University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Arizona
Bruins Scramble To Down Arizona, 27-24, In Third Quarter Rally
October 28, 2000 | Football
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -
If Cory Paus was hurt, it didn't show on UCLA's final snap.With coaches trying to determine whether something was wrong with Paus' shoulder, the sophomore quarterback scrambled 13 yards for a touchdown with 48 seconds left as UCLA rallied for a 27-24 victory over No. 24 Arizona on Saturday night.
"Cory started off slow, but the last play he was phenomenal," coach Bob Toledo said. "Early in the fourth quarter, we almost pulled him because we thought he had a separated shoulder. He hung in there and was a difference-maker for us."
After falling behind 21-14, the Bruins (5-3, 2-3 Pac-10) held Arizona (5-3, 3-2) to one field goal in the second half to snap their eight-game road losing streak. UCLA last won away from home on Nov. 14, 1998, beating Washington in Seattle.
The Bruins had three of their four interceptions in the second half, including one with 10 seconds left that kept the Wildcats from driving toward a tying field goal.
Paus, who was 19-of-35 for 230 yards, one score and two interceptions, capped a 66-yard drive in the final 2:47 when he scrambled left, pulled out of three arm tackles and put the ball in the end zone with an extended arm.
"I started running and had my eyes set on the end zone," Paus said. "We've been so close the last few weeks, and it was time for us to catch the breaks."
Arizona had a school-record nine sacks in a 33-7 win over UCLA last year, and threw Paus four times in this one. But the sophomore kept bouncing up and passed for 101 yards in the fourth quarter.
"He's an improviser," said Brian Poli-Dixon, who caught an 18-yard TD pass from Paus that gave the Bruins a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.
DeShaun Foster ran 1 yard for the first UCLA score, and Chris Griffith kicked two 33-yard field goals.
Arizona's Clarence Farmer ran for 107 yards and TDs of 2 and 19 yards, and Ortege Jenkins had a career-high 104 yards on 11 carries - the first double 100-yard game for the Wildcats since Keith Smith and Gary Taylor each ran for 143 on Sept. 14, 1996, against Illinois. But Jenkins' four interceptions also were a career-high, and they proved decisive.
Griffith's first field goal cut Arizona's lead to 21-17 with 9:04 left in the third quarter. Then Ricky Manning Jr. picked off a pass and returned it 27 yards to the Wildcats' 13 for another field goal that made it 21-20 with 5:55 to go.
About two minutes later, Manning outjumped Brad Brennan in the end zone to pull down another interception and keep Arizona from extending its lead.
"I take responsibility for this," Jenkins said. "Some nights are not your night. This wasn't mine. Four interceptions and mistakes in critical situations - I take the blame for this."
Arizona's defense scored once and was a factor in two more TDs as the Wildcats took a 21-14 halftime lead.
Arizona scored only 3:01 into the game when Paus, who was falling backward in the grasp of Anthony Thomas, threw up a fluttering pass that hit Keoni Frasier, the Wildcats' other defensive tackle, in the chest. He ran to his right and lumbered along the sideline for the score that made it 7-0.
UCLA scored twice in the last 7:08 of the first quarter, with Paus covering 43 yards on three passes to Poli-Dixon to set up a 1-yard plunge by Foster to tie it and throwing a scoring strike to Poli-Dixon to give the Bruins a 14-7 lead with 1:57 remaining.
But the Arizona defense revived in the second quarter.
Jermaine Chatman ended UCLA's first drive with an interception, and, after five straight carries by Farmer netted only 10 yards, Jenkins threw a 41-yard pass to Brad Brennan on the 6-yard line.
Farmer scored on two carries - the second with 8:16 to play in the quarter.
UCLA went three-and-out on its next two possessions, and Farmer capped a 50-yard drive after the second Bruins punt by scoring on his 19-yard carry with 1:22 left in the period.
"We had them on so many plays, and we had him (Paus) on the last one," Arizona coach Dick Tomey said. "We needed one play today, and last week we needed one play (in a 14-10 loss to Oregon). Every game we need one play."
By MEL REISNER
AP Sports Writer
