NCAA Football Recap (Fresno St-Oregon)
Posted: Sat September 20, 1997 at 9:51 p.m. EDT
OREGON 43, FRESNO ST 40 (OT)
Quarterback Jason Maas' one-yard plunge in the first possession
of overtime lifted Oregon to a 43-40 victory over Fresno State
and its second consecutive 3-0 start.
The Bulldogs (1-3) took a 40-37 lead on their first possession
of the extra period when Jeff Hanna kicked a 28-yard field goal.
But Oregon needed just four plays to march 25 yards before Maas'
sneak. He hooked up with Blake Smith on a 12-yard pass to set
up the touchdown.
Maas, who splits time with Akili Smith at quarterback, completed
17-of-24 passes for 189 yards with two touchdowns and two
interceptions. Smith went 7-for-12 with two touchdowns and 70
yards.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring as Michael Pittman ran in from
four yards out. Maas and Spence hooked up on a 19-yard TD pass
but Fresno State quarterback Bill Volek answered with a six-yard
scoring toss to Jaime Kimborough.
Oregon took a 21-14 lead at halftime as Smith completed scoring
strikes of four yards to A.J. Jelks and two yards to Spence.
But the Bulldogs closed within 21-20 as Volek found Kimborough
with a 47-yard TD pass. Maas answered with a 12-yard pass to
Spence to give Oregon a 28-20 lead before Joshua Smith pushed
the lead to 11 with a 32-yard field goal.
A 16-yard run by Saladin McCullough gave Oregon a seemingly safe
37-20 lead in the first minute of the fouth quarter, but Volek
rallied the Bulldogs with a three-yard TD pass to Warren Fortier
and a one-yard run by Jaime Kimborough that made it 37-34 with
8:39 remaining. Hanna tied the game with 46 seconds left in
regulation on a 28-yard field goal.
Spence finished with nine receptions for 127 yards while
McCullough, who has scored a touchdown in all nine games he has
played for Oregon, added 145 yards rushing on 26 carries.
Volek finished 29-of-39 for 288 yards while Pittman ran for 131
yards on 24 carries.
Despite the 3-0 start last year, the Ducks finished 6-5.
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