An unlikely hero was born on a soggy, windy afternoon at Autzen Stadium Saturday.
Reserve quarterback Brady Leaf came off the bench and tossed his first career touchdown pass – a four-yard strike to wideout James Finley – in overtime to give then-No. 15 Oregon (8-1, 5-1 conference) a 27-20 win over No. 23 California (6-3, 3-3).
After third-year starting quarterback Kellen Clemens went down with a season-ending ankle injury two weeks ago, much of the focus Saturday was on quarterback Dennis Dixon making his first career start.
However, after a 20-20 tie at the end of regulation, Leaf got the call and orchestrated Oregon’s final scoring drive in six plays, resulting in Finley’s first touchdown reception of the season.
“(The coaches) told me that I’d get a series here or there,” Leaf said. “I just tried to prepare myself that I am going to play today. It was a rush.”
The Oregon defense stayed intact after Finley’s touchdown catch, shutting down the Golden Bears in four plays of their overtime possession, three of which were incomplete passes by quarterback Joe Ayoob. Ayoob’s last pass of the game on fourth and eight sailed over the head of wide-open David Gray, sending the 58,309 in attendance into a frenzy.
“A win like that validates what you do as a team and our belief in ourselves,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “Our defense, except for one or two plays, worked their tails off and they did a great job.”
Ayoob struggled against Oregon’s defense, completing only 10 of 26 passes for 88 yards and no touchdowns. He was sacked three times and threw three interceptions.
California relied on its vaunted running game to keep the game in reach. Sophomore Marshawn Lynch finished with 189 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns.
Yet the Ducks’ defense made the stops when they needed to most, including on the final play of regulation when kicker Tom Schneider missed a 53-yard field as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
Dixon, in his first career start, was 15 of 26 for 139 yards and one touchdown – a 24-yard strike to wideout Demetrius Williams for the game’s first score. Dixon was also intercepted once.
Leaf, who made his first appearance in the third quarter, was 9 of 13 for 93 yards and one touchdown.
“Dennis did a great job as well today,” Leaf said. “It’s a lot more comfortable when you’ve got two quarterbacks that can go out there and win.”
The game was tied after each quarter. Following Williams’ touchdown reception, Cal blocked a Matt Dragich punt, which rolled out of bounds at the Ducks’ one-yard line.
Lynch scored on the next play.
Oregon responded in the second quarter, driving 53 yards in 10 plays to set up Paul Martinez’s 29-yard field goal. Dixon was 6 of 7 passing on the drive for 45 yards.
Cal tied the game just seconds before half with a 21-yard field goal by Schneider, which was set up after Brandon Hampton intercepted Dixon in Oregon territory.
Oregon regained the lead midway through the second half with a steady dose of Terrence Whitehead.
The senior back gained 29 of his team-high 119 yards in Oregon’s opening possession, setting up a 49-yard field goal by Martinez.
On Cal’s next possession, Ayoob was sacked by linebacker Anthony Trucks who also stripped the ball and recovered it at the Bears’ 18-yard line.
One play later, Whitehead rushed 18 yards to give Oregon a 20-10 lead. Whitehead finished with 191 total yards of offense.
Cal responded and, following Schneider’s second field goal, Lynch rushed 52 yards for a touchdown run to tie the game late in the third quarter.
But both defenses held strong in the final quarter before Leaf’s touchdown pass to Finley clinched the game in overtime.
The victory gives Oregon its fifth straight win and eighth of the season – the Ducks best record since 2001.
“It’s a great feeling. The team’s pretty excited about it, but we’ve got to get immediately into Washington State and be 9-1,” Leaf said.
