Oregon State Soundly Defeats UCLA In A High-Scoring Contest

The last time the Oregon State Beavers were on the road this season, they also held a two touchdown lead over their opponent. But it was abundantly clear, throughout Oregon State’s 48-31 win over the UCLA Bruins, that they were not about to let history repeat itself.

The Beavers raced out to a 27-10 halftime lead, thanks in large part to three first-half touchdown passes from quarterback Jake Luton, and the Oregon State defense did not allow the Bruins to cut the lead to less than 10 points at any point in the second half. Luton would add two more touchdown passes, and a 19-yard touchdown scramble, in the second half to help preserve the win.

The six total touchdowns and five passing touchdowns were easily career high marks for Luton. It’s the third time this season that he’s throw for at least three touchdown passes, and perhaps even more importantly, he has yet to throw an interception this season. He bested his own personal mark of most touchdown passes in a game, after throwing four scoring passes in Oregon State’s last win, defeating Cal Poly back on September 14th.

He’s currently ranked among the top 13 quarterbacks in the nation with 14 touchdown passes thrown this season – the same amount thrown by University of Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, whom so many consider to be a Heisman Trophy favorite. He’s also thrown only one less touchdown pass than Justin Herbert, the quarterback of their cross-state arch nemesis.

Barely over six minutes into the game, the Beavers already held a 21-0 lead over UCLA. Oregon State scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions. After going 75 yards on 7 plays to open the game, ending with Luton throwing the first of his three touchdown passes to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins (this one from four yards out), they stopped the Bruins from converting a 4th and 1 at their own 34 yard line, effectively forcing a four-and-out. Five plays later, running back Artavis Pierce scored on a five-yard touchdown run.

The Beavers then reached into their bag of tricks, performing an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, recovering the ball all the way on UCLA’s 27-yard line. On the following play, Luton connected with sophomore tight end Teagan Quitoriano for a touchdown pass; it was Quitoriano’s first catch of the season, and third catch of his Oregon State career.

UCLA would get on the board with a touchdown after the teams traded punts, but the Beavers would counter that score with a five-yard touchdown pass from Luton to Hodgins, giving the Beavers a 27-10 lead at intermission (the Beavers missed the PAT on that score).

ULCA converted the opening drive of the second half with a touchdown, and after Oregon State traded a punt of their own with a turnover on downs by UCLA, the next five drives between the two teams would end in touchdowns – three for Oregon State, and two for Oregon. Luton connected with Tyjon Lindsey from 53 yards out, with Hodgins from 22 yards out, and then his aforementioned 19-yard scramble. That last score gave the Beavers a 48-31 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

The Beavers will have little time to celebrate their first Pac-12 win in almost a year, as they return home to the friendly confines of Corvallis next Saturday, to take on the 17th-ranked University of Utah.