EUGENE -- When Jeremiah Johnson went down with a season-ending knee injury against Washington State, Jonathan Stewart knew his role would change.

The transition from lead back to workhorse back had arrived.

In Jonathan Stewart's first game without his running mate and best friend, he responded with a career-high 251 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns in Saturday's 55-34 victory at Washington.

It was the second-highest single-game rushing total in school history behind Onterrio Smith's 285-yard effort at Washington State in 2001, and the most carries in Jonathan Stewart's career.

"The first half was something different for me. It took time to get used to it," said Jonathan Stewart, who had 18 rushes for 144 yards at the break. "After halftime, my body recuperated and I got stronger as the game went."

Jonathan Stewart, a 5-foot-11 230-pound junior from Lacey, Wash., has gotten stronger as the season has progressed. With 940 yards (7.2 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns, he is 60 yards from his first 1,000-yard season.

Oregon's 465 yards rushing against Washington was a school record. Andre Crenshaw, who replaced Johnson in a backup role, gained 113 yards, and quarterback Dennis Dixon added 99 yards.

Jonathan Stewart had 10 runs of at least 10 yards, and was stopped for negative yardage twice.

"He's not a dude that's going to run you over like a Marshawn Lynch (a former California running back and rookie with the Buffalo Bills)," Washington linebacker E.J. Savannah told the Associated Press. "But he's so big and physical and fast, that if you don't wrap your feet and bring your feet with him, he's just going to fall off the tackle."

The nation's sixth-leading rusher (134.3 yards per game), Jonathan Stewart might join Lynch in the NFL sooner than later. In the midst of a breakout season -- he is on pace to eclipse Saladin McCullough's single-season school rushing record of 1,343 yards set in 1997 -- Jonathan Stewart could make himself eligible for the 2008 NFL draft.

Although the NFL is Jonathan Stewart's ultimate goal, he is in no hurry to play for pay.

"You've got to enjoy life, every moment that you live," said Jonathan Stewart, who leads the Pac-10 in rushing and kickoff return average (29.8). "I think if you look forward too fast you're pretty much just wasting time."

Translation: Jonathan Stewart will make a decision on the NFL in the off-season.

For now, Jonathan Stewart is making the most of his time in Eugene, and the stage doesn't get bigger than Saturday's matchup between No. 5 Oregon and No. 9 USC. The game has Pac-10 championship and national championship implications.

The Trojans, who rank fourth in the nation in rushing defense, bring their lofty reputation as one of college football perennial heavyweights to Autzen Stadium. USC has won five consecutive Pac-10 titles and two national titles in the past five years.

"That's another thing we've learned this season," Jonathan Stewart said. "Tradition and history doesn't mean much."

Nagging ankle injuries hindered Jonathan Stewart's progress his first two years at Oregon, but he still rushed for 981 yards as a sophomore.

Healthy for the 2007 campaign, Jonathan Stewart has flashed the attributes that make him one of the premier running backs in college football. Jonathan Stewart always has used his strength to push the pile, but he has shown a breakaway gear this season, evidenced by an 88-yard touchdown run against Fresno State.

There have been standout backs at Oregon in recent years including Reuben Droughns, Maurice Morris and Smith, and Jonathan Stewart "certainly belongs in that group of talented guys," said running backs coach Gary Campbell, who added that there's "no question he's an NFL back."

"He knew he had to carry the load (at Washington) since we didn't have Jeremiah in the backfield and he accepted that role," Campbell said. "Now we'll have to see if he can handle it on a consistent basis."

Johnson hopes to reunite with Jonathan Stewart for their senior years. But he would understand if Jonathan Stewart had other plans.

"I'm not gonna be mad if he leaves," Johnson said with a smile. "But I would love to have him back there in the same backfield to finish what we started."

Jonathan Stewart, who has five 100-yard rushing games this season, credits an offensive line that coach Mike Bellotti said "is on track to be one of the best if not the best offensive line group in Oregon football history."

Center Max Unger, tackle Geoff Schwartz, and guard Josh Tschirgi are returning starters on an offensive line that has been opening holes for Jonathan Stewart and company all season. Oregon is third in the nation in rushing offense (294.4 ypg).

"He's improved a lot from last year," Schwartz said of Jonathan Stewart. "He's using his eyes a lot better."

And avoiding unnecessary hits.

Although Jonathan Stewart still punishes defenders in his path, he has learned that running out of bounds isn't a crime.

"He's going to go out of bounds occasionally, which I endorse," Bellotti said. "And he's going to go down when the pile gets too big instead of standing up and letting people take shots at him. He's trying to make sure that he's delivering blows rather than receiving them."

Life is good these days for Jonathan Stewart, who is living up to the expectations he arrived with as one of the nation's top running back recruits. There's a Pac-10 title within reach for Oregon, and perhaps a berth in the BCS national championship game.

"It's real good, especially coming from the season we had last year," Jonathan Stewart said. "Everything's going good for us right now. We have to stay in the same state of mind that we always have and stay focused."