Saturday, October 20, 2018 07:30 PM (ET)

Minshew's 4 TDs lift No. 25 Cougars over No. 12 Ducks

Field Level Media
Oct 20, 2018

Senior quarterback Gardner Minshew passed for 323 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 25 Washington State to a 34-20 victory over No. 12 Oregon in Pac-12 play on Saturday night at Pullman, Wash.

Junior running back James Williams scored on a dynamic 24-yard scamper to help the Cougars defeat the Ducks for the fourth straight time. Minshew completed 39 of 51 passes and has topped 300 yards in all seven games for Washington State (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12).

Junior quarterback Justin Herbert passed for 270 yards and one touchdown and rushed for another for Oregon (5-2, 2-2). Sophomore cornerback Deommodore Lenoir recorded two interceptions for the Ducks.

The Cougars outgained Oregon 400-328 in total yards.

The Ducks trailed by 27 at the break but awoke in the third quarter with 17 points.

Herbert capped a second half-opening seven-play, 75-yard drive by scoring on an 8-yard run on a fourth-and-1 play, and sophomore Adam Stack added a 32-yard field goal with 6:58 left in the quarter.

Herbert tossed an 11-yard scoring pass to sophomore receiver Jaylon Redd to pull the Ducks within 27-17 with 36 seconds remaining in the third.

Oregon pulled within one score by going 74 yards on 16 plays before settling for a 23-yard field goal by Stack with 6:38 left.

But the Cougars rediscovered their form and answered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive as Minshew tossed a 22-yard scoring pass to junior receiver Dezmon Patmon to make it 34-20 with 3:40 left.

Washington State dominated the first half and outgained the Ducks 295-39 while building a 27-0 halftime lead. Minshew completed 31 of 36 passes for 231 yards and three scores.

The Cougars first found the end zone on a trick play in which senior receiver Kyle Sweet lined up by himself with the ball and hiked it diagonally to his left over toward Minshew and the bulk of the offensive players.

Minshew caught the hike and handed the ball off to Williams, who broke multiple tackles and dove into the end zone to complete a 24-yard scoring run with 4:30 left in the opening quarter.

Minshew tossed touchdown passes of 16 yards to junior receiver Renard Bell, 6 yards to junior wideout Easop Winston Jr. and 15 yards to freshman running back Max Borghi to take a 27-point lead. The Cougars had a poor snap on the failed extra-point attempt after Bell's touchdown.

--Field Level Media

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