Sunday, November 23, 2008
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Justin Kahut hit a 24-yard field goal as time expired, and No. 21 Oregon State rallied to defeat Arizona 19-17 on Saturday night and move within one victory of its first Rose Bowl trip since 1965.
Kahut nailed the winner just minutes after missing the potential tying extra point.
The Beavers (8-3, 7-1 Pac-10) can clinch a trip to Pasadena, Calif., with a victory over No. 24 Oregon in the Civil War on Nov. 29.
Trailing 17-16 with 1:19 to play, the Beavers took over at their 20 with no timeouts left.
On the third play of the drive, backup quarterback Sean Canfield, who started in place of the injured Lyle Moevao, found Sammie Stroughter alone behind the Wildcats secondary for a 47-yard gain to the Arizona 7.
Four plays later, Kahut came on and calmly nailed a 24-yard field goal to seal the Beavers’ comeback.
Keola Antolin rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats (6-5, 4-4), coached by Mike Stoops (Cardinal Mooney).
With the score tied at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter, Oregon State coach Mike Riley went for it twice on fourth down near midfield. The first one worked and the second didn’t, and it proved costly.
After backup tailback Ryan McCants lost a yard on fourth-and-1 at Arizona’s 49, the Wildcats went on an eight-play march capped by a 9-yard touchdown run by Antolin to give Arizona a 17-10 lead.
The Beavers have had good luck in the desert, winning their previous three games in Arizona Stadium. But this trip started off badly.
The Beavers lost Jacquizz Rodgers to a shoulder injury on their second possession. Rodgers took a heavy hit from Arizona cornerback Devin Ross.
Rodgers was replaced McCants, a freshman. But his production was replaced by his brother, receiver James Rodgers, who ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, all on reverses out of his receiver slot.