Arizona Stays Unbeaten by a Foot, 9-6 : Pac-10: McLaughlin kicks three field goals and Washington State’s Price barely misses on final play.

Aaron Price, Washington State’s kicker, visited Arizona Stadium on Friday night to re-enact last season’s winning field goal with 35 seconds left.

Setting up at the same spot, “I kicked a 47-yarder right down the middle,” Price said.

Saturday, he and the Cougars were not as accurate. Price barely missed a 49-yard try with two seconds left as No. 7 Arizona held on for a 9-6 Pacific 10 Conference victory before 46,675.

In a game of missed kicks, and for the most part, inept offenses, it was left to Arizona’s Steve McLaughlin to put his stamp on the outcome.

McLaughlin kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:37 left, and for the second consecutive week led the Wildcats to victory. Last Saturday at Arizona Stadium, McLaughlin’s 27-yarder as time expired saved the Wildcats from a tie with Stanford.

Saturday’s kick was not as exciting, but it helped make Arizona 7-0 for the first time. The Wildcats are 4-0 in the Pac-10.

“This gives us something to play for in L.A.,” said Arizona Coach Dick Tomey, whose team will take on UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

McLaughlin, a junior from Tucson, made three of four field-goal tries against Washington State, including a 53-yarder in the first quarter. That kick was the longest in the conference this season, and bettered McLaughlin’s best by three yards.

McLaughlin said his percentage is better from 50 yards and beyond.

“I feel good about the 50s,” he said.

More than that, he feels good about being called to kick in a close game.

Price, the son of Coach Mike Price, echoed McLaughlin’s sentiments. When he kicked the 49-yarder, he said, it felt good.

“I thought it was going right down the middle,” he said. “I hit it straight. I hit it good. Maybe I lined up wrong.”

Price’s attempt was not strong, but appeared to be sailing toward the goal posts when it drifted to the left.

“It was exactly the same situation as last year, just barely off,” Price said.

Neither coach complained about the lack of an attack. It was expected. This was, after all, a game featuring the nation’s top two defenses.

“With the pressure defense, you (have) got to make these quick reads,” said Dan White, the Wildcat quarterback who completed 14 of 32 passes with one interception.

White’s counterpart, Shawn Deeds, a 6-foot-5 freshman starting his first game, wasn’t much better. He went 16 of 36 with two interceptions.

One of those proved pivotal.

With 6:11 left in the first quarter and Washington State (5-2, 3-2) holding a 3-0 lead, the Cougars mounted one of their best drives. Starting at their 31, the Cougars moved to the Arizona five in nine plays. On second down at the five, Deeds threw toward Ray Hall in the right corner of the end zone.

But safety Tony Bouie intercepted for a touchback.

“I just put too much air on it,” Deeds said.

Arizona finally scored with 43 seconds left in the half.

The drive started at the Arizona 45 and after two dropped passes, White passed to Terry Vaughan of Oceanside for a 20-yard gain. White had two more incompletions and then Billy Johnson was tackled for a six-yard loss by John Rushing.

McLaughlin salvaged the drive with his 53-yarder, and the score was 3-3 at halftime.

Chad DeGrenier, a junior backup quarterback from Santee, said the Cougar offense was stifled by the pass defense.

“They loosened up on us,” he said. “It threw us off a little.”

Washington State’s rushing attack fared little better.

“We shut down the run in the second half,” Tomey said.

Rob Waldrop, Arizona’s outstanding nose guard, sat in the locker room ruminating well after most of his teammates had left.

“It was pretty physical out there,” he said. “I’m just exhausted.”