SAN DIEGO, Calif. â?” The magic that was the Ducks in 2005 fell just short and into the arms of Clint Ingram in the 28th annual Holiday Bowl as Oklahoma (8-4 overall, 6-2 Big 12 Conference) survived a late scare and hung on to win 17-14 over No. 6 Oregon (10-2, 7-1 Pacific-10 Conference).
Oregon entered the game winners in its last seven games, three of which were decided by late touchdowns.
But in typical Holiday Bowl fashion, the Ducks and Sooners battled until a late interception by Ingram sealed the victory for the Sooners, its sixth win in its last seven games. It was the 19th time in the28-year history of the bowl that the game has been decided in the final two minutes.
Down 17-7 in the fourth quarter, Oregon, led by a host of standout seniors, began the march back. It started with senior strong safety Anthony Trucks’ forced fumble and recovery of Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson as Peterson lunged toward the goal line, attempting to give the Sooners’ a 17 point advantage.
Two possessions later, Brady Leaf helped the Ducks convert two fourth downs, then found senior tight end Tim Day for a three-yard touchdown â?” his first of the season â?” cutting the score to 17-14.
Oregon got the ball back for its final drive attempt with 3:04 to play after senior Justin Phinisee broke up Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar’s pass attempt on third down.
After the punt, Leaf marched the Ducks from its own22-yard line down to the Sooners’ 20 â?” highlighted by senior running back Terrence Whitehead’s 37-yard catch and run into Oklahoma territory. The catch gave Whitehead 134 receptions for his career â?” sixth best overall in school history.
But Ingram intercepted Leaf later in the drive as Leaf attempted to loft a pass to senior wideout Demetrius Williams near the end zone.
The pass, and game, ended the careers of 13 Oregon seniors who helped the Ducks turn a 5-6 season last year into a 10-2 record this season. The starters include Trucks, the co-defensive player of the game, Devan Long, Ian Reynoso, Darius Sanders, Day, Phinisee, Whitehead, and senior cornerback Aaron Gipson.
“We didn’t want to give up,” Gipson, an All-Pac-10 selection, said. “We wanted to show a lot of heart. We just tried to play hard. Every senior at every position just tried to take care of their group â?” not a lot of outspoken guys, but a lot of guys handling things amongst themselves. That got the job done this year.”
Many of the seniors came to Eugene in 2002 â?” the year following a monumental win for the program in the Fiesta Bowl over Colorado.
“I think it’s a special group,” Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said. “They have done an amazing job this year of competing, of pulling together, of supporting each other, and of believing in each other.
Second half a different story
Clinging to a 7-3 lead at the break, Oregon became the eighth team in the last nine Holiday Bowl games to lose after leading at halftime. The Ducks tallied negative nine total yards in the third quarter and, at one point in the fourth quarter, had gained four total yards in the second half.
After limiting Oklahoma’s Peterson to eight yards on eight carriers in the first half, the sophomore back came alive in the third quarter, gaining 51 yards on 8 eight carriers.
“You have to credit Oklahoma, they have an amazing running back,” Phinisee said. “He did his thing today, but for the most part, we feel good about our defense.”
Peterson finished the game with 84 yards on 23 carries.
Bellotti, Ducks reveal bag of tricks
Bellotti has become accustomed to pulling out all the stops during bowl season. In the Ducks’ last trip to San Diego for the 2000 Holiday Bowl against Texas, Bellotti called a reverse pass that resulted in an 18-yard touchdown reception by then-quarterback Joey Harrington from wideout Keenan Howry.
On Thursday, Bellotti again revealed his trickster mentality, calling five unorthodox plays, including a reverse pass from wideout Garren Strong to quarterback Dennis Dixon that fell incomplete. The Ducks also attempted a fake field goal that resulted in a pass interference penalty and first down, a fake punt that also resulted in a first down, a flee flicker that fell incomplete and a reverse toss to Williams, which marked the game’s first touchdown.
“You get three weeks, it’s like drawing in the dirt. I was very pleased and proud that, one, we were courageous enough to use them and two, they worked,” Bellotti said.
Dragich shines for Oregon
Junior punter Matt Dragich had produced his biggest game statistically. The junior college transfer, in addition to a season-high 45.1 average on eight punts
including a 56 yarder, ran 20 yards on a fake punt during Oregon’s first possession.
The carry was his first career run and his eight punts were a season and career high, surpassing hi
s seven punts against California.
Sooners and Ducks becoming rivals
The 2005 Holiday Bowl marked the second of three consecutive years that Oregon and Oklahoma will meet. Last season in Norman, the Sooners beat the Ducks, 31-7. The two teams will meet next season on Sept. 16 in Eugene. Oklahoma now owns the all-time series against Oregon, 6-0.
“My compliments to Oregon,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. “I really respect them and the way they play. I like the way they coach and we have a great rivalry started here that we’ll continue next season.”
Oregon has now lost three straight bowl games.
