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The UA football team was leading by a touchdown with 4 minutes left in Thursday's 34-24 upset over No. 2 Oregon when time stopped.

The 50,387 anxious fans inside Arizona Stadium gasped, then held their breaths.

It was happening again. UA tailback Nicolas Grigsby fumbled an exchange with quarterback Willie Tuitama, and Oregon had recovered.

All the positive vibes from a game spent on top — and the post-game celebration plans — hung in the balance. For about 2 minutes.

In a fitting ending, Arizona's nationally televised close-up was saved by — of all things — video replay. Referees ruled that quarterback Tuitama was down when he gave the ball to Grigsby, and Arizona continued its drive.

The Wildcats held on for arguably their biggest win in 15 years.

Arizona has defeated just five top-five teams since 1980; the last one came in a 1992 upset of top-ranked Washington.

"For me, it's probably the best win," said Tuitama, who threw for 266 yards and became the UA's single-season passing leader. "The past doesn't matter."

Oh, but it did. In a season marked by disappointment — poor play-calling at BYU, uninspired play against New Mexico and Stanford and a propensity to disappear for stretches in just about every game — Arizona finally caught a break.

And a tear. Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon, the best player on the field and a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, left the game in the first quarter with a what coaches fear is a tear or sprained knee ligaments. Coach Mike Bellotti said Dixon will likely miss the rest of the season.

"Obviously, I didn't want to leave the field the way I did, but you never know when the hit is going to come," Dixon said. "It's a tough way to lose, but I always give it my all because I know injuries can happen and I always want to give 100 percent."

Dixon accounted for 96 yards of offense — including a 39-yard touchdown run — before going down. He was replaced by the less-mobile Brady Leaf, who struggled through the final three quarters.

Playing from behind, Leaf completed 22 of 46 passes for 163 yards. He was sacked three times and intercepted twice.

Leaf's first pick provided an all-time UA highlight.

On his first drive under center, Leaf attempted to throw short on third-and-two from the Cats' 39. UA cornerback Antoine Cason stepped in front of it, picked the ball and ran free for a touchdown. Cason's "pick-six" gave the Wildcats a 17-11 lead.

Cason added to the UA's lead later in the quarter, when he took a punt return 56 yards for a score.

"He stepped up, and that's what All-Americans do," UA defensive coordinator Mark Stoops said.

All the breaks — Dixon's injury, Cason's pick and return, and the late video review — gave the Wildcats more than just a stunning upset.

In a span of four hours, Arizona (5-6 overall, 4-4 Pac-10) rehabilitated a national image tarnished by player revolts, upset losses and underachievement that began with the Wildcats' season-opening loss to Penn State in 1999.

As 12,000 "Zona Zoo" members stormed the field, Arizona's football players became conquering heroes, if only for a night.

The UA displayed more than just schadenfreude after dispatching the No. 2 Ducks, who fell to 8-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play.

They showed confidence. Elation. Excitement.

"It means everything to show everybody we are a good team and can play with other good teams," linebacker Dane Krogstad said.

"You can't ask for anything better: Thursday night, ESPN, the No. 2 team in the nation. Wow."