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Pac-10 Game of the Week

UCLA 23, No. 23 Washington 20, OT
Washington lost control of the Rose Bowl race by losing to a team that had lost five of its past six games and had scored only 14 points in its last three. But UCLA (4-6, 2-5) got the feel-good victory it needed to help ease the pain of a disappointing season as Chris Griffith kicked a 22-yard field goal in overtime.

Joey Strycula intercepted a third-and-15 pass by Marques Tuiasosopo from the UCLA 16-yard line to thwart Washington's overtime opportunity, and Griffith, a freshman, came through four plays later. The Huskies (6-4, 5-2) had forced the overtime when freshman John Anderson kicked a school record-tying 56-yard field goal with 2:32 remaining.

Washington coach Rick Neuheisel, a former UCLA quarterback and assistant coach, had said he expected the Bruins to play their best game of the season -- and they did. Ryan McCann, filling in for QB Cory Paus, who suffered a dislocated left clavicle in the second quarter, completed 12 of 23 passes for 146 yards. Washington QB Marques Tuiasosopo was held to 134 yards passing and 15 yards rushing.

Other Pac-10 action

Oregon 24, California 19
Brian Johnson intercepted a pass in the end zone with 33 seconds remaining, denying the go-ahead score as Oregon avoided blowing a 24-point lead and hung on for victory. The Ducks (7-3, 5-2 Pac-10), winners of four straight, had six interceptions to offset Deltha O'Neal's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown and LaShaun Ward's interception in the late going for Cal (4-6, 3-4). Following Ward's interception of A.J. Feeley, the Golden Bears drove to the 5. Joe Igber then ran for 2 yards and Wes Dalton, who came on earlier for injured starter Kyle Boller, had an incompletion. On third down, Dalton tried to hit tight end Brian Surgener over the middle but the ball sailed over his head and into Johnson's arms for the game-saving interception.
Stanford 50, Arizona State 30
Stanford is one victory away from its first trip to the Rose Bowl in 28 years after Todd Husak threw four touchdown passes to doom Arizona State (5-5, 4-3).

With Washington's overtime loss at UCLA, Stanford (6-1, 6-3) took sole possession of first place in the Pac-10. The Cardinal can earn their first Rose Bowl berth since the 1971 season with a victory over arch-rival California next Saturday. Husak was 20-of-35 for 311 yards and passed the 6,000-yard mark for his career and moved up to No. 5 on Stanford's career passing list. His touchdown passes went to four receivers and all of his passing yardage came in the first three quarters.

Stanford's Dave Davis caught a 58-yard touchdown pass, returned a kickoff 60 yards to set up a field goal and blocked an Arizona State field goal try, all in the first half.

Southern California 31, Washington State 28
Chad Morton ran for three touchdowns as Southern California snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Washington State. Southern Cal (4-6, 2-5 Pac-10) improved to 50-6-4 against the Cougars since 1921, their best winning percentage against any conference team.

Washington State (2-8, 1-6) lost its fourth straight and fell into last place in the Pac-10. This was the first November football game ever in Pullman that started with temperatures in the 60s. The game was close in the first half, but two quick touchdowns by Southern Cal to open the third quarter provided the winning points. Morton rushed 29 times for 117 yards, while quarterback John Fox was 12 of 22 for 117 yards.

Oregon State 28, Arizona 20
Beaver Fever continues: Oregon State, which last week clinched its first winning regular-season since 1970, knocked off the league's preseason favorite behind Jonathan Smith, who passed for three touchdowns and ran for another.

Oregon State (7-3, 4-3 Pac-10) looks to be in good shape to be invited to one of the Christmas Day bowl games in Honolulu. Arizona (6-5, 3-4) is not yet bowl eligible with one game to play -- at Arizona State.

The victory touched off a wild celebration as fans stormed the Reser Stadium turf. Oregon State players and Oregon State Police had to circle both goalposts after the game to keep students from tearing them down, with some players and troopers forced to trade punches with unruly fans.