Cliff: Sunday night notes

The Oregon State football team was thrilled by its return trip from Arizona State after Saturday night’s game. The Beavers arrived at the Valley Football Center around midnight, 45 minutes ahead of schedule.

“You wouldn’t think 45 minutes would make that much difference, but it does,” coach Mike Riley said of the extra rest everyone received.

Here’s a link to my Monday story in the GT. It’s a further review of the Saturday’s game with some of the following updates.

There were no major injuries to come out of Saturday’s game. LB Keaton Kristick aggravated his stinger of a week ago, so he’s getting an MRI as a precautionary measure.

“I anticipate everything is going to be OK,” Riley said.

CB Tim Clark needs four more teeth pulled, but that will be done during the bye week after this week’s home game against Stanford.

RB Ryan McCants (knee) begins working with the scout team this week in preparation for returning to games after the bye at USC on Oct. 24. This will be the first hitting for him since the middle of spring practice in April.

“That will get him back into playing, and then we’ll start with the game prep,” Riley said.

WR Darrell Catchings (ankle) remains out this week with the earliest return at USC.

“Darrell is quite a ways a away,” Riley said. “We’ll go week to week with that. That high ankle thing, it seems like it’s three times as worse as a normal sprain.”

Road warriors
The Beavers have won their last six games way from Reser Stadium. They beat Washington, UCLA and Arizona on the road last year, won the Sun Bowl and defeated UNLV and Arizona State on the road this season.

This was also the first time they won the first two road games of the season since beating ASU and Iowa on the road in 1967.

“If you want to be a good team you have to win on the road,” Riley said. “We lost two at home, and we needed to make some up. And that was a good one to make up.”

WR James Rodgers leads the Pac-10 in all-purpose yards. PHOTO/AP

Stats highlights
The Beavers are second in the Pac-10 in passing offense (247.8 ypg), third in rush defense (87.4 ypg), ninth in sacks allowed (3.2 per game) and 10th in sacks (0.6 per game).

RB Jacquizz Rodgers is fourth in the conference in rushing (101.6 ypg) and 20th nationally.

WR James Rodgers is first in the Pac-10 in receptions (7.4 per game) and Quizz is second (6.6). James is first in yards per game (93.2), Quizz is seventh (56.2).

James Rodgers is first in all-purpose yards (187.0), and fifth in the nation. Quizz is second in the Pac-10 (139.0).

Kristick is second in the Pac-10 in tackles (8.4 per game). QB Sean Canfield is fourth in the conference in pass efficiency (134.0) and total offense (207.2 ypg).

Beavers walk off Sun Devil Stadium with a win for first time in 40 years.