Oregon 48, Oregon State 24: Oregon Takes Little Brother's Ball, and Runs Away

Now that's more like it!

Oregon returns to form in a big way in the 2012 Civil War, rushing for a season-high 432 yards and scoring the last 28 points of a 48-17 win over Oregon State. Kenjon Barner led the way for the offense, rushing for 141 yards and a touchdown in the first half, before leaving with an apparent rib injury. He returned in the second half, and finished the game with 198 yards and two scores. This game also featured De'Anthony Thomas best overall performance as a running back, rushing seventeen times for 122 yards and three touchdowns. In the passing game, Josh Huff and Will Murphy combined for 103 yards on eleven catches, and Marcus Mariota was his usual hyper-efficient self.

The biggest reason for the nature of Oregon's win was the six turnovers committed by OSU. Sean Mannion threw four interceptions, two inside the Oregon ten yard line, and the Ducks special teams pounced on two loose balls, one on a kickoff and one on a punt. Oregon turned those turnovers into 21 points, and turned a close first-half into a blowout.

With Florida State currently leading Florida, the pieces still exist for Oregon to sneak into the national championship game. Duck fans should take a deep breath, swallow your pride, and root for USC tonight against Notre Dame. And if a fourth straight Pac-12 championship interests you, put on your sky blue and sun gold and pull for the UCLA Bruins as they take on Stanford. Great win in the Civil War for Oregon, now let's see how the rest of Rivalry Saturday shakes out!