With just less than one minute remaining in a tied football game at Autzen Stadium, a 15-yard pass interference penalty placed No. 23 California with the ball on the Oregon 33-yard line.
It was a good setup for current Cal head coach and former Oregon offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, who had two timeouts and kicker Tom Schneider, who had drilled a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter.
That’s when the 58,309 in attendance energized the 11 Ducks on defense.
“We tried to reverse field and got caught for minus yards,” Tedford said.
Oregon defensive tackle Haloti Ngata wrapped up Cal running back Marshawn Lynch for a seven-yard loss with 45 seconds remaining. Lynch was then tackled for a four-yard loss after catching a shovel pass with 30 seconds to go. Cal burned a timeout after each play, setting up a third and 21 from the 44-yard line.
Cal quarterback Joe Ayoob scrambled out of two near sacks before reaching the 37-yard line. As time ran out, Schneider rushed a 53-yard field goal, which missed wide left to send the game into overtime.
“We did a good job putting the pressure (on Ayoob) and with the exception of one running play- we played the run very well,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “I knew that playing this team we would have to play well at the line of scrimmage and we did that.”
That stand wasn’t the only one the Oregon defense came up with. The Ducks forced the Bears into a three and out on each of their first two possessions of the game and allowed only 122 yards and 10 points in the first half.
Oregon attacked Cal’s rushing game the most. Prior to the game, the Bears averaged 247 rushing yards per game, second-best in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Ducks allowed only 67 rushing yards on 18 carries in the first half.
However, the Bears made adjustments and by the time the third quarter had finished, Lynch had rushes of 26 and 52 yards, the latter tying the game at 20 with 49 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The long touchdown run was the final shining moment for the Cal backfield, as it was held to 49 rushing yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“We put it upon ourselves to make plays and shut down the offense,” Ngata said.
The Bears finished with 213 rushing yards, led by Lynch with 189 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Turning over opportunities
Any coach is adamant that the turnover/takeaway ratio is a major factor in the outcome of a game. Teams must limit turnovers on their side of the ball and capitalize on opportunities when their opponents turn the ball over.
The Ducks did exactly that, taking the ball away four times and giving it up only once.
“It comes down to turnovers and making plays, plain and simple,” Tedford said. “They made more plays than we did.”
However, Oregon wasn’t able to do much with the opportunitiesit created.
Oregon’s Aaron Gipson, who leads the team with five interceptions, picked off the ball at the Oregon three-yard line in the first quarter, but the Ducks were unable to move it and had to punt. Cal blocked the punt, which rolled out of bounds at the one-yard line and the Bears scored a touchdown on the ensuing play.
Oregon cornerback Rodney Woods made a diving interception at the Oregon 37-yard line in the third quarter, but Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon was intercepted three plays later. Oregon linebacker Blair Phillips did the same on a tipped pass in the fourth quarter, giving the Ducks the ball at the Oregon 35. However, the Ducks were forced to punt after four plays.

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