University of Oregon
Nevada
Ducks Beat Wolf Pack, 31-23
09/06/03 | Football
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Samie Parker caught seven passes for 162 yards and two scores as Oregon held off a second-half rally by Nevada to win 31-23 Saturday.
Oregon (2-0) used co-quarterbacks Kellen Clemens and Jason Fife to confuse the Wolf Pack (1-1), who couldn't quite catch up after the Ducks built a 24-7 first-half lead.
Clemens completed 10 of 24 passes for 154 yards and two scores, while Fife was 3-of-4 for 57 yards and a touchdown.
With a 50-yard dash in the first half, Parker accounted for 212 yards of total offense.
Nevada sophomore Jeff Rowe struggled in his second career start, completing just three of 10 passes for 31 yards and an interception. Backup Andy Heiser replaced him midway through the second quarter and was 14-of-34 for 213 yards and two TDs.
Clemens got the start for the Ducks, whose opening drive was marked by Parker's 50-yard run after a handoff from tailback Ryan Shaw. Jared Siegel made it 3-0 for Oregon with a 22-yard field goal.
Rowe had a shaky start on Nevada's first series when his pass to Willie Johnson was intercepted by Steven Moore. The Ducks went up 10-0 on their next possession when Clemens hit Demetrius Williams with a 6-yard scoring pass.
Fife replaced Clemens for the Ducks early in the second quarter and hit Parker with a 43-yard touchdown pass on his first series.
Nevada finally found success late in the first half with Heiser, who hit Nichiren Flowers with a 27-yard scoring pass with 1:22 left to narrow it to 17-7.
Parker was alone in the end zone when he caught a 39-yard pass from Clemens with just 5 seconds left to cushion the Ducks' halftime lead.
Heiser kicked off Nevada's second-half run when he hit Anthony Pudewell with an 11-yard TD pass to narrow the gap -- but Heiser was intercepted on the next series by Keith Lewis, who ran nine yards for the score.
Heiser rebounded with a 35-yard pass to Pudewell, which set up Chance Kretschmer's 1-yard TD dive.
Kretschmer, who two years ago was just the second freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in rushing with 1,732 yards, was held to 65 yards on 17 carries by Oregon.
Damon Fine added a 27-yard field goal for Nevada for the final margin.
It is the second straight week the Ducks have decided to use both Clemens and Fife. Oregon beat Mississippi State 42-34 in the opener.
Nevada edged Southern Utah 24-23 in its opener, also playing both Rowe and Heiser.
The Ducks have won 11 straight home openers at Autzen Stadium, and 19 of their last non-conference games there.
