RODGERS LEADS BEAVERS TO UPSET VICTORY OVER #1 USC

Thursday night in Corvallis-Oregon the Beavers set their trap for #1 USC.

25-Point Underdog Oregon State shocks the world with a 27-21 Victory over the Trojans.

Oregon State jumped out to an early 21-0 lead and took that same 3-Touchdown edge with them to the half.

Freshman RB Jacquizz Rodgers had 186 yards and 2 touchdowns proved to be the constant weapon USC could not stop. Both the Beavers offensive and defensive lines dominated Thursday night and continually frustrated the visiting Trojans.

USC came out of half-time firing with two straight touchdown passes by Mark Sanchez. The Trojans trailed at that point 21-14 with 2:56 left in the third quarter. The Beaver fans at Reser stadium started to quiet and grow weary of the upset that was once brewing. You could see the tide turning and the heads on the Beavers sideline starting to drop.

Both teams then traded some blows on the defensive side of the ball as both offenses were over matched late in the third quarter and well into the fourth.

USC would get it's chance to tie this game up late, but Mark Sanchez threw a costly interception deep in his own territory. That would lead to a 2-yard Rodgers touchdown plunge that put the Beavers up two scores 27-14.

The Trojans would score a late touchdown to make it 27-21, but it was a little too late as they were unable to recover the ensuing onside kick. The Beavers would run out the clock as the fans rushed the field in celebration of knocking off the #1-Ranked USC Trojans

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JACKSON'S GROWING PAINS LEAD HIM TO THE BENCH

The Minnesota Vikings, with an 0-2 start to the season, are turning to veteran Gus Frerotte to bring them out of the hole.

No coach had more faith in his quarterback than coach Brad Childress had in Tarvaris Jackson, who has made 16 career starts. But Childress named Frerotte the starter for the remainder of the season, announcing the decision at his Wednesday media availability.

"I'm just not seeing right now the aggressiveness from Tarvaris that I saw throughout the offseason, training camp, the two preseason games that he played in," Childress said. "And part of it may be experience. I know Gus will give us that. And I know his approach will also lend itself to that."

Jackson was 8-4 as a starter last season, even though he completed only 58.2 percent of his passes and had a 70.8 quarterback rating.

This season started even slower for Jackson. He completed only 30 of 59 passes for 308 yards in two games, in an offense that is ranked 24th in the league in passing despite a strong running game from Adrian Peterson.

Jackson has been playing with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee, an injury that forced him at times to wear a brace. In the season opener, a 24-19 loss to Green Bay, he threw a game-ending interception that sealed the Packers' victory.

Vikings fans booed him throughout Sunday's 18-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts when the Vikings, despite a 160-yard rushing day by Peterson, had to settle for five field goals.

"I know there's many other plays, there's a lot of other people that have to step up," Childress said. "But then when you go back through and look at the tape, and most importantly be able to sit across from the young man and want to be able to verify what you're feeling -- it's kind of like looking in your kids' eyes and saying one [thing] and feeling another."

Jackson was unavailable for comment during the time the locker room was open to

reporters.

With a tough home game coming up against the Carolina Panthers, Childress decided to go with the strong-armed Frerotte. The 37-year-old Frerotte is in his 15th season, and spent the past two seasons as a backup in St. Louis.

"I was very surprised," receiver Bobby Wade said. "I didn't anticipate that. Obviously it's the coach's decision and the administration's decision and we have to run with that."

Frerotte was signed in the offseason to be Jackson's backup, but now finds himself trying to turn around a team that had high expectations.

"I can't say that it was a shock, because I've been playing for a long time," Frerotte said. "I've been through a lot of shocking moments in my time, so nothing really shocks me anymore. It's obviously something coach wanted to do."

Frerotte has been with seven teams, but this is his second tour with the Vikings, having spent 2003 and 2004 in Minnesota.

Frerotte has completed 54.2 percent of his passes during his career for 19,134 yards and a 74.3 quarterback rating. He's 37-44-1 as a starter.

"I've never been part of a team where a quarterback was benched that early on," said Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme, whose Panthers play at the Metrodome on Sunday. "But it can be a spark to a team."

Frerotte showed in training camp this year that his arm still has plenty of juice in it. Wade said the playbook may open up with a veteran in there, as opposed to a player who has had guy who has 16 total starts.

"I think the coach was keeping it limited for a reason, obviously not to try to put too much on a young player and trying to get a guy more comfortable and more confident," Wade said. "You might see some things change this week with Gus back there."

