DAVID SANDERS / arizona daily star

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EUGENE, Ore. — The Arizona Wildcats played their worst half in decades — and their best half in decades — to get to this moment.

Fourth-and-three. Three-point game. Just under four minutes left.

Quarterback Willie Tuitama blew on his hands, lifted his leg and called for the snap. He noticed tailback Keola Antolin wide open in the flat, no defender around him for yards. He swung the ball out perfectly, and …

It was dropped.

Saturday's 55-45 loss to Oregon in front of 58,369 fans at Autzen Stadium was defined not by the 100 points scored, but by the one dropped pass. In a game that featured 1,031 yards of total offense, the Wildcats lost because they couldn't get three.

"We catch that ball," UA coach Mike Stoops said, "and we have a chance to go down and score late in the game."

It can be that close sometimes.

Arizona's bowl picture is still murky. The Wildcats (6-4 overall, 4-3 Pac-10) must now win at least one of their remaining two games to earn a bid to the Holiday, Sun or Las Vegas bowls. Even if Arizona wins out, it can finish no higher in the conference standings than Oregon (8-3, 6-2).

The Wildcats have been assured a spot in one of the seven bowls affiliated with the Pac-10.

Saturday's loss tainted a hopeful season — not because of Arizona's defeat, but because it played the worst half in the Stoops era. The Wildcats allowed two touchdowns in the first 1 minute 32 seconds of the game and trailed 45-17 at halftime before rallying.

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli had a 66-yard touchdown run on the Ducks' third play from scrimmage. Rover Patrick Chung then intercepted Tuitama on the Wildcats' third play from scrimmage and returned the pick 31 yards for a score.

Six plays into the game, the Ducks led 14-0.

"That showed you what kind of game it was going to be," Stoops said.

With Masoli leading the charge, the Ducks piled on. Oregon's quarterback added touchdown runs of 5 and 6 yards in the second quarter; by halftime, Oregon led 45-17.

"No one was awake yet," tight end Rob Gronkowski said. "No one was playing hard or anything in the first half."

And then the Wildcats woke up.

They outscored the Ducks 7-3 in the third quarter, then tacked on three fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut the lead to 48-45.

Arizona got the ball back with 5:25 remaining at the Ducks' 38-yard line. Antolin was stuffed on first down. Tuitama then missed a deep pass to Chris Gronkowski on second down.

Mike Thomas gained seven yards with a third-down catch.

Facing fourth-and-three, Tuitama attempted a swing pass to Antolin in the flat. The freshman tailback dropped it in open space.

"He'll make that catch nine times out of 10," Stoops said. "It's just one of those things."

The weather was so cold and misty Saturday night that Antolin's visor frequently fogged up. But, asked to explain the drop, Antolin blamed his eyes — and his feet.

"I got too anxious to run it," he said. "That's what happens."

Antolin's drop diminished another breakout game for the freshman star. Antolin gained 87 yards on 20 carries and scored four touchdowns. The bulk of Antolin's yardage came after he replaced Nicolas Grigsby, who was benched — again — for fumbling.

The Ducks took over at Arizona's 45. On their second play, LeGarrette Blount broke a 40-yard touchdown to put the game away.

Rob Gronkowski said the game-ending touchdown wasn't the difference in the game. The Wildcats learned their lesson in the first half.

"Yeah," he said, "come out ready."