Sunday, September 10, 2006

#20 Oregon 31, Fresno St. 24

Oregon's two biggest plays in the second half came after the Ducks lined up for field goals. And get this; neither time did the ball split the uprights. Kicker Paul Martinez scored on a 4-yard run on a fake field goal with 4:55 left and No. 20 Oregon also scored one play after Fresno State botched a blocked field goal, beating the Bulldogs 31-24 Saturday night.

Holder Brady Leaf then took the snap for the field goal and ran to his left, drawing the outside defender. "The way they lined up I thought we had it," Leaf said. "I had one-on-one on the outside guy and knew I had Paul there. I just had to get him to commit to me and get Paul the ball." Leaf did just that, tossing the ball to Martinez on the option play.

Martinez stumbled in from the 4 for his first touchdown in eight years of playing football. "He's a kicker. He doesn't run the ball," running back Jeremiah Johnson said. "But he got into the end zone and got some points. That's all that matters." Martinez didn't know what Leaf had decided to do until after the ball was snapped. "I started going at the ball to kick it," he said. "Once I saw him stand up and pick up the ball, that's when I took off and ran behind him."

Dennis Dixon was 33-for-36 for 240 yards for the Ducks, adding a few key scrambles as well. Jaison Williams had six catches for 106 yards, but also had some key drops. Johnson ran for 74 yards and two touchdowns and set up two scores with long punt returns as he starred in place of injured starter Jonathan Stewart.


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Next up - repeat of 2005 Holiday Bowl: #18 Oregon vs #15 Oklahoma, 17/9 3.30am, live on ABC


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