Cal Gives Huskies a Difficult Time, but Loses, 28-12

Washington scored two quick early touchdowns after California turnovers, then put together a decisive 79-yard drive in the fourth quarter to defeat the Bears, 28-12, Saturday in a Pacific 10 game.

Washington, 4-2 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-10, took a 14-3 lead by scoring twice in a little more than two minutes midway through the first quarter, then was virtually shut down for two quarters while the Bears rallied.

Cal crept to within 14-12 on an 86-yard drive led by the passing of quarterback Kevin Brown and capped by a three-yard run by Tyrone Moore with 9:24 to play.

But Ron Hadley, one of the game’s defensive stars with two fumble recoveries, and Steve Alvord harried Brown into an interception on an attempted two-point conversion pass.

Washington quarterback Hugh Millen then hit three key passes on the Huskies’ next possession, including a 17-yard third-down toss to Mo Hill at the Bears’ three. Rick Fenney plunged over right guard on the next play for the score.

Tony Covington ran 10 yards for the final Washington score with 29 seconds to play.

Cal (2-4 and 0-4) scored first on a 27-yard field goal by Leland Rix. But the Bears helped the Huskies to a score when Brown’s lateral pass bounced off Dwight Garner’s hands and was recovered by Hadley at the Cal 13. Two plays later, Aaron Jenkins ran 12 yards for a touchdown.

Linebacker Joe Kelly’s interception of a Brown pass at the Cal 32 quickly led to another Washington score on a six-yard lob from Millen to a leaping Hill in the end zone.

The victory gives Washington the Pac-10 lead by a half-game over idle Arizona.