TUCSON — Jeremiah Masoli tied the game with a touchdown pass to Ed Dickson with six seconds left, then won it with a 1-yard run in the second overtime as No. 11 Oregon defeated Arizona 44-41 on Saturday night and took a big step toward the Pac-10 title.
Masoli threw for three scores and ran for three more as the Ducks rallied from a 24-14 deficit early in the fourth quarter.
“Our guys didn’t flinch,” Oregon coach Chip Kelly said.
The Ducks (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10) will earn a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth with a victory over No. 20 Oregon State in a winner-take-all Civil War on Dec. 3 in Eugene.
Nick Foles threw four TD passes for Arizona (6-4, 4-3), which was eliminated from Rose Bowl contention.
“That was a real tough loss,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. “They’ve got a very good quarterback, and that is what makes the difference.”
After Masoli hit Jeff Maehl for a 4-yard score on Oregon’s first overtime possession, Foles hit Juron Criner with a 3-yard strike to tie it at 38-38.
Alex Zendejas kicked a 41-yard field goal to give Arizona a 41-38 lead in the second overtime. But Oregon answered quickly.
Masoli hit Dickson for 22 yards, and three plays later the quarterback bulled over from a yard out.
Oregon tied it at 31-31 when Masoli hit Dickson in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard score.
That came after another minor miracle for the Ducks. Oregon had tied it at 24-24 midway through the final quarter on a 43-yard field goal by Morgan Flint — a line-drive kick that hit the crossbar and bounced through the uprights.
Arizona took a 31-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 71-yard screen pass from Foles to Criner, who outraced the defense to the end zone.
