Arizona Rallies, Then Holds Off Arizona State : Pacific 10: Sun Devils’ Baker misses field goal in final minute after Wildcats’ Carter suffers neck injury.

Once again, a field goal ruined Arizona State’s season-ending quest against archrival Arizona.

This time, the Sun Devils fell a yard short of victory, the distance by which Jon Baker’s 47-yard field goal was wide right with 28 seconds remaining, allowing No. 16 Arizona to eke out a 28-27 comeback victory Friday.

Twice before since 1983, Arizona beat ASU with late field goals and another time a late kick pulled the Wildcats back to a tie.

Dan White engineered two late scoring drives to overcome Arizona’s 12-point, 27-15 fourth-quarter deficit.

The Wildcats, 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Pacific 10, tied USC for second place in the conference. Arizona State (3-8, 2-6) finished its worst season since going 2-7-2 in 1946.

A neck injury to Arizona’s career rushing leader, Ontiwaun Carter, seemed to inspire his teammates--especially backup Gary Taylor and tight end Lamar Harris. Both scored fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Carter injured his neck in the third quarter and the game was delayed for about 15 minutes as he lay immobilized. Officials at University Medical Center, where he was taken by ambulance, said X-rays proved negative and that Carter had a sprained neck.

Carter rushed 12 times for 25 yards before his injury, finishing the regular season with 1,163 yards. He has 3,457 career rushing yards.

“ ‘Twan has meant so much to us,” Harris said. “If we all had the heart he has, we’d be going to the Rose Bowl this year. But we showed ourselves that we have a lot of heart too.

Harris’ four-yard touchdown reception with 3:54 left provided Arizona with the winning margin.