Beavers Come Up Short Against UCLA

Saturday, September 24

Corvallis, Ore.

12:30 PM

Oregon State

0-3 , 0-1

UCLA

2-2 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UCLA

Oregon State

September 24, 2011 | Football

Box Score

By: TBD

Sept. 24, 2011

Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Sean Mannion passed for 287 yards and a touchdown in his first career start and James Rodgers made his 2011 debut with five receptions but the Beavers could not overcome an early deficit in a 27-19 loss to UCLA in the Pac-12 opener for both teams Saturday at Reser Stadium.

Mannion passed for his first career touchdown in the third quarter when he found Jordan Bishop on a 45-yarder where the wide receiver tight-roped the sideline for the score. However, a subsequent two-point conversion attempt, which would have tied the score at 21, was thwarted by the Bruins.

That play was the last chance at the end zone for the Beavers, who gave up a 1-yard touchdown run to UCLA's Anthony Barr with 6:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. The point after was blocked by Andrew Seumalo - his second of the day after a block on a 39-yard field goal attempt - leaving the Beavers down eight with half the quarter to go.

OSU drove deep into UCLA territory but a fourth-down pass to Rodgers with less than three minutes remaining was broken up, effectively giving UCLA (2-2, 1-0 Pac-12) the win.

Rodgers made his debut after sitting out the first two games of the season due to rehabilitation for an injury suffered in 2010. His first pass of the year was a 31-yarder from Mannion in the first quarter that helped set up an eventual 25-yard field goal by Trevor Romaine.

Rodgers finished the game with 76 yards, second only to Markus Wheaton, who ended the day with eight catches for 83 yards. Bishop, whose 45-yard touchdown catch was the longest reception of his career, finished with 69 yards on three receptions.

Mannion ended the game 24-for-40. He played the entire game after coming off the bench in the first two games. Terron Ward joined him as a new starter in the backfield, giving the Beavers 17 players this season who have made their first career starts.

The Beavers (0-3, 0-1) fell behind 21-3 after three consecutive touchdowns, the second two coming in the second quarter.

But Jordan Poyer proceeded to energize the nearly 45,000 in attendance at Reser with an 85-yard punt return for touchdown with just 13 seconds remaining in the second quarter. He took the punt at OSU's 15, went up the middle and found himself down the left side of the field and went untouched for the score. It was the second-longest punt return in Oregon State history.

Seumalo led Oregon State defensively with the field goal block and block on the PAT.

Feti `Unga paced the Beavers with a career-best 14 tackles, while Scott Crichton finished with 11 and Lance Mitchell tallied 10. Both `Unga and Crichton finished with one sack apiece.

The Beavers held UCLA to just 146 yards passing with Bruins' quarterback Richard Brehaut connecting on 7-of-11 attempts.

Derrick Coleman was UCLA's leading rusher with 20 carries for 100 yards. Brehaut, Jordan James and Barr all rushed for a touchdown in UCLA's win.

Jovan Stevenson carried the ball seven times for 47 yards, his second-best career total behind his 61-yard game against Washington State in 2009.

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