Northridge a Pushover in Opener : College football: John Bonds passes for four touchdowns to lead Northern Arizona to 37-3 victory.

Cal State Northridge’s defense had been billed as a quick and aggressive unit that would strike fear in the hearts of any opponent.

Yet, by the third quarter of Saturday’s nonconference football game at Northern Arizona’s Walkup Skydome, the home school’s mascot was the only Lumberjack wide-eyed with anxiety.

The Matador defense was just that--Ole!--as Northern Arizona won the opener for both teams, 37-3.

Quarterback John Bonds passed for four touchdowns and ran for another as the Lumberjacks dealt Northridge its most lopsided loss in Bob Burt’s five-year tenure as coach.

The mascot, who does a pushup for each point after a Northern Arizona score, suffered right along with the Matadors.

That’s 139 pushups--all in the last three quarters--if you’re keeping score.

It was Northridge’s worst opening loss since 1973 when Cal Poly San Luis Obispo won, 65-20.

On Saturday, Northridge lost not only the game but two key players within a span of six minutes in the first half.

Clayton Bamberg, CSUN’s defensive co-captain and free safety, was the first to fall. He sustained a sprained left ankle while returning a punt with 1 minute 32 seconds left in the first quarter.

Then, with 10:21 to go in the second period, quarterback Sherdrick Bonner twisted his right ankle when he was sacked running out a play in which Northern Arizona already had been flagged for a penalty.

“We lost both quarterbacks,” Burt said. “We lost our defensive quarterback and our offensive quarterback.”

Bamberg’s absence became evident quickly. His replacement, Ed Mitchell, was burned for touchdowns twice within five minutes.

Northridge led, 3-0, before Julian Howard beat Mitchell down the left sideline on a 76-yard pass play that gave the Lumberjacks a 7-3 lead.

Shortly after, tight end Tucker Smith got behind Mitchell in the corner of the end zone where Bonds found him to make the score 14-3.

“We knew that we were going to try to attack that zone and see how they handled it,” Bonds said.

Bonds, a transfer from Arizona State, was making his debut for the Lumberjacks and playing in his first football game in three years. After redshirting his first season at Arizona State, he transferred last year and had to sit out the season.

Bonds’ scoring passes went to four receivers and covered 76, 10, 63 and 41 yards. In the fourth quarter, he tied a school record by accounting for his fifth touchdown of the game, on a seven-yard run.

“I really didn’t think I played all that well,” Bonds said. “The stats and the numbers say I did, but I made more than my share of mistakes. . . . the score should have been 50-zip.”

The Northridge offense contributed mightily to Northern Arizona’s cause by committing five turnovers.

“I thought, under the circumstances (read: five turnovers and numerous blown blocking assignments), most of the kids on our defense played pretty well,” Burt said.

Marty Fisher, a sophomore seeing the first extensive action of his collegiate career, completed 17 of 31 passes for 180 yards and threw two interceptions.

Fisher’s outing was impressive considering the Northridge offensive line rarely made it through consecutive plays without missing an assignment.

“Marty did a very creditable job,” Burt said. “I was really pleased with the way he played. I’m more concerned with the offensive line.”

Indeed, at least one scouting report was correct--the offensive front appears to be Northridge’s Achilles’ heel.

Albert Fann, the Matadors’ All-American tailback, rushed for only 45 yards in 17 carries with a long gain of seven yards.

“It wasn’t so much that they stopped our running game,” Fann said. “They didn’t beat us physically. We just did the wrong things. We beat ourselves on the offensive side of the ball.”

Northridge scored on its second possession, taking a 3-0 lead on a 42-yard field goal by Abo Velasco.

An interception by linebacker Ken Vaughn put CSUN within striking distance again two minutes later. After barely eluding the rush of Matador linebacker Ken Wallace, Bonds lofted a pass in the flat that Vaughn grabbed backhanded while in a full-length dive at the Northridge 43.

The Matadors reached the Lumberjack 38, but the drive stalled.

Northridge came close to scoring on the final play of the first half. From the Lumberjack 43, Fisher hit Paul Peters with a pass up the right sideline on a play that covered 42 yards and about 35 inches.

Peters caught the ball inside the five yard-line, but was pushed out of bounds inches shy of the goal line as the horn sounded.

“This is going to be a test to see if this team can bounce back,” Fann said. “I know I’m ready to, but we have to do it as a team. I’m optimistic. This is a young team. We just have to bring everyone together.”

Said Burt: “We’re going to get a helluva lot better. You can count on that.”