Chance Nolan passed for four touchdowns, Jack Colletto rushed for two scores and intercepted a pass, and Oregon State won at USC for the first time since 1960 in a 45-27 decision Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Oregon State (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) trailed 14-7 in the late second quarter before Nolan found Tyjon Lindsey on the first of his two scoring receptions.
The Beavers’ defense followed up the 13-yard touchdown strike by forcing a quick three-and-out, and just 2:06 later, Nolan connected with Tre’Shaun Harrison on a 36-yard score.
The Beavers led the rest of the way.
Oregon State overwhelmed the USC defense to the tune of 532 total yards, 319 of which came on the ground. Eight Beavers rushed for at least eight yards, led by running back B.J. Baylor’s 158.
The multidimensional run game included Colletto, a linebacker, carrying on goal-line packages for his touchdowns. The two Colletto scores capped a stretch of 21 unanswered points for the Beavers, and the lead ballooned to 42-17 early in the fourth quarter.
USC (2-2, 1-2) answered when Keaontay Ingram capped a 75-yard drive with the second of his two rushing touchdowns. He carried on a score of nine yards in the first quarter and three yards in the fourth, and Parker Lewis tacked on a 46-yard field goal.
But USC failed to cut the deficit to any fewer than 15 points, with the last-ditch rally effort snuffed out on Colletto’s interception of Kedon Slovis with 2:44 remaining. An Alton Julian interception on the final Trojans possession capped the win.
Slovis was also intercepted by Rejzohn Wright on USC’s opening drive.
Slovis started after missing most of the Trojans’ Sept. 18 win at Washington State with a neck injury. Freshman Jaxson Dart, who passed for 391 yards and four touchdowns the week prior, was sidelined on Saturday after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
USC’s Drake London surpassed 100 yards receiving for the third time on the season, catching 10 passes for 165 yards. Greg Bryant Jr. caught five passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Lindsey led Oregon State with five receptions for 102 yards. Harrison finished with four catches for 52 yards, and Teagan Quitoriano caught two passes for 35 yards and a touchdown.
–Field Level Media