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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:13 p.m., Saturday, November 22, 2008

CFB: Oregon St. tops Arizona, closes in on Rose Bowl berth

By ANDREW BAGNATO
Associated Press College Football Writer

TUCSON, Ariz. — Justin Kahut hit a 24-yard field goal as time expired, and No. 21 Oregon State rallied to defeat Arizona 19-17 tonight and move within one victory of its first Rose Bowl trip since 1965.

Kahut nailed the winner just minutes after missing the potential tying extra point.

The Beavers (8-3, 7-1 Pac-10) can clinch a trip to Pasadena, Calif., with a victory over No. 24 Oregon in the Civil War on Nov. 29.

Trailing 17-16 with 1:19 to play, the Beavers took over at their 20 with no timeouts left.

On the third play of the drive, backup quarterback Sean Canfield, who started in place of the injured Lyle Moevao, found Sammie Stroughter alone behind the Wildcats secondary for a 47-yard gain to the Arizona 7.

Four plays later, Kahut came on and calmly nailed a 24-yard field goal to seal the Beavers' comeback.

Keola Antolin rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats (6-5, 4-4).

With the score tied at 10-10 early in the fourth quarter, Oregon State coach Mike Riley went for it twice on fourth down near midfield. The first one worked and the second didn't, and it proved costly.

After backup tailback Ryan McCants lost a yard on fourth-and-1 at Arizona's 49, the Wildcats went on an eight-play march capped by a 9-yard touchdown run by Antolin to give Arizona a 17-10 lead.

The Beavers have had good luck in the desert, winning their previous three games in Arizona Stadium. But this trip started off badly.

The Beavers lost Jacquizz Rodgers to a shoulder injury on their second possession. Rodgers took a heavy hit from Arizona cornerback Devin Ross.

Rodgers was replaced McCants, a freshman. But his production was replaced by his brother, receiver James Rodgers, who ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, all on reverses out of his receiver slot.

The first half was a slog, with the teams trading field goals and a slew of punts.

Arizona struck first on a 27-yarder by Jason Bondzio midway through the second quarter. The Wildcats drove 72 yards in 16 plays but stalled after first-and-goal at the Beavers 6.

Oregon State tied it at 3-3 on a career-long 47-yard by Justin Kahut as time expired in the first half. The Beavers covered 52 yards in 3:19 to set up the field goal.

Oregon State maintained its momentum on its first possession of the third quarter.

Starting at their own 39, the Beavers went 61 yards for a touchdown, with 52 yards coming on the ground. James Rodgers wheeled around right end on a reverse for an 8-yard score that gave Oregon State a 10-3 lead with 9:06 to go in the third quarter.

Two possessions later, Arizona answered with a methodical 13-play, 76-yard drive. Willie Tuitama hit tight end Rob Gronkowski with a 16-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 10-10 with 16 seconds to go in the third quarter.

It was Arizona's first offensive touchdown against the Beavers since 2005.

After Antolin scored to make it 17-10, Oregon State went 80 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown, but not without drama. Five plays after James Rodgers dropped a certain touchdown pass, Canfield hit Stroughter for a 7-yard score.

That's when Kahut shanked the conversion, leaving the Beavers down by a point with 3:58 to play.