Cats tame Golden Bears

TUCSON, Ariz. – California center Alex Mack was philosophical about the eighth-ranked Golden Bears’ 24-20 loss to Arizona Saturday afternoon.

“It’s not over,” he said. “It just hurts.”

The loss knocked the Golden Bears (8-2, 6-1 Pac-10) out of the national title hunt. But Cal can still clinch its first Rose Bowl berth since the 1958 season with a victory at No. 7 Southern California next week.

For Arizona, the victory was another milestone on the road to respectability. The Wildcats, who won three games each of the last two years, have knocked off a Top 25 team on consecutive Saturdays. Last week it was then-No 25 Washington State.

“It has been a long day, but it ended great,” said Arizona coach Mike Stoops.

Strange plays are perhaps the best way to explain how the Bears blew a 17-3 third-quarter lead against a team averaging 13.8 points and that they outgained 356 yards to 262.

The first one came midway through the first quarter, when a block-in-the-back penalty on receiver Lavelle Hawkins nullified tailback Marshawn Lynch’s 79-yard TD run.

With Cal clinging to a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter, a defensive holding call erased an interception by the Bears’ Bernard Hicks. Two plays later, Daymeion Hughes appeared to pick off a Willie Tuitama pass at goal line, only to have an official flag him for interference.

Two plays later, Arizona tailback Chris Henry scored on a 4-yard run to tie the game at 17-17.

Arizona went ahead 24-17 early in the fourth quarter on Antoine Cason’s 39-yard interception return.