Ducks fight back against Arizona, win in double OT
By Henry Childs KVAL.com SportsTUSCON, Arizona -- Ducks and Beavers fans can begin to trash talk, as the CIvil War will prove to be the unofficial Pac-10 championship game. MultimediaRelated ContentAfter Oregon State took care of business earlier on Saturday against Washington State, the Ducks finished off Arizona in double overtime 44-41 to set up the Civil War matchup that will send only one to Pasadena. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli had 345 total yards and six total touchdowns against the Wildcats; three rushing and three passing. Masoli also threw the game-tying touchdown pass to tight end Ed Dickson at the end of regulation, and scored on a third and goal from the one yard line in double overtime to send Duck fans everywhere into a frenzy. Running back LaMichael James continued to add on to his impressive resume. Not only did he run for 117 yards, but he also broke the Pac-10 freshman rushing record in a season. Arizona quarterback Nick Foles had an outstanding day against the Oregon secondary, finishing 30-46 with 314 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. The Wildcats seemingly outplayed the Ducks until the end of the fourth quarter, when the Ducks fought back to gain back momentum. The Ducks jumped ahead against Arizona, and it looked like they would put this one away early. Masoli ran for a 14-yard touchdown early in the first quarter, and then early in the second, Masoli found reciever Jeff Maehl in the endzone to make the Oregon lead 14-0. But Arizona gained momentum at the end of the half. Off of a Masoli interception, Foles passed for a short touchdown pass to Juron Criner to cut the lead in half, 14-7. Criner wound up with three receiving touchdowns in the game. Then as time expired in the second quarter, Arizona kicker Alex Zendejas made a 47-yard field goal to make the halftime score 14-10 Ducks. Arizona seemed to take control of the game in the third quarter. Running back Nick Booth ran for a short touchdown to help Arizona take the lead 17-14, and then early in the fourth, Foles threw for a touchdown to William Wright and the Wildcats led 24-14. Masoli and the Ducks would not go down so easily. On the Ducks next posession, Masoli ran for a one-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 24-21. With less than eight minutes left in the game, kicker Morgan Flint attempted a 43-yard field goal that bounced off the crossbar and went through the uprights to tie the game at 24 apiece. The Wildcats responded immediately, when Foles threw a screen pass to Criner that went 71 yards to put Arizona back on top, 31-24. The Ducks would then get the ball back off of an interception thrown by Foles with three minutes remaining. The Ducks then scored on the Masoli pass to Dickson with six seconds remaining, and the game would go into overtime. In the first overtime, the Ducks got the ball first and scored on a third down pass from Masoli to Maehl, and the Ducks led 38-31. But Arizona wouldn't be denied, as Foles found Criner again to tie the game and send it into a second overtime. Oregon's defense held Arizona to a field goal in the second overtime, but that set up the Masoli keeper to win the game for the Ducks. Oregon (9-2, 7-1) now has 12 days to prepare for the Civil War against Oregon State, which will be a Thursday primetime matchup. Arizona (6-4, 4-3) has two conference games left; next week at Arizona State, and then in two weeks against USC in Los Angeles.
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February 8, 2012
- Roseburg, Oregon
