The 17th ranked, 4-0 California Golden Bears of coach Keith Gilbertson welcomed to Berkley the 3-0 Oregon Ducks of coach Rich Brooks to battle for The Belt. California rallied from a 30-0 deficit with QB Dave Barr throwing for 368 yards with 3 touchdowns & a 2-point conversion with 1:17 to play for a 42-41 victory to retain The Belt. The teams combined for 1150 yards (Oregon 623 California 527) in the offensive slugfest. The Ducks scored on their first 5 possessions but a missed extra point by PK Tommy Thompson seemed to give the Golden Bears a spark. Oregon scored on touchdown passes from QB Danny O’Neil of 22 yards to WR Dameron Ricketts, 2 yards to WR Willy Tate, & 49 yards to WR Derrick Deadwiler in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, Tate caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from WR Cristin McLemore on an option pass before the missed conversion. California drove 54 yards with RB Lindsey Chapman scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run & the Golden Bears ended the first half down 30-7. As the 2nd half started, Barr pitched to Chapman who took it 61 yards for a touchdown making the score 30-14. Oregon answered with an 81-yard drive with RB Sean Burwell scoring on a 13-yard run & the 2-point conversion to give the Ducks a 38-14 cushion. Barr then hit WR Damien Semien for a 46-yard touchdown pass but the failed 2-point conversion left the score at 38-20. California fans started believing the comeback was really possible when the Golden Bears blocked a Ducks’ punt with California’s All-Pac 10 S Eric Zomalt picking up the ball & running 19 yards for the touchdown making the score 38-27 with 6:55 still left in the 3rd quarter. Both teams seemed to settle down & Thompson’s 21-yard field goal gave the Ducks a 41-27 lead with 5:11 left to play in the final period. The Golden Bears were not done; Barr’s 72-yard touchdown connection with Semien with 4:53 left made it Oregon 41 California 34. The Golden Bears got the ball back with 2:22 to play at their own 15-yard line. On 3rd & 10, Barr hit WR Iheanyi Uwaezuoke for 18 yards & a new set of downs. Four more completions & a 1-yard run got the Golden Bears to the Oregon 26-yard line with 1:24 to play. Barr then hit Uwaezuoke down the left sideline for the touchdown at 1:17 to play. The Golden Bears tried for a 2-point conversion as Barr audibled to a fade pass for WR Mike Caldwell. In spite of defensive pass interference, Caldwell hauled in the conversion & California had an improbable 42-41 victory. Semien finished with 7 catches for 182 yards with his 2 touchdowns. For the Ducks, O’Neil threw for 313 yards with 3 touchdowns, RB Ricky Whittle rushed for 113 yards, Burwell added 101 yards rushing to his touchdown, & Deadwiler had 11 catches for 234 yards with his touchdown. California finished the season 9-4; ranked 25th nationally while the Ducks finished 5-6. Oregon would play for The Belt again in 1995.
Pickin' Splinters
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