Jenkins Finds Touch in Time

Ortege Jenkins got off a slow start but was in the groove once he relaxed.

Jenkins, two-for-five passing in the first quarter, got Arizona on the scoreboard with a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and later threw three touchdown passes as the Wildcats defeated Oregon State, 27-7, Saturday night.

“It’s probably the slowest start we’ve had this year,” Jenkins said about the scoreless first quarter. “We made some adjustments. I relaxed more and stopped throwing it high. I just needed to get in my rhythm.”

Arizona, 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the Pacific 10, sent Oregon State (3-6, 0-6) to its fourth consecutive defeat and 27th consecutive losing season. The Wildcats are 10-0 against the Beavers in Tucson and 18-2-1 in the series.

Jenkins, a redshirt freshman who started the season as the third-string quarterback after working as a wide receiver in preseason practices, connected with Mike Lucky for a five-yard touchdown play in the second period, and had scoring pass plays of 47 yards to Dennis Northcutt and 17 yards to Rodney Williams in the second half.

Northcutt’s touchdown reception was a key play, coming 17 seconds after Tim Alexander cut the Beavers’ deficit to seven points at 14-7 with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Roddy Tompkins at 11:39 of the third quarter.

Northcutt caught the ball on the 42 on a crossing pattern to his left, reversed his field and came back to the right just outside a forming wall of blockers.

“It’s time people look at Northcutt. He’s great cutting across the field,” said Jenkins, who was 18 of 33 for 238 yards.

“We felt like we could come back, but they got a big play with that play. That turned the flow around a lot,” Tompkins said.

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NEXT FOR USC

WHO: Oregon State

WHERE: Parker Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 1 p.m.

TV: None

RADIO: KLSX-FM (97.1)