Childress said that barring injury, Frerotte will be the quarterback for the rest of the season. However, Childress added he hasn't given up on the 25-year-old Jackson as an option for the team's long term.

"While I know he doesn't like it, I'd worry about him if he did like it," Childress said. "I know he'll make the most of it."

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TRESSEL HAS HIS POKER FACE ON, SAYS WELLS IS DOUBTFUL

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel says it's doubtful that starting tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells will play Saturday night against top-ranked USC.

Wells injured his right foot in the No. 5 Buckeyes' opener against Youngstown State, did not play last week against Ohio and has not had contact in partial practices this week.

Tressel said Tuesday that Wells would play in Saturday's game at USC after missing last week's game with an injury to his right big toe. He said how much Wells would play would depend on his progress in practice.

But Tressel said Thursday there was lingering soreness for Wells after he worked out the night before. Wells did not practice with the team Thursday morning.

Tressel said team officials would monitor Wells' condition before deciding whether to rule him out for the game in Los Angeles.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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MERRIMAN COMES TO HIS SENSES & ELECTS TO HAVE SURGERY

SAN DIEGO -- Star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman pulled the plug on his 2008 season on Tuesday when he told the San Diego Chargers he'll have surgery on the two torn ligaments in his left knee.

The loss of Merriman, whose hard hits earned him the nickname "Lights Out," is a big one for a team that has Super Bowl expectations.

Merriman's decision came two days after he barely resembled the player who had an NFL-high 39½ sacks in the past three seasons and played in three straight Pro Bowls.

Merriman, known for his spasmodic sack dance, didn't immediately return e-mails and telephone calls seeking comment. His agent, Tom Condon, declined to comment.

"Shawne informed me he did not feel right and thought it best to shut it down," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. "The road to winning the AFC West just got more difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible. Shawne is a great player and an inspirational leader. He will be missed. We wish him a successful surgery and a speedy recovery."

Smith didn't return calls seeking further comment.

Merriman had only two tackles and no sacks in a shocking 26-24 loss to Carolina at home on Sunday. Even though Merriman appeared to be a non-factor, coach Norv Turner said he thought the linebacker looked "explosive and very physical."

Merriman wore a brace on the knee on Sunday. At one point, he had to go into the locker room to have it readjusted because it was slipping due to sweat.

The Chargers were outgained 388-316 on Sunday by a Panthers team playing without leading receiver Steve Smith.

The Chargers are also without inside linebacker Stephen Cooper, who was suspended by the NFL for the first four games this season for testing positive for a banned stimulant. Cooper led the Chargers with 179 tackles last season, when San Diego won the AFC West at 11-5 and reached the conference championship game before losing 21-12 at New England.

Late in training camp, Merriman said that the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee were torn.

He spent several days getting opinions from four doctors from outside the organization, all of whom recommended he have surgery. But on Aug. 27, he announced that he was going to play, saying, "If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I'm going to play."

But, he acknowledged, "I'll have the surgery at any point. Nobody knows. I kind of left it on the table when to have it. Not even doctors can tell me that."

Rehab is expected to be six to seven months.

Merriman has said he's had pain in the knee since late in the 2006 season. He also injured the knee during a game at Tennessee on Dec. 9. He sat out the following Sunday, but played in the last three regular-season games and the Chargers' three playoff games, including the loss to New England. He also played in the Pro Bowl.

Merriman had offseason arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee.

Second-year pro Jyles Tucker is expected to take Merriman's spot. Tucker, who has played in only seven regular-season games, received a five-year contract extension two days before Merriman announced he was going to play rather than have surgery.

Merriman was suspended for four games in 2006 after testing positive for steroids. Both he and his lawyer blamed it on a tainted supplement. The Chargers went 4-0 in his absence.

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BEANIE WILL PLAY AND SAYS: "I WANT 45 CARRIES"

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday that running back Chris "Beanie" Wells will play in Saturday's game against top-ranked USC after missing last week's game with an injury to his right big toe.

How much Wells plays largely depends on his progress in practices Tuesday and Wednesday. Wells will run and go through individual drills Tuesday before participating fully in Wednesday's workout.

"He probably ran better than I thought he might [on Monday]," Tressel said.

Wells has been testing the foot/toe on a stationary bike and in the pool. He's listed as the starter on this week's depth chart ahead of Dan "Boom" Herron, who received the bulk of the carries last week.

