`Hungry' Beavers End Drought -- Osu Fans Attack Goal Post As Losing Streak Ends At 15

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Small wonder that Oregon State students and players celebrated as if they had clinched a trip to the Rose Bowl.

For the first time since their 1995 season opener, the Beavers were winners.

With a blitzing defense, a power running game and a freshman quarterback, Oregon State beat Stanford 26-12 yesterday, ending the longest current losing streak in major-college football at 15 games.

"We were so hungry for that victory, we were starving," Beaver defensive back Marc Williams said. "And when you're hungry, you're going to find something to eat. We had a big lunch today."

Beaver Coach Jerry Pettibone said, "This streak has been highly publicized, and it's been weighing on our shoulders an awful lot. It feels good to have it behind us and out of the way."

Oregon State students flooded onto the field after the homecoming victory, surrounding the team in celebration, singing the school fight song and then tearing down one of the goal-post uprights and carrying it out of Parker Stadium.

Freshman David Moran ran for a touchdown and passed for another, and the Beavers sacked Stanford's Chad Hutchinson 11 times, an Oregon State record. Nathan McAtee, a junior linebacker from Bellevue's Newport School, had two sacks. The Beavers had only four sacks all season entering the game.

"I think it was the finest defensive effort I've seen around here in six years," said Pettibone, who improved his OSU record to 12-48-1.

Hutchinson threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball away twice in the first half as Oregon State took a 19-12 lead.

"I don't know," Hutchinson said when asked what went wrong.

Oregon State avoided setting Pac-10 and school records for consecutive losses. The Beavers hadn't won since a season-opening 14-7 victory over Idaho a year ago. This victory snapped a 12-game Pac-10 losing streak and was OSU's first over the Cardinal in seven tries.

The Beavers clinched the victory when 250-pound fullback Darron Kirkman ran up the middle 28 yards for a touchdown with 3:16 to play.

Stanford had just 198 total yards, 27 rushing.