New Quarterback Leads Oregon State : Beavers: Schweer guides upset of No. 21 Arizona, 35-21, to break a nine-game losing streak.

In his first start, Fred Schweer accomplished something no Oregon State quarterback had managed in 24 years.

He beat Arizona.

Schweer, a redshirt freshman, directed Oregon State to its highest-scoring Pacific 10 performance since 1979 as the previously winless Beavers stunned No. 21 Arizona, 35-21, Saturday.

“The whole team really came together,” Schweer said. “We made big plays when we had to and stayed away from the penalties.”

Oregon State broke a nine-game losing streak and beat the Wildcats for the first time since they joined the Pac-10 in 1979, going 0-12 before Saturday. The only Beaver victory over Arizona was in 1966.

The loss almost certainly dealt a fatal blow to the Rose Bowl hopes of the Wildcats, 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the Pac-10.

“They wanted it more,” Arizona quarterback George Malauulu said. “We didn’t overlook them. We just came in and got our butt kicked.”

Schweer, who got the start because Matt Booher has a jammed thumb on his throwing hand, passed for a touchdown and directed three long scoring drives. Arizona mistakes set up the other two Oregon State scores.

The Beavers had lost to such teams as Montana, Nevada Las Vegas and Kansas.

“Everybody had us written off for dead,” linebacker Todd McKinney said. “It was a great victory.”

There were signs of an Oregon State resurgence two weeks ago, when it led Nebraska, 7-3, at halftime before losing, 31-7. The Beavers hadn’t played since then.

“This is the thing we’ve been fighting so hard to get,” Coach Dave Kraghorpe said. “It means an awful lot. It ranks right up there with some of the big wins we’ve had. Obviously . . . it’s a major upset. It’s so much sweeter because of our previous five games.”

Reggie Pitchford scored three touchdowns and James Jones rushed for two for the Beavers (1-5, 1-1).

“The team that deserved to win won the game,” Arizona Coach Dick Tomey said. “They were hungrier than we were. It was a poor effort from a coaching standpoint and a poor effort from a playing standpoint.”

Arizona blocked two Oregon State punts to set up touchdowns. But the Beavers’ defense, which had given up 438 yards per game this season, held Arizona to 321 yards.

Oregon State trailed, 21-14, early in the third quarter when Schweer directed touchdown drives the next two times his team had the ball.

He capped an eight-play, 63-yard drive by connecting with Pitchford on a 22-yard pass play to tie the score, 21-21, with 4:46 to play in the third quarter. Pitchford caught the short pass over the middle, then ran through the Wildcats’ defense for the touchdown.

The Beavers took the lead by going 67 yards in 13 plays. Dwayne Owens had runs of 17 and 13 yards during the drive. Schweer’s nine-yard pass on third down to Jason Blum on the Arizona two-yard line set up Jones’ scoring run to make it 28-21 with 12:12 to play. Owens was the game’s leading rusher with 80 yards in 12 carries.