Arizona Holds Off California

Keith Smith passed for two touchdowns and Trung Canidate had another long touchdown run as No. 9 Arizona withstood California’s late rally for a 27-23 victory Saturday at Berkeley.

It was the fifth consecutive victory for Arizona, which improved to 10-1 overall and 6-1 in the Pacific 10. Cal (5-5, 3-4) lost for the fourth time in five games and remains one victory shy of becoming bowl-eligible.

Canidate, who had 94 yards in 16 carries, scored on a 54-yard run with 11:36 left, putting Arizona ahead, 27-10. His sixth rushing touchdown of 50 or more yards this season came after Cal had helped keep the Wildcat drive alive by hitting Smith late out of bounds after a scramble. It was one of Cal’s 15 penalties totaling 154 yards.

Trailing, 27-10, Cal came back to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Justin Vedder hit Marcus Fields with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 10:30 remaining and Cal then put together an 89-yard drive capped by Dameane Douglas’ nine-yard touchdown run off a planned flea-flicker play with 3:16 left.

But Ignacio Brache missed the extra point as his kick hit the right upright and bounced away.

Arizona recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran down the clock until there were only a few seconds left, and Kelvin Hunter intercepted Sam Clemons’ desperation pass to end the game.

Douglas had six receptions, giving him 182 and surpassing Bobby Shaw’s Cal record of 180 set from 1994 to 1997.

Stanford 38, Washington State 28--Reserve quarterback Randy Fasani scored a touchdown on a two-yard run with 3:53 remaining to cap a 24-point fourth quarter for the Cardinal at Palo Alto.

Stanford, which trailed, 28-14, with less than 14 minutes remaining, is 2-8 overall and 1-6 in the Pac-10. Washington State is 3-7 and 0-7.

Fasani, who earlier scored on a one-yard run, capped a 34-yard drive set up by free safety Tim Smith’s third interception of the game. The Cardinal had five interceptions against the Cougars, who entered the game tied for the most turnovers in the nation this season with 34.

Joe Borchard threw an 80-yard scoring pass to Troy Walters for Stanford and starting quarterback Todd Husak had an 11-yard touchdown pass to DeRonnie Pitts.

Jon Eide, a junior playing in his first game for the Cardinal, had an 11-yard touchdown run and Kevin Miller kicked a 32-yard field goal.