BCS-busted again

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- So much for the greatest USC team ever.

Likewise for the best team of the Pete Carroll era.

Top-ranked USC looked anything but the part Thursday night, falling behind Oregon State by three touchdowns in the first half then rallying before falling short in a 27-21 defeat that put a serious crimp in the Trojans' national championship plans.

A delirious crowd of 42,839 at Reser Stadium and a national television audience watched Oregon State upset the Trojans here for the second time in three years.

"We weren't ready to do what we needed to do," USC Coach Pete Carroll said. "We felt like we had great preparation, we thought we did everything like we needed to and then when we're out there it just didn't feel like it."

USC (2-1) was thought to have a mostly clear path to the Bowl Championship Series title game after dispatching Virginia and Ohio State. Pacific 10 Conference teams were not expected to derail the Trojans, not after four of them lost to Mountain West Conference teams in one weekend.

But Oregon State, a 25 1/2 -point underdog, manhandled the Trojans for nearly the entire game and rode the relentless running of freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers to victory.

"People that think that Pac-10 teams [are not] going to play like this -- they're gonna," Carroll said. "This is the way it is. This is reality."

Oregon State (2-2) was no stranger to playing USC tough at home. The Trojans narrowly escaped in 2004 and fell short after rallying furiously in a 33-31 loss here two years ago. And don't forget the Beavers' upset of USC in 1967 -- their last victory over a No. 1-ranked team.

The scenario was similar again on a night when Rodgers rushed for 186 yards in 37 carries and scored two touchdowns.

The Beavers shut down USC's offense for most of the game and pushed around a defense that came in surrendering a nation-low five points a game and only 51.5 yards rushing a game.

USC hurt itself with penalties -- seven for 84 yards -- and converted only two of 10 third downs. The Trojans were outgained, 343 yards to 313.

"They just beat us up, plain and simple," USC fullback Stanley Havili said.

The Trojans also lost a fumble in the second quarter when tailback Joe McKnight took a snap from the shotgun, faked a handoff, then was hit while running the ball.

The Beavers converted the miscue into a touchdown with four seconds left in the first half for a 21-0 lead.