Pac-12 football: Buffaloes down the Ducks in Eugene

Steven Montez threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start and Colorado held off Oregon, 41-38, on Saturday in Eugene, Ore., the Buffaloes’ first victory over the Ducks since joining the Pac-12 in 2011.

Ahkello Witherspoon intercepted Dakota Prukop’s pass to Darren Carrington in the end zone on Oregon’s final drive to preserve the win for Colorado (3-1).

The Buffaloes had retaken the lead following a controversial 31-yard touchdown from Montez to Bryce Bobo. After review, the officials ruled Bobo had control of the ball in his right hand when his right foot came down in the end zone — but the crowd at Autzen Stadium booed in disagreement.

The Buffaloes led from the start and went up 33-17 following Montez’s 48-yard TD pass to Devin Ross to open the second half.

But Kani Benoit scored on a three-yard touchdown to pull Oregon (2-2) to within two points, 33-31. Troy Dye’s interception on Colorado’s subsequent possession led to Prukup’s 18-yard, go-ahead TD pass to Carrington late in the third quarter.

Boise State 38, Oregon State 24

Jeremy McNichols ran for 208 yards and scored four touchdowns and Boise State is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011 after the win in Corvallis, Ore.

McNichols did most of his damage in the first half, as the junior running back ran for 146 yards and touchdowns of five, six and 70 yards as well as caught a six-yard scoring pass.

Brett Rypien completed 19 of 36 passes for 215 yards and one touchdown for the Broncos, who won their fourth consecutive game against a Pacific-12 opponent, and their second this season.

Both teams scored on their opening drive, as Oregon State (1-2) tied the score, 7-7, on a 14-yard run by Ryan Nall. But the Broncos ran over the Beavers from there, holding OSU to 41 yards on its final six first-half drives while scoring 24 consecutive points to take a 31-7 halftime lead.

It was Boise State’s first win in four tries at Oregon State. The Broncos have yet to trail in a game this season.

Washington 35, Arizona 28 (OT)

Jake Browning hit Dante Pettis on a 4-yard touchdown in overtime, Lavon Coleman ran for 181 yards and No. 9 Washington held off Arizona, 35-28, Saturday night in both teams’ Pac-12 opener.

Pettis made a tough grab in traffic on the first possession of overtime and Washington’s defense forced a turnover on downs to eke out the victory.

The Huskies (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) had a hard time shaking Arizona (2-2, 0-1 Pac-12), which was down to its fourth-string running back after J.J. Taylor left in the third quarter with a left ankle injury.

Brandon Dawkins kept the Wildcats in it, dazzling with 176 yards and two touchdowns rushing, 167 yards and another score passing. He escaped what appeared to be a sack to hit Shun Brown on a 54-yard pass , then hit Josh Kern on a 3-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 28.

Coleman kept the Huskies moving with Browning limited to passes underneath and scored on a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Browning finished 14 of 21 for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

Arizona State 51, California 41

Arizona State picked off Davis Webb twice in the final three minutes, D.J. Calhoun returned a Cal onside kick attempt 42 yards with 48 seconds to play and the Sun Devils rallied to beat the Bears, 51-41, in the Pac-12 opener for both teams on Saturday night.

Laiu Moekiola returned the second interception 28 yards for a touchdown to put the Sun Devils (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) ahead 44-34 with 2:52 remaining.

Webb’s fifth touchdown pass of the night, 26 yards to Demetris Robertson, cut the lead to 44-41 with 54 seconds to play. But Calhoun grabbed the onside kick try and ran untouched to the end zone.

Manny Wilkins completed 21 of 30 passes for 290 yards and a touchdown for Arizona State and ran 23 times for 72 yards and three scores.

Salamo Fiso’s interception set up the last of Zane Gonzalez’s three field goals, a 23-yarder that careened off the right upright, to put the Sun Devils ahead for good 37-34 with 2:55 remaining.

On the first play after the subsequent kickoff, Moekiola picked off Webb’s short pass and returned it for the score. Webb completed 31 of 55 for 478 yards for California (2-2, 0-1 Pac-12).