game did even more to upset the Trojans. Stanford dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball early in the game before Gable’s long kickoff return late in the second quarter tied the game at 17.

Oregon 55, Arizona 45: Jeremiah Masoli threw for a career-high 298 yards and accounted for five touchdowns, leading the Ducks (8-3, 6-2) over the Wildcats (6-3, 4-2) in Eugene, Ore.

Masoli rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more, all in the first half. The Ducks then withstood Arizona’s second-half rally from a 48-17 deficit.

Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount sealed the victory with a 40-yard touchdown run with 3:38 to play after the Wildcats had scored 28 straight points to cut the Ducks’ lead to 48-45 late in the fourth quarter.