If you looked to the north from Cougar Stadium at College of the Canyons Saturday, you could see the Santa Clarita wildfire. It was fitting, since the Cerritos College football team saw its number-one ranking and hopes for an unbeaten season go up in smoke as the Cougars defeated the Falcons 33-30 in overtime.

Falconsí coach Frank Mazzotta said, “We have seven days of total misery to think about the real test of our character.

“Weíre a good football team, weíll bounce back. Itís going to be a big character challenge.”

Cerritos will play El Camino College (2-3) Saturday at Falcon Stadium. Last season, the Warriors dealt the Falcons their first loss with a field goal in the final minute, 24-21.

The Falcons (4-1) entered the game ranked number-one in Southern California by the J.C. Athletic Bureau and seventh in the nation by J.C. Grid -Wire.

Canyons (4-1) was ranked eighth in Southern California and 23rd in the nation by the same polls.

Falconsí safety Charles Allgood said, “We had opportunities to capitalize.

“We had a few offensive and defensive opportunities on the field, we just didnít take advantage of them.

“Canyons took advantage of the situation.”

The Falcons fumbled the ball away three times, and the Cougars cashed in each of them.

With 4:07 left in the second quarter on its own 30, Cerritos running back Jermaine Whiten fumbled the ball, and the Cougars scored six plays later to take the lead at halftime.

The Falcons led 30-26 in the fourth quarter and had the ball on the Canyons 47-yard line when the snap to quarterback Mike Harrison was fumbled and recovered by Cougar linebacker Joey LaPorte.

Eight plays later, the Cougars took the lead when running back Marquis Brignac scored on a six-yard run with 1:37 left in regulation.

The Falcons, starting at their own 20-yard line, then marched down the field and had first down at the Cougar 20 with 41 seconds remaining.

But the Falcons got a five-yard illegal procedure penalty, and then had to use their final timeout before the play clock expired.

Mazzotta said the team was in a five-receiver set. “It wasnít that (the players) didnít get in. They got lined up on the wrong side.

“Iím kind of mad at myself for not throwing the ball, but weíre in position to kick a field goal and send it into overtime, and the momentum was on our side.”

The next play, Harrison was stopped at the line of scrimmage, and with time running out, had to spike the ball to stop the clock.

Adam Sonntag kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie the game as time ran out.

In overtime, Cerritos had first possession, starting at the Cougars’ 25 yard line.

The Falcons drove down to the four, when Josh Herrera fumbled the ball to the Cougars.

“First and goal on the four-yard line, and we fumble the ball,” Mazzotta said.

“Weíve got four downs to put it in, We probably run the most conservative play Iíve got in the whole offense.

“After the exchange, he got the ball, and he started to run. I donít know if he hit the ball on his leg, or his hip.

“I thought for sure we had it rolling, and then we fumbled the ball. That took the air out of us.”

Canyons, on its possession, drove to the Falcons’ one-yard line behind the running of J.J. Arrington (12 rushes for 73 yards), and on fourth down, kicker Tom Garagliano, who earlier missed on two attempts and an extra point, kicked the game-winning field goal.

1st quarter:9:45 CER Josh Herrera 69 yard pass from Mike Harrison (Sonntag kick)6:22 COC Jamall Broussard 60 yard pass from Kyle Bauer (kick failed)5:45 CER Chris Chatman 100 yard kickoff return (Sonntag kick)

2nd quarter:5:17 COC Leon Pinky 11 yard pass from Bauer (pass failed)1:25 COC Marquis Brignac 1 yard run (pass intercepted)1:25 CER Londell Ramsey interception return on conversion

3rd quarter:12:09 CER Fausto Gonzalez 13 yard pass from Harrison (Jermaine Whiten pass from Harrison)6:25 CER Andrew Harris 19 yard pass from Harrison (pass failed)0:27 COC Brignac 4 yard run (Stephen Stokes pass from Bauer)

4th quarter:1:37 COC Brignac 6 yard run (Garagliano kick)0:00 CER Sonntag 37 yard field goal

Overtime:COC Garagliano 17 yard field goal