Cal Continues Trend, Beats No. 16 Arizona, 30-25

Arizona, the only Pacific 10 team never to appear in a Rose Bowl game, Saturday lost a game, an edge in the conference standings and probably its No. 16 ranking.

But the Wildcats kept alive a streak. They haven’t beaten California since 1986 and the Bears won again, 30-25, behind the running of Russell White.

Arizona dropped to 1-1 in the Pac-10 and 3-1 overall, as White rushed for 99 yards and scored two touchdowns in helping Cal improve to 1-1 in the conference and 2-2 overall.

“This is a new Russell White,” said the running back, who lost his first season of eligibility when he failed to meet Proposition 48 requirements. “I had been tentative in the first few games.”

White scored on a two-yard run and a 39-yard pass play from quarterback Mike Pawlawski, who passed for two scores and ran for another.

Arizona’s Art Greathouse was a freshman in 1986, the last time the Wildcats won this game. Cal has won three games and tied one since then.

“I’m not really sure. It is something different each year,” said Greathouse, whose 11-yard touchdown run brought Arizona to within 28-23 with 10:25 to play.

“Last year, we got on top and got overconfident and lost, 29-28. This year, we had plenty of opportunities but we just didn’t get the job done.”

California increased a 14-13 halftime lead on Pawlawski’s one-yard run in the third quarter and made it 28-13 shortly thereafter when White took a screen pass from Pawlawski, shed two tacklers and ran 39 yards for a touchdown.

Arizona cut the lead to 28-16 with five minutes left in the third quarter on Gary Coston’s third field goal of the game, a 41-yarder, then closed to 28-23 midway through the fourth quarter on Greathouse’s score.

Cal’s last score came on a safety. Then Arizona got a final chance when Coston’s ensuing onside free kick was fumbled and Gregg Shapiro recovered at the Cal 35. Arizona drove to the Cal nine-yard line, but Cal’s Ray Sanders intercepted a short pass over the middle at the seven to end the threat.

With Cal facing fourth down at its 11 with four seconds left, punter Robbie Keen took an intentional safety to prevent a possible blocked punt.

Arizona scored first on quarterback Ron Veal’s 12-yard run 3:44 into the game, and Coston’s 22-yard field goal made it 10-0 later in the period.