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The Ducks get the job done, the hard way EUGENE � Forget the fact that California had but three wins on the season. Forget the fact that Oregon was a 12-point favorite. Everyone knew it wasn�t going to be easy. And it wasn�t. These are the heart-stopping, migraine-producing, nail-biting Oregon Ducks. They cause their fans and coaches more anxiety than someone having a root canal, minus the Novocain. And yet, as they headed to their homes and apartments to watch the outcome of the Oregon State-Arizona game Saturday night, they were on the doorstep of securing their second Rose Bowl trip in six years. The Ducks did their part to stay alive for Pasadena Saturday afternoon but, as usual, they did it the hard way. They found themselves trailing the Golden Bears less than three minutes into the game. They trailed at halftime, and again fell behind late in the third quarter. But as darkness began to fall on a bitter-cold day at jam-packed Autzen Stadium, the No. 6-ranked Ducks had bagged a 25-17 victory over the Golden Bears. It was Oregon�s eighth win in nine games overall and its seventh without a loss in the Pac-10 Conference, not to mention its 20th straight at Autzen. With the win came no worse than a tie for the Pac-10 championship. A Beaver loss to Arizona Saturday night would propel the Ducks to Pasadena, while an OSU victory would keep both the Beavers and the Washington Huskies in the running and add even more importance to next Saturday�s Civil War game in Corvallis. "We�ve done our job, we�re 7-0 in the Pac-10," said linebacker Matt Smith, the Grants Pass native who helped seal the win over Cal with a late-game interception. "We didn�t back our way in." Not surprisingly, most of the Ducks went home rooting against Oregon State, but knowing that regardless of whether or not they clinched a Rose Bowl berth, next Saturday�s Civil War game was going to be one of the most intense in history. "It�s going to be World War III," Oregon cornerback Rashad Bauman said. "There�s going to be some trash talking, some late hits, you name it. "It�s about the state, it�s about bragging rights. It�s college football at its best." One of the Oregon radio broadcasters commented before Saturday�s game against Cal that "a lot of people think today�s game is going to be a rout." But of course it wasn�t. One week after edging Washington State 27-24 in overtime, two weeks removed from the 56-55, double-overtime thriller over Arizona State and three weeks after the 14-10 victory over Arizona, the Ducks had to lean a little on their offense, a little on their defense and a little on kicker Josh Frankel to get the job done. A little help from the officials didn�t hurt, either. With the Ducks clinging to an 18-17 lead in the fourth quarter, Keenan Howry clearly fumbled the ball away at the Oregon 35-yard line, television replays showed. But the officials ruled that Howry was down, giving the Ducks good field position that they would later parlay into their final touchdown. "Everyone says how lucky we are, but it�s like coach (Mike) Bellotti says, you make your own luck," Bauman said. Frankel kept the Ducks close in the first half � it was 7-6 at the intermission � when he thumped field goals of 34 and 43 yards. Frankel was the hero of the win over WSU when he booted a 47-yarder, but prior to last week he was 9-of-19 on field goals for the season with four straight misses. "I�m lining my plant foot up square to the ball instead of having it open to the left," Frankel said, "and that�s helped out a lot." Frankel added that he got a tip from Oregon Associate Athletic Director Renee Baumgartner, a former golf coach with the Ducks. "She was basically the one who got me straightened out," he said. The Ducks drove 75 yards and scored on quarterback Joey Harrington�s 2-yard run the first time they had the ball in the second half to take a 12-7 lead, their first of the game. But Cal got a 38-yard field goal from Mark Jensen just two minutes later to make it 12-10 and then went on top 17-12 on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Boller to Geoff McArthur late in the third period. The Ducks were again flirting with defeat, but turned to their speedy wide receivers to get them over the hump. First it was Marshaun Tucker hauling in a 52-yard bomb and, moments later, it was Howry snatching a 29-yard touchdown pass on his fingertips that gave Oregon the lead for good at 18-17. Harrington added an insurance touchdown on a 1-yard sneak with 4:48 to play. "This one was a little more pleasurable at the end, but not much," Bellotti said. No one should have expected anything different. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.