The Pacific 10 : Arizona Defense Proves Too Tough for Stanford, 19-3

Doug Pfaff kicked four field goals, and 18th-ranked Arizona unleashed a strong ground attack and smothering defense in opening the Pacific 10 season by defeating Stanford, 19-3, Saturday night at Tucson.

Arizona held the Cardinal to 34 yards rushing in 34 attempts and equaled an 11-year-old school record for fewest points by a conference opponent. Arizona gained 207 yards rushing, including 75 by David Eldridge.

The Wildcats added a bit of spice and daring, with Chris Wright recovering an onside kick on the Arizona 46 with 10:24 left in the third quarter after they took a 13-3 lead on Pfaff’s 50-yard field goal.

The Wildcats then ate up 7:09 on a 16-play drive, including three successful third-down conversions, before Pfaff’s third field goal, from 28 yards, made it 16-3.

Pfaff kicked a 27-yard field goal to put Arizona ahead, 10-3, at halftime and closed out the scoring with three seconds left in the third quarter on a 44-yarder that tied the school record of four field goals in a game.

Arizona kept the ball for all but one minute during the third period.

The Wildcats scored on the fourth play of their initial possession as Reggie McGill broke off left tackle for 20 yards and the game’s only touchdown. Pfaff’s conversion made it 7-0 with less than 3 1/2 minutes gone.

Stanford’s only successful drive of the night came late in the second quarter when redshirt freshman quarterback Steve Smith drove the Cardinal 85 yards and John Hopkins kicked a 30-yard field goal.

Washington State 41, Idaho 7--Junior Brad Gossen completed 17 of 22 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns in his first start, and the Cougars held the Vandals scoreless after the first quarter at Pullman, Wash.

The left-handed Gossen directed the Cougars on four scoring drives that covered at least 80 yards and took less than three minutes each.

The Cougars, leading, 17-7, midway through the third quarter, were backed up inside their own one-yard line by a punt and an illegal motion penalty.

But Gossen passed to tight end Doug Wellsandt for a 28-yard gain to get out of the hole, then threw over the middle to senior flanker Tim Stallworth for a 62-yard touchdown play.

The Cougars’ Steve Broussard was bottled up by Idaho’s defense most of the first half but finished with 115 yards in 23 carries and also had a four-yard scoring run.

Idaho’s John Friesz completed 19 of 32 passes for 225 yards and threw two interceptions. Thesenior failed to pass for a touchdown for the first time in 25 starts.