By Rob Miech
CBS SportsLine Staff Writer
Oct. 17, 1998

PASADENA, Calif. -- UCLA nearly lost its hopes for a national championship as quarterback Cade McNown lost his lunch -- or was that breakfast? -- in the middle of the Rose Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

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If he hasn't already played himself out of the hunt for the Heisman Trophy, that could have splashed to the turf, too.

Then McNown and the rest of the second-ranked Bruins recovered, using a Chris Sailer field goal in overtime to turn back the 11th-ranked Oregon Ducks 41-38. That extended UCLA's school-record winning streak to 15 games, the longest current streak in the nation.

"I just needed to get a long run," McNown said, "so it would come up and I'd feel better."

AFTER OREGON TIED THE GAME 24-24 with a little under five minutes left in the third quarter, UCLA began its next possession at its own 20. On a third- and-5 play at the 25 all of McNown's receivers were blanketed. He saw some room to the right, and he dodged out of the pocket and rambled to midfield.

The Bruins shuffled back to huddle up, and all appeared normal as McNown sauntered to the line to look over the defense. But when he was a foot and a half behind center Shawn Stuart, McNown stopped cold and became mute. Some linemen turned their heads a few degrees to hear signals that weren't coming from their quarterback.

McNown bowed his head, and vomited. Then he vomited again. After the third one, a majority of the crowd of 75,367 figured out what was taking place, and a collective "Ooooooooooh" spread over the Rose Bowl. It was even louder after McNown's fourth heave.

"Ahhhh, sweet," Bruins flanker Danny Farmer said. "I couldn't believe that. I was actually surprised he threw up so late. He hadn't been feeling too well all day."

McNown vomited two years ago during a game against USC at the Rose Bowl, but nothing like during Saturday's game. And he said he got sick "just a little bit" before the Ducks game.

"It

Once he composed himself, Cade McNown helped UCLA escape Oregon's upset bid. (AP)

wasn't anything like during the game, when it was like Niagara Falls," he said. "Sorry, but we're not writers here. We're not poets. We just play football."

UCLA TRAINERS TENDED TO McNown on the field, but he just needed water. Reserve quarterback Drew Bennett came on for a play as McNown gulped water on the sideline. Keith Brown ran for 2 yards, and McNown gave a nod to coach Bob Toledo and re-entered the game.

The crowd cheered as loudly upon his return as it gasped when he got sick. Two plays failed, and Oregon used two plays to take a 31-24 lead with 12:13 left in the game.

But McNown rallied. A 43-yard pass to sophomore split end Brian Poli-Dixon keyed UCLA's ensuing four-play touchdown drive, and McNown hit Farmer with a 60-yard touchdown strike with 2:36 left to give the Bruins a 38-31 edge.

In the last seconds of regulation, McNown completed a 53-yard bomb to Bennett. Chris Sailer missed a sharp-angled, chip-shot field goal, but the defense stiffened in overtime and Sailer made amends.

McNown completed 20 of 36 attempts for 395 yards. Three went for touchdowns, he was picked off twice and the Ducks sacked him twice. He also had those four stomach movements at midfield at the end of the third quarter.

"PEOPLE SAY CADE HASN'T had good games lately, that other quarterbacks are better," said UCLA left cornerback Ryan Roques. "But I wouldn't want to play with any other quarterback in the nation. You saw what he was about today. He got sick, but he sticks it out.

"He might go 0-for-20, but he'll hit that 21st attempt and that will win the game."

Rob Miech is a sportswriter on CBS SportsLine's staff.