Oregon Strikes Quickly, Downs Air Force, 41-13

Receiver Pat Johnson and running back Saladin McCullough stunned No. 23 Air Force by scoring on Oregon’s first two plays from scrimmage, sparking a string of big plays to lead the Ducks to a 41-13 victory Saturday in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Johnson, the 1995 Pacific 10 Conference champion in the 400 meters, scored on pass plays of 69 and 78 yards and Tony Hartley caught two other touchdown passes for Oregon, which dominated the first bowl game from the opening kickoff.

The game was only 18 seconds old when Johnson, from Redlands, streaked down the left sideline to catch a pass in midstride from Akili Smith en route to a 69-yard touchdown.

After an Air Force punt, McCullough, from Pasadena, took a handoff up the middle on Oregon’s next play from scrimmage and ran 76 yards for another score to put the Ducks up 13-0 only 2:06 into the game.

Oregon (7-5) led, 26-0, at halftime. Air Force (10-3) couldn’t get its option offense going and didn’t complete a pass until midway through the second quarter.

It was the first win in the last five bowl games for the Ducks, who hadn’t won a bowl game since beating Tulsa in the 1989 Independence Bowl.

In the second half, Oregon needed only 37 seconds for its first score and 42 seconds for another.

Air Force’s Jemal Singleton ran 51 yards to set up a quarterback sneak by Blane Morgan that drew Air Force to within 26-7 in the third quarter. Air Force’s other score came on a 45-yard fumble return by tackle Bryce Fisher.

DIVISION I-AA

Demond Tidwell’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Renauld Ray with eight minutes left--on a play the coaches made up seconds before on the sidelines--lifted Youngstown State (13-2) to a 10-9 victory over McNeese State (13-2) at Chattanooga, Tenn. The victory gave the Penguins their fourth Division I-AA championship this decade.

The winning play was designed to confuse McNeese State, and it worked. Two defenders went with receiver Mark Cox, leaving Ray all alone.

“We thought there would be a possibility of a miscommunication because they were playing man-to-man,” Coach Jim Tressel said. “That’s the difference in the championship game. One mistake.”

NAIA

At Savannah, Tenn., Bo Hurley threw for one touchdown and ran 60 yards for another as Findlay of Ohio (14-0) recorded a 14-7 victory over Willamette of Oregon for the Oilers’ fifth NAIA championship in five trips to the title game.