|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Ducks haven't looked like
champions the past month, but four straight close victories have
put the Rose Bowl within their grasp.
|  | | Oregon's Samie Parker just missed this ball, but Joey Harrington led the Ducks back and they are one win away from the Rose Bowl. |
Joey Harrington ran for two second-half
touchdowns and passed for another as Oregon (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) clinched at least
a tie for the Pac-10 title by rallying to beat California 25-17
Saturday.
"General Joey Harrington gathered his troops and got us
going," said receiver Marshaun Tucker.
The Ducks (9-1, 7-0) could earn their first Rose Bowl berth
since the 1994 season if Arizona beats No. 10 Oregon State later
Saturday night. If the Beavers win, it all could come down to the
"Civil War" in Corvallis next weekend.
"It's very fulfilling," Harrington said. "We worked for it,
but there's still that lingering feeling of having to play Oregon
State next weekend."
Oregon's previous three victories had come by a combined eight
points: a 14-10 home win over Arizona, followed by overtime wins
against Arizona State and Washington State.
"Overall, this group of kids has been truly amazing, in terms
of their belief and trust, and their ability to find a way to
win," Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said.
Kyle Boller completed 15 of 39 passes for 197 yards and a
touchdown as Cal (3-7, 2-5) nearly pulled off a huge upset despite
a relapse of its early season offensive struggles.
Harrington was 20-of-35 for 252 yards in an erratic performance,
but his 29-yard scoring pass to Keenan Howry with 12:38 to play was
the difference. Howry reached up and hauled the pass in with his
fingertips to give the Ducks an 18-17 lead.
Oregon added another score after the Golden Bears botched a
punt, giving the Ducks the ball at the Cal 14. Five plays later,
Harrington's 1-yard run made it 25-17 lead with 4:48 to go.
Cal got the ball back twice more, but Boller threw an
interception and was unable to move the team on the last
possession.
"It's hard to win and have control of a game if you don't have
a running game, unless you have a great passing game," said Cal
coach Tom Holmoe, whose team had just 88 yards rushing.
Oregon won its 20th straight home game and 15th of 16 games
overall, but for the third straight week, the Ducks found
themselves trailing by at least four points in the fourth quarter.
Geoff McArthur scored on a 63-yard pass play to put the Golden
Bears ahead 17-12 with 3:36 left in the third. The teams traded
punts, and Harrington began the Ducks' first possession of the
fourth quarter by hitting Marshaun Tucker in stride for a 52-yard
gain.
Two plays later, Howry gained a step on cornerback Jemeel
Powell, and Harrington led him perfectly for the go-ahead score.
Last week, Oregon scored a touchdown and 2-point conversion to
tie Washington State in the fourth before winning in overtime; the
week before at Arizona State, Harrington threw two touchdown passes
in the final 3½ minutes of regulation, and the Ducks prevailed
56-55 in two extra periods.
Tucker, whose wife gave birth to a son, Marshaun Jr., on
Tuesday, had six catches for 118 yards.
Bears defensive end Andre Carter had two sacks, giving him 13
for the season and extending his school career record to 30½.
Cal came in with the lowest-ranked offense in the Pac-10, but
neither team could move the ball early. They combined for only 60
rushing yards on 29 carries in the first half.
Cal took a 7-0 lead just 2:18 into the game on a 1-yard dive
over the top by Joe Igber. The play was set up by a 26-yard pass
from Boller over the middle to a diving Phillip Pipersburg.
Cal started the drive at the Oregon 27 after the Ducks lost 20
yards on their opening possession, shanked a 33-yard punt and then
got called for a 15-yard penalty.
The Bears did little to build on their lead, however, gaining
just 53 yards on their next five possessions of the half.
After Josh Frankel kicked two field goals to cut the lead to 7-6
at halftime, Harrington directed the Ducks on a 75-yard, seven-play
drive, which ended with him scrambling a 2 yards to put Oregon back
ahead 12-7 with 10:19 left in the third. The 2-point conversion
pass failed.
Cal went to third-string tailback Saleem Muhammad, who ran three
straight times for 36 yards to loosen up the Bears' ground game. A
15-yard run by Igber moved the ball to the Oregon 21, but Cal
couldn't get closer and settled for Mark Jensen's 38-yard field
goal.
|
|
ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
California Clubhouse
Oregon Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Oregon's Matt Smith picks off Kyle Boller to end a late drive for Cal.
avi: 1144 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Oregon's Joey Harrington goes untouched for the 2-yard touchdown run.
avi: 915 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Geoff McArthur takes the Kyle Boller pass, and goes 63 yards for the score.
avi: 1431 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Joey Harrington hits Keenan Howry in stride for the 29-yard TD.
avi: 714 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
|
