Oregon Sporting a Rosy Outlook
The Oregon Ducks haven’t looked like champions the past month, but four consecutive close victories have put the Rose Bowl within their grasp.
Joey Harrington ran for two second-half touchdowns and passed for another as No. 6 Oregon clinched at least a tie for the Pacific 10 Conference title by rallying to defeat California, 25-17, Saturday.
“General Joey Harrington gathered his troops and got us going,” Oregon receiver Marshaun Tucker said.
Oregon, 9-1 overall and 7-0 in the Pac-10, could earn its first Rose Bowl berth since the 1994 season if it defeats No. 10 Oregon State on Saturday in the team’s “Civil War” game at Corvallis.
“It’s very fulfilling,” Harrington said. “We worked for it, but there’s still that lingering feeling of having to play Oregon State next weekend.”
Oregon won its previous three games by a combined eight points: a 14-10 home victory over Arizona, followed by overtime wins against Arizona State and Washington State.
“Overall, this group of kids has been truly amazing, in terms of their belief and trust, and their ability to find a way to win,” Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti said.
Kyle Boller completed 15 of 39 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown as Cal (3-7, 2-5) nearly pulled off the upset despite a relapse of its early-season struggles on offense.
Harrington completed 20 of 35 passes for 252 yards in an erratic performance, but his 29-yard scoring pass to Keenan Howry with 12:38 left was the difference. Howry reached up and caught the pass with his fingertips to give the Ducks an 18-17 lead.
Oregon added another touchdown after the Golden Bears botched a punt, giving the Ducks the ball at the Cal 14. Five plays later, Harrington’s one-yard run made the score 25-17 with 4:48 left.
Cal got the ball back twice, but Boller had a pass intercepted and was unable to move his team on the last possession.
“It’s hard to win and have control of a game if you don’t have a running game, unless you have a great passing game,” Cal Coach Tom Holmoe said.
Oregon, which limited Cal to 88 yards rushing, won its 20th consecutive home game. The Ducks have lost only once in their last 16 games.
But for the third consecutive week, Oregon trailed by at least four points in the fourth quarter.
Geoff McArthur scored on a 63-yard pass to put the Golden Bears ahead, 17-12, with 3:36 left in the third quarter. The teams traded punts, and Harrington began the Ducks’ first possession of the fourth quarter by passing to Tucker for a 52-yard gain.
Two plays later, Howry gained a step on cornerback Jemeel Powell, and Harrington led him perfectly for the go-ahead touchdown.
Tucker had six receptions for 118 yards.
Cal defensive end Andre Carter had two sacks, giving him 13 for the season and extending his school career record to 30 1/2.
Cal came in with the lowest-ranked offense in the Pac-10, but neither team could move the ball early. They combined for only 60 rushing yards in 29 carries in the first half.