Cliff Kirkpatrick

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CORVALLIS – My Las Vegas Bowl prediction and dreams of partying on the strip went up in smoke after the No. 23-ranked Oregon State football team defeated California 34-21 on Saturday.

There’s no way the Beavers will go to a lesser bowl game than the Sun Bowl. Two more wins and it’s the Rose Bowl.

“It was a good team win overall,” QB Lyle Moevao said. “Everybody did a great job of staying on it. Cal is a good team. We knew we had to go four quarters. We had to go all 3 hours and 27 minutes to break their will, and it took 3 hours and 26 minutes to break their will.”

Read one of my Saturday stories on bowl scenarios from the view of the Holiday Bowl and Sun Bowl, heading into the game. The information still stands, so check it out here.

“We are feeling that,” CB Keenan Lewis said of the postseason options. “Knowing the situation we are in.”

“We’ll just keep pounding it,” coach Mike Riley said. “These guys know. We needed all we have this game. And they believe these games are fun. Why think about something down the road that might be. Let’s just do this, and that thing might be. I don’t want them to get uptight. This team plays the best when they are well-prepared and go out and have fun on Saturday.”

And the wife is not happy. She’s a San Diego girl, and thinks the Beavers are now winning out. To her, and she’s right, Pasadena does not compare to America’s Finest City.

Tough day
At some points the Beavers looked like they could just blow out the Golden Bears. The defense was aggressive, but missed too many tackles, and special teams made big plays.

However, the offense was only so-so until RB Jacquizz Rodgers started pounding the ball. Moevao (shoulder) struggled early and getting personnel in and out of the game caused sluggish play. The game should not have been that close.

“His arm health was evident yesterday, but he wasn’t at his top form,” Riley said. “He was sick, and could barely talk.”

“It felt great go out there early on,” said Moevao of his sore shoulder. “I just had to get back in rhythm. They had great coverage on that interception. There wasn’t a problem the whole game with it.”

That INT for a touchdown by Lewis at the end of the game made it look like a blowout.

“We were playing a zone coverage, he dropped back and I saw it coming,” Lewis said. “I just knew I had to make a play.”

Props
What a stellar kickoff return by James Rodgers for 86 yards. No one touched him. It was the first Pac-10 kickoff return for a TD this season. … Sammie Stroughter’s 56-yard punt return in the first quarter set up a TD. Its was the longest of the season. … The blocking by the WRs down field was very good.

Blunders
That was bad kickoff coverage to begin the game, which led to a quick TD. However, that’s was an impressive tackle by PK Justin Kahut to save the TD, even though he used a face mask. … The joke in the press box was someone should start a tally for missed tackles. This one of the worst tackling showings in first half for the Beavers in a long time. It didn’t matter in the end.

Big crowd
The 45,969 people in attendance is the most to see an OSU home game live. There are 45,674 seats in Reser Stadium. The reason for the above capacity number comes from the support personnel and the fans placed in the Valley Football Center. This was the second sellout of Reser Stadium since the expansion of the stadium. The Nov. 29 home Civil War game is also sold out.

First start
TE Joe Halahuni made his first career start. He lined up as the fullback on the first offensive play of the game. He was used a lot in the game since WR Shane Morales wasn’t 100 percent. Morales did play, and makes some nice catches.
Quick hits
+ Jacquizz Rodgers had 144 yards, which is the third straight game topping 100 and seventh overall.
+ Lewis’ INT was his third of the second by the Beavers that was returned for a score.

Sunday reading
Check out the Beavers Sports site either Saturday night or by Sunday morning for all the stories on the game. The grades, notes and my column will be there.

Video report
The top video is of James Rodgers meeting with the media after the game. The bottom one is of DE Victor Butler holding court.

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