No. 14 Arizona beats Cal 10-9 on Criner’s late TD catch from Foles

Criner scores late to give No. 14 Arizona 10-9 win

TUCSON, Ariz. — Nick Foles threw a 3-yard pass to Juron Criner with 1:11 to play for the game’s only touchdown and No. 14 Arizona escaped with a 10-9 victory over California in their Pac-10 opener on Saturday night.

The score was set up by Foles’ 51-yard pass to Criner, who had been questionable for the game because of a turf toe injury. Criner fought off California’s Darian Hagan on the big play.

The winning seven-play, 77-yard drive came after California’s Giorgio Tavecchhio missed a 40-yard field goal try with 2:37 to play. Arizona is 4-0 for the first time since 1998.

The Wildcats clinched the victory when Kevin Riley’s pass bounced off the hands of Marvin Jones and was intercepted by Joseph Perkins. Perkins fumbled but Robert Golden recovered for Arizona.

It appeared that Tavecchio’s field goals of 25, 40 and 23 yards would be enough for the Bears (2-2, 0-1), who had shut down Arizona’s prolific offense a week after giving up 497 yards and being routed 52-31 at Nevada.

The Wildcats (4-0, 1-0) helped out with 10 penalties for 99 yards. Foles completed 25 of 39 passes for 212 yards but had two critical first-half turnovers.

His fumble on a sack by Cal’s Cameron Jordan on the final play of the first quarter led to the Bears’ first field goal. Then, in the final seconds of the half, he was intercepted in the end zone after Arizona had driven to the Cal 13.

Shane Vereen, who had a game-clinching touchdown run in Cal’s victory over Arizona a year ago, rushed for 102 yards in 27 carries. He was the workhorse as the Bears drove downfield in the final minutes but Tavecchio’s 40-yard field goal try was wide right.

That gave Arizona its last chance.

Tavecchio also had a 40-yard try bounce off the right upright in the third quarter.

Riley was 13 of 26 for 113 yards. The only Cal turnover came on the game-clinching play.

A personal foul penalty called on the Arizona defense, with no individual named by the official, aided California’s 11-play, 55-yard drive drive that ended in Tavecchio’s 40-yarder that gave the Bears a 6-0 lead with 5:23 left in the half.

Arizona drove the length of the field after Cal’s subsequent kickoff, with a pass interference call against Hagan on a long throw for Criner moving the ball to the California 13 with 45 seconds left on the half.

On the next play, Foles lofted a pass intended for his roommate David Douglas in the right corner of the end zone. California’s Marc Anthony deflected the pass and Chris Conte grabbed it, getting a foot down just inbounds for the interception.

Arizona finally scored on Alex Zendejas’ 46-yard field goal with 10:16 left in the first half.