The Oregon State Beavers hung around early and made things interesting for the Stanford Cardinal, but a strong third quarter performance by Stanford decided the game's final outcome. The Beavers fell by a final score of 38-13 to the Cardinal.
Neither team scored in the game's opening period as both teams punted often. The Beavers managed an interception of Stanford quarterback and Heisman hopeful Andrew Luck to derail one Cardinal drive, but Stanford's final drive of the quarter placed at the Beaver six-yard line at the end of the period.
Stanford punched in a two-yard touchdown run with Jeremy Stewart to open the second quarter and followed up with a 17-yard pass from Luck to Griff Whalen. The Beavers countered with a 15-yard touchdown from quarterback Sean Mannion to James Rodgers. Stanford's Eric Whitaker connected on a 31-yard field goal near the end of the half to give Stanford a 17-10 halftime lead.
The Beavers came out of the gates firing in the second half, scoring on their first possession with a two-yard run by Michael Agnew. A blocked extra point attempt by Trevor Romaine kept the score 17-13 and the Beavers looked poised to potentially pull of the upset. The Stanford rushing game and Luck extinguished that doubt by the end of the quarter, however, with the offense moving the ball and Luck finding both Stepfan Taylor and Coby Fleener for touchdown passes.
Stanford led 31-13 after three quarters and tacked on another score in the fourth quarter 10-yard rushing touchdown by Tyler Gaffney.
Mannion passed for 252 yards on 18-of-30 passing with one touchdown. Wheaton led the Beavers stagnant rushing attack with only 19 rushing yards on two touches. Rodgers led the Beaver receivers with 77 yards and one touchdown on six receptions.
The Beavers drop to 2-7 on the season and 2-4 in the Pac-12. Oregon State takes on the Cal Golden Bears next week on the road.