Johnson’s Interception Helps Save Oregon, 24-19

Oregon 24, California 19--Brian Johnson intercepted a pass in the end zone with 33 seconds to play, denying the go-ahead score as the Ducks avoided blowing a 24-point lead at Berkeley.

Oregon (7-3, 5-2) had six interceptions to offset Deltha O’Neal’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown and two-way player LaShaun Ward’s late interception for California (4-6, 3-4).

California, which six years ago rallied from 30 points behind to defeat the Ducks in the third-greatest comeback in NCAA history, was poised to accomplish something similar.

Following Ward’s interception of an A.J. Feeley pass, the Golden Bears drove to the five-yard line after Ward completed a 24-yard pass to Michael Ainsworth on a flea-flicker.

Joe Igber ran for two yards and Wes Dalton, who came on for injured starter Kyle Boller, had an incompletion. On third down, Cal lined up in a spread formation and Dalton tried to hit tight end Brian Surgener over the middle but the ball sailed over his head and into Johnson’s arms for the game-saving interception.

O’Neal got the Bears within 24-12 when he stepped in front of Marshuan Tucker to intercept Joey Harrington’s pass at the goal line, reversed his field and broke into the clear down the left sideline to score untouched.

It was O’Neal’s fourth interception return for a touchdown this season, setting an NCAA record. The previous high was three, a mark set by many players, the last Miami of Ohio’s Jay Baker in 1998.

He has eight interceptions this year, a school record.

Boller was knocked out of the game early in the third quarter when he was hit hard by Michael Fletcher at the end of a scramble, leaving because of a separated left shoulder.