Oregon coach Mike Bellotti is now the winningest coach in school history after recording his 92nd career victory Saturday, breaking the old record of 91 held by Rich Brooks.
“92 feels great,” Bellotti said. “It feels like all the other ones: really good.”
It took Brooks 18 season to earn 91 victories. In 12 seasons, Bellotti’s career record stands at 92-42, the most wins by any active coach in the Pacific-10 Conference. USC’s Pete Carroll is second with 55 career victories.
Upon Review
Saturday’s game featured two instant replays including one that took potential points off the board in a wild first quarter play.
On third-and-15, Oregon’s J.D. Nelson hit Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater just as Brandstater was about to release the ball.
Brandstater went down and most players stopped running thinking the pass was incomplete. But Oregon rover Patrick Chung picked up the ball and returned the supposed fumble 30 yards for the Oregon touchdown.
But Fresno State coach Pat Hill challenged the ruling on the field and the play was overturned and ruled an incomplete pass, allowing the Bulldogs to punt. Oregon scored two possessions later to take a 14-3 lead.
Cameo for Stewart
Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart’s only carry of the game came in the first quarter and resulted in a three-yard touchdown run. Stewart injured his ankle in the third quarter of last week’s win against Stanford after rushing for 168 yards.
Saturday, Stewart came off the sideline and told Oregon coaches he did not feel like he could play on the ankle and they decided not to use him for the remainder of the game.
Stewart said he’d be ready for next Saturday’s game against Oklahoma.
Injury Updates
Playing in a very physical game, two Oregon starters, wide receiver Garren Strong and cornerback Jackie Bates went down with injuries and did not return.
Strong, who went down in the first quarter after he was tackled awkwardly, has a lower leg strain and is probable for Saturday’s game against Oklahoma.
Bates’ injury occurred when he jumped in the air to knock the ball away from an intended receiver and landed on his left ankle. He was originally diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, but x-rays later reveiled a broken bone in his lower left leg. Bellotti told the Register-Guard that Bates could be out for the remainder of the season.
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