COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: BEARS CONTINUE TO MISS TARGET BOLLER STRUGGLES AS CALIFORNIA LOSES BY 41 POINTS TO FIFTH-RANKED OREGON.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

Cal quarterbacks Kyle Boller (Hart) and Eric Holtfreter (Quartz Hill) were ineffective in the Golden Bears' 48-7 loss to No. 5 Oregon in Berkeley.

Boller had a pass deflected and intercepted but finished 18 of 40 for 171 yards and the Bears' only touchdown.

``We missed a receiver, we threw it bad, it was a different thing every time,'' offensive coordinator Al Borges said. ``On offense, you either go for the quick strike or you're methodical. We weren't either.''

In a moment that has defined Boller's and the Bears' problems this year, the junior had a pass tipped back into his hands. He gained two yards but fumbled and recovered the ball himself.

Holtfreter played mop-up and was 6 of 10 for 73 yards passing and two interceptions.

--Relief pitcher: Nevada's David Neill has been the Wolf Pack's starter for four years. But in a key moment of Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech, Nevada coach Chris Tormey pulled Neill (Hart).

``We felt like if we started to stall, whether it was David's fault or not, that we would go to Zack to try and give us a spark,'' Tormey told the Reno-Gazette Journal.

Except that Nevada was hardly struggling behind Neill against the Bulldogs. Entering the fourth quarter, he led the Wolf Pack to four of their five touchdowns (one was scored on a punt return). After missing his first 10 passes the previous week against UNLV, Neill started 9 of 9 and 12 of 13.

But backup Zack Threadgill was inserted into the game at the start of the fourth quarter and played two series. Nevada gained three yards and Neill went back in. He directed a scoring drive capped by his own 10-yard touchdown run. Nevada eventually lost 45-42 on a last-second field goal.

Neill, who was 19 of 24 for 193 yards and an interception, wasn't upset with Tormey's decision.

``To pull me out, it helped me to get on the sideline and see what was going on,'' Neill said.

``I think the offense maybe was sputtering a little bit and it is my job to move the offense. When it happens in a close game like that, you really can't wait a whole lot to make a change like that.''

Neill's 11-yard scramble for a touchdown with 1:27 left tied the game at 42 before the Bulldogs drove for the winning field goal.

--Odds and ends: New Mexico's Joe Manning (Antelope Valley) had 56 total offensive yards, 13 rushing and 43 passing, in New Mexico's 24-20 loss to No. 17 Brigham Young

BYU receiver Soren Halladay (Hart) caught four passes for 59 yards. ...

Oregon State finally got a win, 38-3 over Arizona, after starting the season nationally ranked. The Beavers improved to 1-3 with the Pac-10 victory.

Behind offensive tackle Vincent Sandoval (Palmdale), The Beavers had an effective running game. Eric Mobley (Antelope Valley) had one tackle for OSU.

Malosi Leonard (Palmdale) led the Wildcats with four catches for 61 yards. ...

Sacred Heart quarterback Justin Holtfreter (Quartz Hill) threw for 186 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Pioneers of Fairfield, Conn., past Stony Brook 42-24. ...

Bruce Molock (Antelope Valley), who has split the snaps at running back with Terrelus Wright at Cal State Northridge the past two years, led the Matadors with 55 yards on 10 carries in a 38-31 loss at UC Davis.

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(color in SAC edition only) University of Nevada's David Neill, from Hart High, pulls a defender into the end zone during Wolf Pack's game Saturday.

Cathleen Allison/Associated Press