Oregon State
Arizona
No. 10 OSU Football Downs Arizona, 33-9
November 11, 2000 | Football
Nov. 11, 2000
By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer
TUCSON, Ariz. - Incredible as it may seem, Oregon State is 9-1 and might be the best team in the Pac-10.
In a season that just keeps getting better, the 10th-ranked Beavers won at Arizona for the first time, keeping their Rose Bowl hopes alive with a 33-9 victory Saturday night.
Jonathan Smith completed 17 of 31 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown and the Beavers (9-1, 6-1 Pac-10) held Arizona (5-5, 3-4) to three field goals by Sean Keel.
"They are a terrific team," Arizona coach Dick Tomey said of the Beavers, "the best team we have played all year."
It was the first time the Wildcats had not scored a touchdown in a game since 1994.
"We played outstanding defense," said coach Dennis Erickson, who has transformed one of the worst programs in college football into a team that could earn a share of the Pac-10 title with a victory over Oregon next week.
"It was probably our best game defensively. We pretty much stifled them."
Oregon State, with its highest ranking since 1968, has won nine games in a season for the first time since going 9-1-1 in 1939.
The Beavers are host to sixth-ranked Oregon next Saturday in what amounts to the biggest "Civil War" game ever between the rivals. But Oregon State needs help to get to Pasadena.
The Beavers need a victory over Oregon coupled with a Washington loss to Washington State to earn their first Rose Bowl berth since the 1964 season. If Oregon beats Oregon State, the Ducks go to the Rose Bowl.
"Every win means something, and to be 9-1 definitely means something," Smith said. "We're happy with that that, but we're definitely not satisfied."
Arizona held Ken Simonton, the Pac-10's leading rusher, to a season-low 73 yards in 19 carries, but he had 47 in five carries in the fourth quarter, including a 21-yard touchdown run.
The Beavers, 0-10 at Arizona going into the game, scored on their first five possessions, including field goals of 23, 44 and 31 yards by Ryan Cesca, to lead 23-3 at halftime. Cesca also kicked a 30-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Keel's field goals of 31 and 37 yards cut the lead to 23-9 in the third quarter, and the Wildcats had a chance to make it closer when Jermaine Chapman intercepted Smith's pass to give Arizona the ball at the Beavers' 36 with 4:33 left in the third.
But moments later, Arizona quarterback Ortege Jenkins twisted his ankle and briefly left the game. On fourth-and-1 at the Oregon State 27, backup quarterback Jason Johnson thought the Beavers jumped offsides and went to one knee. But there was no flag and Oregon State took over.
In the first half, Simonton had just 1 yard in eight carries and the Beavers had just 2 yards on the ground. But Smith completed 12 of 21 passes for 188 yards, and Oregon State's defense held the Wildcats to 64 total yards.
Chad Johnson caught six passes for 103 yards in the first half, including a 26-yard touchdown reception. He caught seven passes for 109 yards for the game.
The Beavers sacked Jenkins six times, three by LaDairia Jackson. Arizona managed just 158 total yards, 69 on the ground. Jenkins was 6-for-17 for 66 yards.
"They really flew to the ball," Arizona running back Larry Croom. "Their defensive line came out and played a great game, and the linebackers did as well."
Cesca's field goals of 23 and 44 yards put the Beavers up 6-3. The 44-yarder with 2:03 left in the first quarter bounced off the right upright and through the goal posts.
A shanked, 16-yard punt by Chris Palic gave Oregon State the ball on the Arizona 41. Eight plays later, Patrick McCall bulled over from the 1 to make it 13-3 with 13:48 left in the first half.
Arizona's Joe Tafoya had three sacks before he was ejected in the fourth quarter.
