Ohio State Passes Test at Arizona

Steve Bellisari passed for two touchdowns, including a 60-yard play to Chad Cacchio, and No. 18 Ohio State rallied to beat Arizona, 27-17, Saturday night at Tucson, Ariz.

Nate Clements set up another score with a 47-yard punt return late in the third quarter, and Dan Stultz kicked two field goals as the Buckeyes (2-0) went ahead 3-1 in the series in their first visit to Arizona Stadium.

Ortege Jenkins ran for one touchdown and passed to Bobby Wade for another as Arizona (1-1) took a 17-10 halftime lead.

But Ohio State’s defense, which scored four times in a rout of Fresno State the week before, was virtually impenetrable again, sacking Jenkins eight times and forcing the Wildcats to punt 12 times.

The outcome swung on back-to-back possessions by the Buckeyes in the third quarter.

They were having difficulty moving until Bellisari completed eight and 11-yard passes to Ken-Yon Rambo to the 40. On the next play, Bellisari passed long to Cacchio, who ran under the ball at the eight and cruised into the end zone, tying the score, 17-17, midway through the third quarter.

Ohio State held, and Bellisari, who had a one-yard scoring throw to Tim Cheatwood in the second quarter, set up a one-yard scoring run by Jonathan Wells with a 46-yard pass to Reggie Germany to the Arizona two.

California 24, Utah 21--Kyle Boller passed for 209 yards and a touchdown as the Golden Bears held off the Utes for the season-opening victory at Berkeley.

Boller connected with James Smith for a 12-yard touchdown pass, Saleem Muhammad scored on a one-yard run, and Joe Igber had a 13-yard touchdown run for Cal. Mark-Christian Jensen added a 27-yard field goal.

Boller, who had shoulder surgery in November, completed 18 of 28 passes, but threw an interception that was returned for a Utah touchdown.

The Utes, who lost their opener last week against Arizona, scored on the interception return and Nick Morgan’s 18-yard run in the final quarter.

Steve Smith added to Utah’s final margin with a 26-yard punt return for a touchdown with 5:07 left in the game. Golden Whetman’s 55-yard field-goal attempt as time ran out fell well short.

Cal went ahead, 7-0, with 3:50 in the first quarter on Muhammad’s scoring run.

The Utes, facing the second of three consecutive Pacific 10 Conference opponents, came out flat. Starter T.D. Croshaw passed for only 12 yards before he was replaced by Darnell Arceneaux with two seconds left in the first quarter.

Utah tied the score, 7-7, in the second quarter when Lauvale Sape knocked Boller’s arm, and the errant throw was intercepted by Andre Dyson, who ran untouched for 58-yard touchdown.

Utah came close late in the first half, when Arceneaux’s four-yard pass to Steve Smith was ruled incomplete--although one official indicated it was a touchdown.

Oregon State 28, New Mexico 20--Ken Simonton rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Beavers to victory at Albuquerque, N.M.

Oregon State (2-0) took a 21-20 lead early in the fourth quarter on Jonathan Smith’s nine-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

New Mexico (0-3) could not counter, and Simonton put the game away with a 43-yard touchdown run with a little more than a minute left.