UCLA vs. Washington State: Bruins 42, Cougars 28 (final)
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Richard Brehaut is 1-0 as UCLA’s starting quarterback -- with a rather large assist from running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman.
Oh, and a fourth-quarter goal-line stand when the score was tied.
The Bruins (3-2 overall, 1-1 in Pacific 10 Conference play) finished with 565 yards of offense, including 437 rushing yards in 56 carries. That’s 7.8 yards per carry -- an average that was even better until Brehaut twice took a knee, losing four yards, on the last two plays of the game.
Franklin led the way with 216 yards and a touchdown in 30 carries. Coleman had 185 yards and three touchdowns in 15 carries.
Playing in place of Kevin Prince, who has been nursing an injured knee, Brehaut completed 12 of 23 passes for 128 yards. He also ran for a touchdown.
Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel completed 20 of 37 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington State (1-4, 0-2) has lost 19 of its last 20 Pac-10 games.
UCLA 42, Washington State 28 (3:03 to play)
It looks like UCLA is safe.
Finally.
A four-yard touchdown run by Derrick Coleman has given the Bruins some breathing room over the Cougars, who look on defense like they have nothing left.
The scoring drive covered 72 yards in eight plays.
On the Bruins’ previous possession, they went 99 yards in seven plays.
UCLA has 569 yards of offense, including 441 yards and five touchdowns in 54 carries. The only thing left to see is whether Coleman will join Johnathan Franklin with 200 yards rushing.
Coleman needs 15 yards. He has 185 in 15 carries. Franklin has 216 yards in 30 carries.
--Mike Hiserman
UCLA 35, Washington State 28 (early fourth quarter)
UCLA, working hard to give away the game, got a break and cashed it in to take a 35-28 lead with 10:08 left.
Washington State appeared to take the lead on a one-yard run by quarterback Jeff Tuel. The Cougars even attempted an extra point, which was missed. But game officials were trying to stop the play to review the touchdown. It was over turned and the Bruins held on fourth down, when free safety Rahim Moore stopped James Montgomery short of the goal line.
The Bruins then went 99 yard in seven plays, which included a 73-yard run by Derrick Coleman. Richard Brehaut scored on a one-yard run.
UCLA 28, Washington State 28 (late third quarter)
Johnathan Franklin made up for an earlier fumble by putting the Bruins on his back to help get them even, 28-28.
UCLA went 67 yards, with Franklin gaining 32 of it on the ground. His 17-yard run gave the Bruins a first down on the Cougars’ seven-yard line.
Two plays later, Derrick Coleman scored on a one-yard run. Richard Brehaut passed to Taylor Embree for a two-point conversion to tie the score.
Washington State 28, UCLA 20 (midway through third quarter)
UCLA is now openly helping Washington State, as the Cougars lead 28-20 after a one-yard touchdown run by James Montgomery.
The Bruins’ Johnathan Franklin fumbled near mid-field, with Washington State’s Myron Beck returning the ball to the UCLA 20-yard line. The Bruins had two pass interference penalties, first by Aaron Hester, then by Sheldon Price, to keep the Cougars moving forward. Hester’s infraction came on a third-and-12 play.
Washington State 21, UCLA 20 (midway through third quarter)
Washington State, down 14-0 in the second quarter, has rallied behind Jeff Tuel’s passing to take a 21-20 lead.
Tuel completed a 50-yard pass to Marquess Wilson on a third-and-three play. Wilson caught the ball between defensive backs Tony Dye and Sheldon Price at the nine-yard line. UCLA linebacker Patrick Larimore was also called for a personal foul on the play.
Two plays later, James Montgomery scored on a three-yard run.
UCLA 20, Washington State 14 (halftime)
UCLA had its way with the Washington State defense in the first half, building a 20-14 lead with its running game.
Johnathan Franklin had 109 yards rushing and Derrick Coleman added 81 in the first half as the Bruins had few problems with the Cougars, who ranked 117 out of 120 teams nationally in total defense.
