Ducks roll Bruins; Pac-12 Champs

December 2, 2011, 11:58 pm

Oregon left no doubt in claiming the inaugural Pac-12 Championship over UCLA winning 49-31 Friday night from Autzen Stadium. If LaMichael James just played the last home game in his spectacular college career, he certainly made it a memorable one.
The Heisman hopeful blitzed the Bruins for 219 yards and scored three touchdowns in route of becoming the game’s most valuable player and breaking a league record along the way.

On the way to his fourth 200 yard rushing game of the season against the Bruins, James became the first player in league history with three straight 1,500 yard rushing seasons, and moved into a tie with USC’s LenDale White for second on the league’s career rushing touchdown list with 52.

The Ducks, coming off a slow start against USC, established their offense early in game finishing the first quarter up 21-7. James started the scoring on a 30 yard untouched waltz to the end zone on a 4th down for the Ducks...

The Ducks led only 21-14 early in the second quarter, but then Bruin defense steadily wore down trying to stop Oregon’s fast paced, no huddle offense. With 4:25 left in the first half, Dayrle Hawkins stretched Oregon’s lead to 21 points by taking a screen pass 25 yards and putting UCLA in the rear-view mirror...

By the time the fourth quarter began, the Ducks led 49-24 and had racked up 488 yards of offense.

Neither team scored again until UCLA’s Nelson Rosario caught a spectacular one-handed touchdown pass with 1:51 remaining to light the scoreboard for the final time. The late TD would make the game appear closer than it actually was.

Oregon’s head coach Chip Kelly, Darren Thomas, and LaMichael James all took the stand together to address the media after the game...

While the Ducks improved to 11-2, the Bruins fell to 6-7, and will have to use their NCAA waiver to play in a bowl game despite their losing record.

The Ducks now will take on the winner of tomorrows Wisconsin and Michigan State game in the 2011 BCS Rose Bowl, We’ll have all your coverage and lead-up on your home of the Ducks 750 AM The Game.