"He said to [offensive coordinator] Jim Bollman and I walking into the meeting room on Monday, he said, 'I'm ready to carry 45 times on Saturday,' " Tressel said. "He's not going to carry it 45 if he's not effective. He wants to play and he's going to do all he can do.

" Wells' teammates are confident the 237-pound junior will be ready for USC.

"Beanie told me he was going to play," defensive end Lawrence Wilson said. "When Beanie says he's going to do something, he does it. He's a tremendous competitor."

Saturday's game will air on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.

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New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is expected to miss the rest of the 2008 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to a source familiar with the injury.

While New England coach Bill Belichick said in his postgame press conference that he had no update on the status of Brady’s injury, two sources indicated it involved serious damage to the knee.

“It’s bad,” a team source said. “We’re going to have to play without him.”

Brady was hurt as he stepped up in the pocket to make a throw to wideout Randy Moss. Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard, who was on the ground, lunged forward and struck Brady’s leg, which buckled as he released the ball.

Brady was helped off the field and was later led down a staircase by team officials, presumably to undergo tests.

Fourth-year quarterback Matt Cassel, who had thrown just 39 passes in his career before Sunday, replaced Brady and completed 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Cassel, who backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC, hasn’t been a starting quarterback since high school. He won a competition with Matt Gutierrez during the preseason to retain the job as Brady’s primary backup.

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SUPER BOWL CHAMP STRAHAN TO REMAIN WITH FOX

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Michael Strahan is staying retired, although his agent said that the seven-time Pro Bowler seriously considered returning to the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

"He was very close to returning, but the great part about Michael is that he takes his time to think about things and he is very thorough," Tony Agnone said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday night. "You can get excited about coming back and running through the tunnel one more time."

Agnone said that Strahan struggled deciding whether he could give 100 percent mentally.

"In the end, he felt he could not get back to where he was," Agnone said.

The first report of the news was provided by FoxSports.com, which contacted Strahan in Greece where he was vacationing.

"This has been one of the toughest nights of my life," Strahan told FoxSports.com. "But after long deliberation and throwing around a million scenarios in my head for the past day, I think it's just best if I stay retired."

Giants general manager Jerry Reese has asked the 36-year-old Strahan to reconsider his retirement on Monday, just 48 hours after the Super Bowl champions lost Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora for the season to a knee injury in the preseason game against the New York Jets.

Strahan needed just about a day to turn down an offer to return for a 16th season with what could have been an $8 million contract.

"I really love my life now," Strahan said. "It's great having nobody put a finger on me. You really put yourself through an awful lot in this league, more than people realize.

Agnone said money was never an issue.

"We know the parameters of the contract and the Giants would have been generous," Agnone said.

Reese did not seem surprised by the decision.

"We knew it was a long shot, but we owed it to ourselves to exhaust the possibility," Reese said late Tuesday evening. "We appreciate Michael even considering ending his retirement. He has a new career in front of him and we wish him nothing but the best. As we all said when he announced his retirement, Michael was and is a great Giant."

The Giants moved Mathias Kiwanuka from linebacker to defensive end on Monday to take over for Umenyiora, who had successful knee surgery on Tuesday morning and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.

The move will not be a major one for Kiwanuka. He was drafted in the first round in 2006 as a defensive end and started nine games as a rookie. He also lined up as a defensive end in third-down situations last season.

"There is a reason he went in the first round obviously," middle linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "The guy, he is playing behind Strahan and Osi, and then we moved him to linebacker, so obviously he is one of our top players on the team and he is going to show that he is a top defensive end in the league."

Pierce also said the team was ready to move on with or without Strahan, the team's sacks leader who retired in June, four months after earning his first title ring.

"We know we are a confident team and we are a playoff-capable team and we have to go out and perform like it," Pierce said before Strahan announced his decision. "The reason we took the [underdog] role last year was because everybody said it, and we just went with it. We're not thinking like that this year. We do have a chip on our shoulders and it grows more and more when somebody gives us something to feed off of."

What's bugging them now is the belief by some that they don't have the players to get the job done with Umenyiora out.
Pierce never thought that money would be the deciding issue for Strahan.

"The only reason he will come back is if he wants to play," Pierce said.

Obviously, Strahan did not want to play.

Strahan has signed a $2 million deal to work for Fox Sports on its NFL pregame show on Sundays.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

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