Oregon State needed a win at Washington State to keep its Rose Bowl hopes alive, and made sure that would happen right from the start.

The No. 20 Beavers scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and rolled to a 42-10 win on Saturday, setting up the possibility that their rivalry game against Oregon on Dec. 3 will decide the Pac-10 representative for the bowl game.

"Obviously everyone knows what's out there," said quarterback Sean Canfield, who threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns, and directed the Beavers to 567 yards of offense.

Oregon State has already beaten Stanford, so if Arizona loses and Oregon State beats first-place Oregon next weekend, the Beavers would be packing for Pasadena.

"One hundred guys have banded together for one purpose, winning the upcoming ballgame," said Oregon State linebacker Keaton Kristick. "We have the possibility of going to the Rose Bowl or a big game like that."

Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon State (8-3, 6-2) won its fourth straight game and sixth of the past seven. Coach Mike Riley praised the team for recovering from a 2-2 start to put themselves in line for a big-money bowl game.

"They never quit," Riley said, predicting the game against Oregon going down as "one of the great matchups ever in the Civil War."

The Cougars (1-10, 0-8) lost their eighth straight. Kevin Lopina, making his first start at quarterback since being benched after the second game, completed 15 of 32 for 133 yards. But the Cougars were held to 192 yards, including 59 on the ground.

Still, they trailed just 21-10 at halftime.

"We felt we were in the game," Lopina said. "We had the ball for long periods of time. One play here or there and it would have been a whole different game."

It was the fifth consecutive game in which the Cougars have given up at least 40 points. They rank last in the nation, allowing 511 yards per game.

The contest was played before just 16,167 fans with Washington State students already on fall break and cold, windy weather blowing through Pullman.

Oregon State opened with a crisp 80-yard drive, and Canfield hit Damola Adeniji for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Canfield completed 22 of 29 passes and was intercepted once.

Washington State replied with its own drive that stalled on the 11, and Pat Rooney kicked a 29-yard field goal. It was only the second time this season the Cougars have scored in the first quarter, and they've been outscored 173-6 in the opening quarter this year.

"It's no use driving the ball if you don't finish and punch it in," said Washington State offensive lineman Reed Lesuma.