CORVALLIS, Ore. _ There was a strange feeling floating around Reser Stadium at halftime Saturday night. Maybe it was just a hint of a feeling, but there was something there. Let's call it hope, or something like it.
Whatever it was, No. 6 Washington squashed it quickly in the third quarter of its 42-7 victory over Oregon State. The 37,821 spectators inside Reser Stadium had to know what was coming, even in their stunned excitement when the Beavers had held the Huskies to a mere 7-0 halftime lead.
What came next is what has become expected of Washington: a second-half scoring binge, another blowout victory in a season full of them.
The Huskies (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) needed just six plays to cover 87 yards to double their lead on the opening drive of the second half. But they also needed a surprising play-calling change at the line of scrimmage from quarterback Jake Browning, who audibled out of a pass play and into a run on fourth-and-10 at the Oregon State 25-yard line.
It was, quietly, the play of the game, and it could not have worked much better. Lavon Coleman took the handoff from Browning, hit a big hole to his right and gained 20 yards to the Beavers' 5-yard line. On the next play, Browning found Dante Pettis in the far left side of the end zone for a touchdown _ the first of their three second-half touchdown connections _ as the Huskies extended their lead to 14-0.
By the end of the third quarter, the Huskies led 28-0.
Washington's defense, meanwhile, gave the Beavers (1-4, 0-2) virtually nothing all night.
Oregon State's first seven drives (not counting a kneel just before halftime) ended in punts.
Oregon State didn't cross midfield until midway through the third quarter. Once there, things got worse for the Beavers, who fumbled on their first snap in UW territory. Greg Gaines recovered the fumble for the Huskies.
The Huskies, looking for their first shutout of a Pac-12 opponent since the 2009 Apple Cup, led 42-0 in the final minutes of the game before the Beavers drove deep into UW territory against the Huskies' third- and fourth-string defenders. Thomas Tyner scored from 12 yards with 3:23 left to get the Beavers on the scoreboard.
It hardly mattered.
As they did in their second-half domination at Colorado a week earlier, the Huskies pounded Oregon State after halftime. Myles Gaskin had 92 of his 113 yards rushing after halftime.
Pettis finished with a career-high 12 catches for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Browning was 26 of 34 for 293 yards with those three TDs and one interception off a tipped pass.
Redshirt freshman Sean McGrew added a 4-yard touchdown run late for the Huskies.
Oregon State finished with 184 yards on 50 snaps.
