Mannion’s Big Day Paces Beavers In Win

PULLMAN, Wash. – Sean Mannion passed for a school-record 493 yards, Brandin Cooks scored three touchdowns and Oregon State scored 28 points in the fourth quarter for a 52-24 win over Washington State Saturday night at Martin Stadium.

Mannion surpassed the previous record holder, Derek Anderson, by 8 yards and broke the record with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Cooks in the fourth quarter. It was the 18th all-time between the two, making them the most prolific tandem in school history.

Mannion, who completed 34-of-51 passes and threw for four touchdowns, also found Cooks in the end zone on an 8-yard strike less than four minutes before the 30-yard score, which came with just under seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Other strikes by Mannion came on a 7-yarder to Connor Hamlett and a 7-yard pass to Kevin Cummings with a little more than a minute remaining in the third quarter.

Storm Woods scored twice on the ground, coming from 1 and 3 yards out, respectively, and Cooks rushed for an 8-yard touchdown just five seconds into the fourth quarter to represent OSU’s other scores.

Cooks’ 8-yard touchdown rush came just a couple players after a Washington State miscue on a punt attempt to end the third quarter. It set the Beavers up on Washington State’s 27-yard line and Cooks’ score gave the Beavers a 31-24 advantage.

OSU broke the game open with Woods’ 1-yard rush just 1:08 after Cooks’ touchdown. Rashaad Reynolds intercepted his first of two passes in the fourth quarter to set up the touchdown.

Washington State turned the ball over five times in the fourth quarter; Reynolds intercepted two passes and caused one fumble and Sean Martin and Steven Nelson each intercepted a pass. The Beavers out-gained the Cougars, 169 to 50, in the fourth.

Cooks led the Beavers overall with 11 receptions for 137 yards, giving him 63 receptions and 944 receiving yards on the year.

Richard Mullaney also hit the century mark, finishing with 122 yards on five catches.

Mannion’s 493 yards gave him five consecutive games with 350 yards or more passing, and the junior now owns five of the 14 all-time 400-yard efforts by Oregon State quarterbacks. The 493 yards surpasses Derek Anderson’s 485 against USC in 2003.

For the year, Mannion has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for a national-best 2,511 yards and 25 touchdowns.