Oregon Ducks vs Washington State Cougars Box Score on Sep 20, 2014

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 21, 2014

No. 3 Oregon 38, Washington State 31: Marcus Mariota's fifth touchdown pass - a 6-yarder to Keanon Lowe with 5:33 remaining in the fourth quarter - broke a 31-31 tie as the visiting Ducks struggled to their eighth straight victory over the Cougars.

Washington State's Connor Halliday threw his fourth touchdown pass - a 5-yarder to River Cracraft - to tie the game with 8:57 left before Mariota marched Oregon 79 yards on seven plays, connecting with a wide-open Lowe (five catches, 102 yards) for their second touchdown. The Cougars marched into Ducks territory on the ensuing drive, but Oregon responded by forcing a fourth-and-13 at the 38, and Tony Washington ended Washington State's upset bid by sacking Halliday.

Redshirt freshman Devon Allen caught two touchdown passes among his seven receptions for 142 yards while Pharaoh Brown grabbed one TD for Oregon (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12), which was held to 501 yards - below its season average of 573 entering the game. Mariota, who finished 21-of-25 for 329 yards - 14-of-15 in the second half, was sacked seven times - including five prior to intermission as the Ducks settled for a 21-21 tie at the break while being outgained 298-210.

Halliday was 43-of-63 for 436 yards as Washington State (1-3, 0-1) fell to 0-3 against FBS teams. Dom Williams caught five passes for 63 yards and two TDs while Cracraft made eight receptions for 107 yards and the score for the Cougars, who had lost by an average of 32 points in the previous seven meetings.

Oregon's first three touchdowns were scored in a combined two minutes, with Mariota's 80-yard TD pass to Allen coming on the first play from scrimmage after Halliday gave Washington State a 7-0 lead with an 18-yard scoring strike to Williams. After the Ducks kept the ball for 5:06 before Matt Wogan missed a 32-yard field goal, they needed 2:02 to move 65 yards on six plays and take a 28-21 lead on Mariota's 8-yard TD pass to Brown with 4:32 left in the third quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Halliday has 74 career touchdown passes and needs three to break Alex Brink's school record set in 2007. ... Mariota, who set the school record when he eclipsed Darron Thomas' old standard of 66 TD passes from 2008-2011, has 76 in 528 less attempts than Halliday and has thrown at least one in all 30 career games. ... The Cougars were credited with 63 rushing yards, raising their season average to 45.8.