Arizona State 30, Oregon State 17
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State halfback Marion Grice rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and cornerback Robert Nelson scored on a late interception return as the No. 21 Sun Devils closed in on the Pac-12 South title with a 30-17 victory over Oregon State.
Grice, who entered the game as the NCAA FBS leading scorer at 12.0 points a game, scored on two one-yard runs in the first half as ASU built a 20-0 lead at Sun Devil Stadium. He has 21 touchdowns this season, one short of Wilford White's school record set in 1950.
Nelson had two of Arizona State's four interceptions off Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, returning the second for a 23-yard touchdown with 5:08 remaining for a 30-10 lead. Nelson has six interceptions, five in his last five games.
The Sun Devils (8-2, 6-1) maintained a one-game lead in the Pac-12 South with two games to play. Arizona State will win the division if it beats No. 13 UCLA (8-2, 5-2) on Saturday.
Mannion completed 31 of 46 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns, the last a 29-yarder to Connor Hamlett with 2:41 remaining. Mannion had only six interceptions in 436 passing attempts in the first nine games.
Mannion's 6-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Smith made it 20-10 with 2:17 left in the third quarter to cap a 96-yard drive.
Arizona State defensive tackle Davon Coleman kept the Beavers (6-4, 4-3) from moving closer when he blocked a 48-yard field goal attempt with 10:17 remaining.
Zane Gonzalez's 18-yard field goal with 5:25 gave Arizona State a 23-10 lead with 5:25 left, and Nelson scored on his interception return on the next play from scrimmage.
Sun Devils quarterback Taylor Kelly was 22-of-37 for 183 yards with two interceptions.
