NCAA Football Recap (Oklahoma-California)
Posted: Sat September 20, 1997 at 11:12 p.m. EDT
CALIFORNIA 40, OKLAHOMA 36
Bobby Shaw caught 11 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns,
including the tie-breaking score with 2:37 left, as California
blew a 21-point lead but recovered for a 40-36 victory over
Oklahoma.
Shaw, who caught 11 passes for 204 yards in California's 35-3
season-opening win over Houston, broke a 34-34 tie when he
hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Justin Vedder in the
left corner of the end zone. Vedder was 24-of-39 for 253 yards,
three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Oklahoma blocked the ensuing extra point and closed to 40-36 as
Corey Ivy returned it 97 yards. The Sooners (1-1) had one more
possession, but turned it over on downs at midfield with 1:05 to
play.
After Demond Parker's 54-yard TD run in the opening minute gave
Oklahoma the lead, Shaw caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from
Vedder that triggered a burst of 26 straight points. Ignacio
Brache kicked two field goals, Marcus Fields ran four yards for
a score and Vedder hit A.J. Kunkle with a 12-yard TD toss to
give the Golden Bears (2-0) a 26-7 lead.
Oklahoma cut the deficit to 26-13 on Travian Smith's 65-yard
interception return with 1:28 left in the first half.
California's Tarik Smith, who had 85 yards on 20 carries, ran 10
yards for a score less than three minutes into the second half
before Oklahoma began its comeback. Eric Moore hooked up with
Chris Blocker on a 73-yard pass play and Mo Little caught a
33-yard TD from Justin Fuente.
The Sooners, who were outgained 424-348, tied it on a three-yard
run by Jermaine Fazande with 13:38 to play.
Fuente was 7-of-15 for 122 yards and Moore was 2-of-7 for 113
yards. Both passers threw a touchdown and an interception.
Parker, who had 239 rushing yards against Syracuse two weeks
ago, was limited to 78 on 20 carries.
It was the third meeting between the schools and the first since
1976. Celebrating homecoming, California beat Oklahoma for the
first time.
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