Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Oregon
Oregon Squeaks Past No. 23 Fresno State, 37-34
9/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Sept. 17, 2005
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Paul Pinegar threw for a career-high 418 yards while completing 33 for 43 attempts with three touchdown passes, however No. 23 Fresno State fell just short in a 37-34 non-conference defeat to Oregon on Saturday evening at Autzen Stadium.
Pinegar completed passes to 11 different receivers, as the Bulldogs totaled 418 net passing yards in an impressive aerial attack. However, Fresno State could not overcome 16 penalties that translated into 160 yards. Oregon was whistled for just six fouls for 60 yards.
Oregon's Kellen Clemmens threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns.
The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Bulldogs (1-1), who also had won their last three against Pac-10 teams.
Demetrius Williams caught eight passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, while Terrence Whitehead rushed for 96 yards and a score, and caught another TD. Clemens completed 28 of 38 passes.
Fresno State kept it interesting with Paul Pinegar's 14-yard touchdown pass to Matt Rivera to narrow it to 37-34 with 1:50 left.
After Clint Stitser's 27-yard field goal on Fresno State's first possession, tailback Wendell Mathis ran for a 3-yard touchdown and caught a 20-yard scoring pass to put the Bulldogs ahead 17-0.
The Ducks didn't score until the second quarter, when Clemens found Williams with a 23-yard TD pass.
Paul Martinez surprisingly missed the extra point after missing a 41-yard field goal earlier in the game.Martinez had 11 field goals going into the game against Fresno State, and had twice been named the Pac-10's special teams player of the week.
The Ducks narrowed it to 17-13 on Clemens' 46-yard pass to Cameron Colvin.
Oregon took a 20-17 lead before halftime when Williams caught a 12-yard TD pass from Clemens.
 Wendell Mathis beats Oregon defender Victor Filipe for his second touchdown of the first half Saturday. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens) | |
The Bulldogs tied it up with Stitser's 27-yard field goal to open the second half.
Oregon went back ahead on Whitehead's 20-yard scoring run, and made it 30-20 with a 45-yard field goal from Martinez.
Fresno State narrowed the deficit to 30-27 on Pinegar's 36-yard touchdown pass to Paul Williams late in the third quarter.
Oregon has won four straight against the Bulldogs to take a 4-2 advantage in the series.
In 2002, the last time the teams met, the then-No. 13 Ducks had to rally from behind to beat Fresno State 28-24 at Autzen. The Bulldogs were without starting quarterback Jeff Grady so Pinegar made his second career start, completing 16 of 36 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns.