But the Bruins were unable to bury the Cougars after settling for field goals instead of touchdowns on two drives. Jeff Tuel threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Blackledge with 13 seconds left in the half to keep Washington State in the game. The touchdown followed a hands-to-the-face penalty on UCLA defensive tackle Nate Chandler.
The Bruins had five runs of 22 yards or more while rolling up 223 yards rushing in the first half. Coleman had a one-yard touchdown run to give UCLA a 14-0 lead with 13 minutes 20 seconds left in the half.
But Franklin had a 14-yard touchdown run called back when receiver Morrell Presley was called for holding. The Bruins settled for a 33-yard field goal by Kai Forbath. UCLA got to the one-yard line on its next drive, but again only had a Forbath field goal to show for it, this one from 20 yards.
Quarterback Richard Brehaut, playing place of injured Kevin Prince (knee), got off to a good start. He completed five of six passes for 48 yards on the opening drive, which ended in a three-yard scoring run by Franklin.
Brehaut completed only two of his last seven passes in the half.
UCLA lost wide receiver Nelson Rosario on its first drive. He left the game with a left ankle injury and was on crutches along the sideline.
UCLA 20, Washington State 7 (late second quarter)
Another meat-and-potatoes drive by UCLA.
Johnathan Franklin’s 25-yard run opened a 54-yard drive that ended in a 20-yard field goal by Kai Forbath with 1:51 left in the first half. The Bruins got to the one-yard line on the dive, but quarterback Richard Brehaut lost two yards, then threw an incomplete pass.
UCLA 17, Washington State 7 (second quarter)
UCLA gets a field goal, but the Bruins lost a touchdown.
Kai Forbath capped a 58-yard drive with a 33-yard field goal with 7:45 left in the half, but UCLA could have more.
Derrick Coleman spun out of a tackle and went on a 36-yard run to the Washington State 14-yard line. Two plays later, Johnathan Franklin went untouched into the end zone. The play was called back because of a holding call on receiver Morrell Presley.
UCLA 14, Washington State 7 (second quarter)
Washington State gets off the mat.
The Cougars get a 42-yard pass play from Jeff Tuel to Jared Karstetter. Tuel cashes that in two plays later with a nine-yard touchdown pass to Jeffrey Solomon with 10:30 left in the half.
UCLA 14, Washington State 0 (early second quarter)
So far, Washington State’s defense is as billed. The Cougars ranked 117 out of 120 teams in total defense before Saturday’s game and have done little to slow down UCLA.
The Bruins got a 38-yard run from Johnathan Franklin and a 22-yard reverse from Josh Smith. Derrick Coleman ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead with 13 minutes 20 seconds left in the first half.
UCLA 7, Washington State 0 (early first quarter)
Quarterback Richard Brehaut’s first college start began well against Washington State.
The Bruins took a leisurely stroll up field after the opening kickoff, going 80 yards in 12 plays, before Johnathan Franklin jogged in from three yards out.
Brehaut, a sophomore who is replacing the injured Kevin Prince (knee), completed five of six passes for 48 yards on the drive.
Receiver Nelson Rosario left the game during the drive with what appeared to be a left ankle injury sustained as he was making a block. No word on the nature of the injury, but he was taken to the locker room on a cart.
Pregame
Richard Brehaut will start at quarterback for UCLA Saturday against Washington State at the Rose Bowl.
Kevin Prince, the Bruins’ No. 1 quarterback, was re-injured after running one play, a handoff, during practice Thursday.
Brehuat, a sophomore, will be making his first start at UCLA. He has played in seven games for the Bruins, including a relief appearance against Stanford this season. He completed five of nine passes for 42 and had one pass intercepted against the Cardinal.
Prince was injured during the 34-12 victory over Texas. He was unable to practice during the week because of swelling and pain. He had the knee drained on Sunday.
--Chris Foster
