UCLA 43, Washington State 7 (final)
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
It’s official.
UCLA can claim improvement in Coach Rick Neuheisel’s second season as coach.
The Bruins improved to 5-5 today with their second Pacific 10 Conference victory, 43-7 over hapless and helpless Washington State.
UCLA’s offense, which has struggled so often this season, did whatever it wanted against a Cougars defense that played to its pregame national ranking as one of the nation’s poorest units.
The Bruins generated 572 yards in offense, much of it on the arm -- and legs -- of quarterback Kevin Prince.
Prince passed for 330 yards and a touchdown, completing 26 of 39 passes, and also led UCLA with 76 yards rushing, including a 68 touchdown bolt early in the second quarter that put the Bruins up, 21-0.
Chane Moline also had a big game for UCLA (5-5, 2-5). He made seven pass receptions for 60 yards and also carried three times -- all for touchdowns totaling 25 yards.
Washington State (1-9, 0-6) managed only 180 yards of offense and committed four turnovers.
-- Mike Hiserman
UCLA 43, Washington State 7
The Bruins are facing scout-team-like resistance at this point, and Chane Moline scored his third touchdown. A 46-yard pass from Kevin Prince to Taylor Embree was followed by a an eight-yard completion between the two. Moline then swept right for the score.
Prince has 314 yards passing, his third 300-yard game this season, tying UCLA’s freshman record set by Tommy Maddox in 1990.
---
UCLA 36, Washington State 7
The Washington State touchdown shakes the cobwebs out of the Bruins head. Kevin Prince completed three consecutive pass for 45 yards, with a roughing the passer call mixed in. The Bruins use the “wildcat” formation on three consecutive plays, the last being a 13-yard touchdown run by Chane Moline, his second of the day.
Prince has passed for 260 yards through three quarters. He is also the Bruins’ leading rusher with 76 yards.
UCLA 29, Washington State 7
Finally, good news for the Cougars.
Quarterback Kevin Lopina zipped a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jeffrey Solomon, as safety Rahim Moore arrived late for one of the few times this season. It capped an 80-yard drive. It assures Washington State off not being shutout this season … at least for one more week.
---
UCLA 29, Washington State 0
UCLA went on a casual drive to start the second half, driving 54 yards in 12 plays, while eating 5 minutes 1 second off the clock. It ended in a 31-yard field goal by Kai Forbath.
It gives Forbath 269 points in his career, fifth-most in UCLA history.
UCLA 26, Washington State 0 (halftime)
The depth that Washington State program has sunk could be seen on the UCLA sideline in the second quarter.
Bruins’ Coach Rick Neuheisel was chewing out quarterback Kevin Prince following an ineffective series. Prince already had a 27-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Embree … and had scrambled 68 yard for a touchdown.
Prince finished the half by driving the Bruins to the Washington State 15-yard line, where the Bruins picked up a 38-yard field goal for a 26-0 halftime lead. Prince completed six of nine passes for 56 yards on the drive.
But the first half wasn’t so much about UCLA domination as it was about Washington State being gracious hosts.
The Cougars won the coin toss. It was all downhill from there.
Quarterback Marshall Lobbestael had three of his first four passes intercepted -- two by linebacker Akeem Ayers and one by free safety Rahim Moore. The first interception set up Prince’s touchdown pass to Embree, on the Bruins first play. The second led to a one-yard touchdown run by Chane Moline.
The Cougars kept on giving. A bad snap led to a safety, when UCLA’s Sean Westgate blocked a punt out of the end zone. In the second quarter, Prince took off after being unable to find a receiver. As he sprinted up field, Washington State linebacker Myron Beck continued to play pass defensive on UCLA’s Terrence Austin even as Prince ran past on his way to the end zone.
Washington State’s offense ended the half with a 36-yard run by backup quarterback Kevin Lopina. He fumbled at the end of the play, setting up UCLA’s last scoring drive.
Prince was effective, but hardly spectacular. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 147 yards.
And it gets worse for Washington State. On fourth down, a bad snap to Cougars punter Reid Forrest results in UCLA’s Sean Westgate blocking the punt out of the end zone for a safety. It followed a UCLA defensive stand where defensive tackle Brian Prince tackled running back Carl Winston for a seven-yard loss and Akeem Ayers sacked quarterback Marshall Lobbestael for an eight-yard loss.
---
UCLA 21, Washington State 0
Unfortunately for Washington State, the Pacific 10 Conference does not have a mercy rule. UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince scrambled up field and kept going … and going … and going, right past a Washington State cornerback who was still in pass defense on receiver Terrence Austin. Prince went 68 yards for the touchdown.
---
UCLA 14, Washington State 0
After Akeem Ayers’ interception, the Bruins casually go 32 yards, with Chane Moline bulling in from two yards out. Washington State has now been outscored, 159-3, in the first quarter this season.
---
Washington State quarterback Marshall Lobbestael has now completed three times as many passes to UCLA players Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince (three-to-one). Linebacker Akeem Ayers intercepts a third Lobbestael pass, his second pick of the game.
UCLA still leads, 7-0.
--- Lobbestael called another audible. This time going deep, where UCLA’s Rahim Moore intercepted.
For those scoring at home: Two audibles, Two picks.
This time, Washington State holds, aided by a holding call on UCLA tackle Mike Harris.
---
UCLA 7, Washington State 0
Washington State won the toss. It may be the only time today the Cougars have the ball with the score tied.
On the third play, quarterback Marshall Lobbestael saw something about the UCLA defense, called an audible and fired a pass into the flat … where UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers intercepted. On the next play, Kevin Prince rolled left, and found a wide-open Taylor Embree in the end zone.
Darius Savage opened the game at right guard.
---
Pre-game missives:
UCLA quarterbacks are on the field to warm up … by throwing snowballs at each other.
Richard Brehaut was on target with Kevin Craft’s back. Craft connected with Nick Crissman. But Kevin Prince was woefully short on a throw to (at?) Craft. Bruins fans can only hope his aim improves at game time.
Tailback Christian Ramirez is not on the trip. UCLA officials said it’s a coach’s decision. Ramirez, a junior, has not played since fumbling against Arizona on Oct. 24. He was No. 1 on the depth chart during training camp, but is now fifth.
-- Chris Foster