The Associated Press
CORVALLIS, Ore. Ÿ Two night games in the Northwest have Arizona back on track for a winning season.
Dan White threw two touchdown passes and Arizona stopped Oregon State inside the Wildcats' 1-yard line in the final quarter to hand the Beavers their eighth-straight defeat 14-9 Saturday night.
The victory in a defensive struggle came one week after the Wildcats won 24-14 at Washington State.
"To come to the Northwest and play two 7 o'clock games back-to-back and win them is really exciting," Arizona coach Dick Tomey said. "I know a lot of people have trouble on the road up here."
Arizona (5-4 overall, 3-3 Pacific 10 Conference) was held to a season-low 156 yards, but the UA stopped Oregon State on fourth down three times in the fourth quarter.
"We've got a patchwork outfit on offense and we just wanted to get in there and make a minimum number of mistakes and try to get some points on the board when we got close," Tomey said. "We did just enough to win but that's all you have to do in these kind of circumstances and I think we're just thrilled to death."
Oregon State (1-8, 0-6), aided by a late-hit penalty against Arizona's Tedy Bruschi, drove to the UA 27 early in the fourth quarter, where Bruschi and Rashee Johnson stopped Oregon State's mark Olford a yard short of the first down.
On the next play, OSU's Kane Rogers intercepted White's pass, lateraled the ball to teammate Marc Williams and Oregon State had the ball at the Wildcats' 26.
Rahim Muhammad, who relieved starting quarterback Don Shanklin late in third quarter, ran 20 yards to the Arizona 8 and the Beavers made it as far as the 2, But Olford lost 2 yards on third down and, on fourth and goal from the 4, Muhammad kept the ball but was stopped inside the 1 with 8 minutes to play.
The Beavers had one more chance, but their drive stalled at the Arizona 28, two yards short of a first down.
"We've just been there so many times this year where we've had the opportunity . just make on more play . to win the game," Oregon State coach Jerry Pettibone said.
Oregon State, which shifted its option attack from a double-slot to the "I-bone" formation this week, managed just 198 yards, only 105 in the final three quarters.
The Beavers went 44 yards in 11 plays late in the first quarter for their only touchdown. Shanklin, starting in place of injured Tim Alexander, ran 2 yards for the touchdown with 14 seconds left in the period. Randy Lund's conversion kick bounced off the right upright and was no good.
A roughing-the-passer penalty helped Arizona go 44 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown, White throwing 9 yards to Jeff Nadeau for the score. Jon Prasuhn's conversion put Arizona ahead 7-6.
Marc Williams' 35-yard punt return set up Lund's 34-yard field goal that put OSU ahead 9-7 with 10:56 to play in the third quarter.
Rodney Williams' 22-yard punt return helped set up the winning touchdown. The UA went 39 yards in 8 plays. White passed 8 yards to Ron Holmes for the score with 2:05 left in the third.