James runs for three TDs and No. 14 Oregon beats Arizona State 44-21

James runs for 3 TDs in Oregon’s win

EUGENE, Ore. — As LeGarrette Blount awaited his first chance to play since his suspension, LaMichael James ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns for the No. 14 Ducks in a 44-21 victory over Arizona State on Saturday night.

Blount was dressed and ready to go, pacing the sideline at times with his helmet on. The senior running back returned this week from his suspension for punching a Boise State player following Oregon’s season-opening loss to the Broncos.

He never got in the game.

James, who established himself in Blount’s absence with an average of 115.9 yards rushing, had 119 yards and all his scores in the first half.

The Ducks (8-2, 6-1 Pacific-10) sit alone atop the conference standings as the only team with just one conference loss. Oregon fell 51-42 last weekend to Stanford.

Arizona State (4-6, 2-5) started true freshman quarterback Brock Osweiler, who left the game after being hit hard in the first half. Sophomore Samson Szakacsy replaced him and completed 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

The Sun Devils’ run defense, the best in the Pac-10 going into the game, allowed the Ducks to gain 268 yards on the ground.

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli completed 10 of 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

Blount, who ran for 1,002 yards last season, was listed at the bottom of the Ducks’ depth chart.

A day after he punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the opener, Blount was suspended for the season, although he was allowed to practice with the team and retain his scholarship.

Last month, coach Chip Kelly announced that Blount could return if he met certain academic and behavior requirements. The coach reinstated him on Monday.

Blount watched as his replacement ran for touchdowns of 4 and 2 yards in the first quarter against the Sun Devils. After Morgan Flint’s 27-yard field goal in the second quarter, James added a 4-yard scoring run and Masoli found Ed Dickson with a 9-yard touchdown pass to give Oregon a 31-7 lead at halftime.

Arizona State’s James Brooks intercepted Masoli, which led to Dimitri Nance’s 2-yard scoring run for the Sun Devils’ lone touchdown of the first half.

The 6-foot-8 Osweiler replaced Danny Sullivan last weekend in the second half of Arizona State’s 14-9 loss to USC. He was the first true freshman to start for the Sun Devils since Jake Plummer in 1993.

But the Sun Devils got a scare in the second quarter when Osweiler was hit in the shoulder by Oregon linebacker Eddie Pleasant. While he was looked to by trainers on the Arizona State bench, he was replaced by Szakacsy.

Osweiler completed 5 of 10 passes for 14 yards before he left.

Szakacsy started the second half, although Osweiler stayed in uniform on the sideline, and he led the Sun Devils on a drive that ended with his own 1-yard scoring run to make it 31-14.

Szakacsy found Kyle Williams with a 15-yard scoring pass later in the third quarter to narrow it, but Oregon answered with Masoli’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Maehl.

Flint added 43 and 41-yard field goals in the fourth quarter. By that time, Oregon had pulled James. The crowd chanted “We want Blount!” several times.

Late in the game, the announcer at Autzen announced that Blount was entering the game, but it was actually fourth-string running back Remene Alston.

Going into the game, the Sun Devils’ run defense was ranked sixth in the nation, allowing an average of 87.44 yards rushing.