University of Washington
California
No. 9 Washington Downs Cal In Stunning 23 Point Fourth Quarter Rebound
October 21, 2000 | Football
Oct. 21, 2000
SEATTLE (AP) -
California let it all slip away in the fourth quarter.Washington took advantage of three turnovers and a blocked punt to score 23 points in the final period as the No. 9 Huskies beat the Golden Bears 36-24 on Saturday night.
"We must have some soothsayers or psychics putting curses on us," Cal punter Nick Harris said.
It was Washington's 18th consecutive victory over the Bears, the longest streak in the Pac-10. Cal has not beaten Washington since Nov. 6, 1976, when it won 7-0 in Seattle.
Washington won with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter in Berkeley last season.
"When you play on the road and you start getting bizarre turnovers, it's hard to turn it around," Bears coach Tom Holmoe said.
The Huskies (6-1, 3-1 Pac-10) kept their Rose Bowl hopes alive after trailing 24-13 going into the final period. The Bears (2-5, 1-3) then self-destructed, losing two fumbles and having a pass intercepted before Washington blocked Harris' punt.
Washington took the lead 29-24 on freshman Rich Alexis' 16-yard touchdown run with 6:24 left. That came two plays after tailback Joe Igber fumbled after a hit by nose tackle Larry Tripplett and safety Hakim Akbar recovered on the Cal 17.
The Huskies got their insurance touchdown with 4:34 to go when Marques Tuiasosopo passed 7 yards to Todd Elstrom in the end zone. Owen Biddle set up the score when he blocked Harris' punt and recovered the ball on the 9.
Washington began its comeback in the final period after John Anderson missed a 32-yard field goal with 12:37 to go. But Anthony Kelley sacked Kyle Boller and Derrell Daniels recovered the fumble on the Cal 12 before Anderson made a 29-yarder, his third field goal, with 10:35 remaining.
"We made the mistakes. We gave them the game," Boller said.
Kelley's sack and Daniels' fumble recovery stuck out in Washington coach Rick Neuheisel's mind.
"Our defense got the ball back and it started a rally I'm not going to forget any time soon," Neuheisel said.
Omare Lowe intercepted a pass by Boller intended for Derek Swafford to give the Huskies the ball at the Cal 31 with 8:30 on the clock. Tuiasosopo passed 10 yards to Jerramy Stevens for a touchdown with 6:49 left, cutting Cal's lead to 24-22. The Huskies missed a 2-point conversion pass.
"You could see they were falling apart at the seams," Stevens said.
Boller gave Cal a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run after the teams exchanged field goals in the period. Anderson kicked a 21-yarder to cut the Bears' lead to 14-13 and Mark-Christian Jensen of Cal responded with a 28-yarder.
Cal led 14-10 at halftime, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Boller to Geoff McArthur.
The Huskies tied the score on the first play of the second period on a 1-yard touchdown run by Alexis, who made his first career start.
But Alexis' fumble on a first-and-10 play from the Washington 33 the next time the Huskies had the ball gave Cal its second touchdown and a 14-7 lead. Defensive end Andre Carter hit Alexis, causing the fumble, and linebacker John Klotsche picked up the ball and ran it 34 yards into the end zone.
Anderson kicked a 42-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the first half.
In contrast to the Bears, the Huskies didn't fumble or have a pass intercepted. Tuiasosopo was 19-for-35 for 225 yards and two touchdowns despite Cal's high-pressure defense that sacked him five times.
Boller was 14-for-32 for 213 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.
Igber rushed 17 times for 116 yards and caught three passes for 32 yards.
Harris punted four times for 169 yards, giving him 12,885 career punting yards. He needs 63 yards to break the NCAA record set by TCU's Cameron Young.
By JIM COUR
AP Sports Writer
