Oregon kicker Paul Martinez picked an opportune time to score his first ever touchdown.
Martinez took a pitch from backup quarterback Brady Leaf on a fake field goal option and ran four yards for the game-winning touchdown with less than five minutes remaining in Oregon’s 31-24 victory Saturday at Fresno State.
The call was made on the sidelines to try the fake field goal after an earlier field goal attempt was blocked.
“We planned it earlier in the week because they do a middle push, and when they do a middle push, they open up the outside for that,” Martinez, a senior, said.
With the game tied at 24, Oregon drove to the Fresno State four yard-line but was stopped on third and goal. Then, in one of the more gutsy calls in Oregon coach Mike Bellotti’s 12-year career, he opted to go for the end zone on the road after concurring with offensive line coach Steve Greatwood that the time to run the fake was appropriate.
“They had already blocked one, so we knew that was something to consider,” Bellotti said of the fake. “In that situation, it seemed very appropriate. Brady Leaf and Paul Martinez did it exactly how you draw it up. It was a very nice play.”
So what else besides late game dramatics could be expected from a game involving these two teams?
The last four games in this series resulted in four Oregon victories, all by a four points or fewer.
And Saturday’s game in a sold out Bulldog Stadium was no different with Oregon needing a few lucky breaks to make it five straight wins against Fresno State.
“I was very proud of this football team,” Bellotti said. “Fresno State’s a physical football team, and that was a great football game for the fans.”
Coincidentally, one of Oregon’s other big breaks in the game came when Martinez’ 36-yard field goal attempt on fourth and two was blocked by Bear Pascoe with the game tied at 17 in the third quarter.
The ball rolled toward the Fresno State end zone and was a live ball because the Bulldogs touched it. The alert Matt Toeaina recovered at the Bulldogs five-yard line to give Oregon a first down.
Jeremiah Johnson scored on the next play, giving Oregon a 24-17 lead.
“I went down to block, and I recognized the sound of the ball being blocked,” Toeaina said. “I tried to locate the ball and the next thing I know, it’s right in front of me. It put us right there. That was a big-time play.”
But, as they had all night, the Bulldogs responded. A 74-yard drive highlighted by running back Dwayne Wright’s 40-yard run and quarterback Tom Brandstater’s 15-yard scramble to the Oregon two, the Bulldogs put themselves in position to score. Brandstater eventually scored from one yard out and Oregon needed another big special teams play to pull away.
Wright finished with 154 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries, helping Fresno State to gain 356 total yards of offense.
Brandstater finished with 150 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was 16 of 33 and rushed for 35 yards.
The Oregon offense, led by Dixon, was also efficient and made the key plays when they needed most. Dixon finished with 240 yards on 23-of-36 passing and orchestrated Oregon’s final march down the field to set up Martinez’ touchdown.
First, Dixon connected with wideout Jaison Williams, who had 106 yards receiving on six receptions, for gains of 11 yards and 14 yards.
Then on third and ten, he hit Dante Rosario for 23 yards to the Fresno State 32 yard line.
“We’ve got so many weapons, and it’s hard to stop,” Dixon said of Oregon’s spread offense.
Oregon’s offense gained 379 yards, and while the Oregon defense struggled to slow the Fresno State attack, they made a critical stop late in the game when J.D. Nelson sacked Brandstater on fourth-and-seven to preserve the 31-24 lead with 2:45 to play.
“It was on our shoulders,” Nelson said of the drive. “We’ve got a lot of things to improve on, but I’m just happy we came out with the win.”
After a fumble on the first play from scrimmage led to a Fresno State field goal, Oregon quickly responded with two consecutive scores to take a 14-3 lead, one they would not relinquish. Jonathan Stewart’s three-yard touchdown run, his only carry of the game, and Johnson’s five-yard touchdown run, opened the scoring for Oregon.
Johnson carried the load during Stewart’s absence by gaining 74 yards on 14 carries. He scored two touchdowns.
“We knew that he had that and that’s why those two guys share it because he’s got that special talent as well,” running backs coach Gary Campbell said of Johnson. “He can win games for us and we know that.”
As they did so often Saturday, Fresno climbed back in the game down 14-3. After struggling in the first quarter with 28 yards, Wright gained 35 yards in one drive that was capped by Brandstater’s four-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Fairman to make it 14-10.
Oregon took a 17-10 lead into the break after Martinez’ 38-yard field goal, and the Bulldogs tied the game at 17 with a 14-play, 80-yard drive to open the third quarter. The drive took 7:09 off the clock before the Ducks final two scores of the game.
At 2-0, Oregon faces Oklahoma at home next Saturday in a rematch the Holiday Bowl.
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