All guts
McNown beats stomach pains, then burns Oregon
Posted: Sunday October 18, 1998 07:49 PM
| |
McNown (left) threw for a season-high 395 yards on 20-of-36 passing, despite fighting stomach problems throughout the game AP |
PASADENA, California (AP) -- Once Cade McNown sorted out his stomach problems, the Oregon Ducks were cooked.
And No. 2 UCLA remained alive in the national championship chase.
McNown wasn't having one of his better days before becoming ill on the Rose Bowl field following a 25-yard scramble with the score 24-24 late in the third quarter Saturday.
After sitting out one play, McNown returned and completed 9 of 13 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown in the fourth period as the Bruins (5-0, 3-0 Pac-10) outlasted the 12th-ranked Ducks 41-38 in overtime.
Looking a little pale, McNown could smile afterward. He vomited before and during the game.
"I was feeling a little under the weather today," he explained. "My stomach was upset before and during the game. It's happened before. I was waiting for a long run so I could get it out of my system."
McNown was 11-of-23 for 193 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions before becoming ill. He wound up 20-of-36 for a season-high 395 yards as UCLA took over undisputed possession of first place in the Pac-10.
"Cade was very sick, I was very concerned about that," UCLA coach Bob Toledo said. "He made big plays when he had to make big plays."
McNown's interceptions both set up touchdowns, helping Oregon score 24 straight points after falling behind 24-7.
"He threw a couple interceptions, that's going to happen sometimes," Toledo said. "He's our leader, he directs the offense. The key thing is to get your team across the right stripe, and he does that."
McNown's first touchdown pass was the 51st of his career, breaking the school record he shared with Tom Ramsey entering the game.
The game went into overtime after UCLA's Chris Sailer missed a 21-yard field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter -- after McNown threw a 53-yard pass to backup quarterback Drew Bennett, in at wide receiver.
Oregon (5-1, 2-1) tied the game with 22 seconds left on Akili Smith's 2-yard touchdown pass to Damon Griffin and Nathan Villegas' conversion.
Oregon and UCLA brought two of the most potent offenses in the country into the game, averaging 50.6 points and 48.0 points respectively, and they did what was expected, totaling 79 points and 985 yards -- 547 by the Bruins.
The UCLA defense shut Oregon down in overtime before Sailer, making the most of a second chance, kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend the Bruins' school-record winning streak to 15 straight games -- longest in the country.
McNown didn't throw a single pass in overtime. Of course, no passes were needed.
The Ducks went ahead 31-24 on Smith's 36-yard scoring pass to Tony Hartley with 12:13 to play in the fourth quarter, but McNown completed three straight passes for 71 yards to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Jermaine Lewis that tied the game.
Then, following the third lost fumble by Reuben Droughns, McNown threw a 60-yard bomb to Danny Farmer with 2:36 remaining to put the Bruins on top 38-31.
Oregon began its comeback after UCLA, threatening to add to a 24-7 lead, reached the Ducks' 8-yard line with a little over a minute left before halftime.
Saul Pato then picked off a dump pass by McNown, setting up a 2-yard scoring run by Smith with one second remaining in the half.
That would be the beginning of an Oregon comeback that fell short in the end.
"We threw our heart at them all day, and that's all we could do," Oregon linebacker Aaron Cheuvront said. "I thought when Sailer missed the field goal, that was an omen that we would win."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
