CBS SportsLine wire reports
Sept. 19, 1998

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Trung Canidate and Kelvin Eafon each rushed for a pair of touchdowns and Arizona's defense shut down Iowa most of the game Saturday night as the 16th-ranked Wildcats beat the Hawkeyes 35-11.

Arizona (3-0) won its home opener

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for the 11th consecutive year and ran its winning streak to seven games dating back to last year, the Wildcats' longest victory string since they opened the 1993 season 7-0.

Iowa (1-2) managed only Tim Douglas' 40-yard field goal on the last play of the first quarter and a 24-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Scott Mullen to Chris Oliver with 14 seconds left in the game.

The Hawkeyes had a touchdown called back by a penalty in the second quarter and were stopped on fourth-and-goal at the Arizona 2 midway through the third, when they were trailing only 14-3.

Keith Smith played the first quarter and half of the fourth in the Wildcats' two-quarterback system, completing 7-of-8 for 167 yards and a touchdown. His only non-completion was intercepted. Ortege Jenkins, the Arizona quarterback in the second and third quarters, was 4-for-10 for 118 yards.

IOWA'S REDSHIRT FRESHMAN Kyle McCann was 18-for-36 for 274 yards and was intercepted twice.

Seven minutes into the second half and down by 11 points, the Hawkeyes decided against a field goal try on fourth-and-goal at the 2. McCann went back to pass but couldn't find a receiver and was slammed to the ground at the 9 by linebacker Marcus Bell.

Three plays later, Jenkins threw a 76-yard pass to Jeremy McDaniel, who was barely tripped up by Iowa's Matt Bowen two yards short of the goal line. Eafon scored on the next play to put Arizona up 21-3 with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter.

The Hawkeyes also faked a punt on fourth-and-22 early in the fourth quarter, a decision that backfired as Arizona took over on its 41. Three plays later, Smith threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Northcutt to boost the lead to 28-3 with 13:01 left in the game.

The Wildcats made it 35-3 after Kelvin Hunter returned an interception 37 yards to the Iowa 38. Leon Callen's 24-yard run on second-and-24 helped set up Eafon's 1-yard touchdown run with 7:38 to go.

ARIZONA TOOK THE OPENING KICKOFF and drove to the Iowa 15 before Smith's pass was tipped and Raj Clark intercepted. The next time the Wildcats got the ball, Smith directed his team 69 yards in six plays. His 56-yard flanker screen pass to Northcutt moved the ball to the Iowa 10. Three plays later, Canidate scored on a 1-yard plunge.

A pass interference penalty against Arizona set up Douglas' field goal to cut the Wildcats' lead to 7-3 as the first quarter ended.

After another Arizona pass interference penalty, McCann threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Bashir Yamini that would have given Iowa the lead with 11:26 left in the second quarter, but the play was called back by a holding penalty.

Arizona boosted the lead to 14-3 with 8:23 left in the half. On second and five at the Iowa 38, Canidate took the ball up the middle, sidestepped a would-be tackler five yards past the line of scrimmage, and raced untouched for the score.

Iowa drove to the Arizona 16 on its next possession, but McCann's pass bounced off the hands of receiver Jed Dull and Arizona's Scotter Sprotte picked it off. The interception was McCann's first of his college career. It came on his 54th attempt of the season.