Taylor’s head injury is scary for Bruins

UCLA’s 30-21 victory over California on Saturday was tempered by the loss of linebacker Christian Taylor.

Taylor wobbled off the field after a collision with Bears running back Justin Forsett. UCLA officials said Taylor suffered a concussion and then had a small seizure on the sidelines. He was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital, where a CT scan on his neck and head were performed before he was released Saturday evening, UCLA spokesman Marc Dellins said.

The injury dampened the Bruins’ celebration.

“You could almost feel that hit,” defensive tackle Kevin Brown said. “I just felt helpless for a minute when you see a teammate like that. But then he started moving. It was scary, though. It was just a real good hit.”

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Quarterback Patrick Cowan came to the rescue again, despite practicing for only about two weeks in more than two months.

Cowan returned from a hamstring injury a week after the Bruins’ loss to Utah and produced a 44-31 victory over Washington on Sept. 22. He was injured in that game, but returned Saturday to win again.

Cowan completed 18 of 27 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown.

“Pat gives us tempo when he’s in there,” offensive coordinator Jay Norvell said. “The speed of the game is pretty good and he has a pretty good feeling for chucking the ball and playing within the confines of what we can do.”

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Bruins tight end Logan Paulsen now has game footage that was less harmful to his teammates.

Paulsen scored his first collegiate touchdown, hauling in a two-yard pass even though Bears linebacker Anthony Felder was called for pass interference on the play.

Paulsen’s previous spotlight moments were not so UCLA-friendly.

He leveled teammate Brandon Breazell trying to chase down a Brigham Young player who had intercepted a pass. Breazell lost two teeth and suffered a concussion on the play.

Paulsen was also called for holding that nullified a 68-yard touchdown reception by Joe Cowan against Notre Dame.

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UCLA defensive tackle Jess Ward left the game because of a sprained left knee. Defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski suffered a shoulder injury, but X-rays were negative, team officials said.

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Watching his team’s upset loss to Oregon State last week from the sidelines was not as painful as taking part in the Bears’ loss to UCLA, Cal quarterback Nate Longshore said.

Longshore sustained a sprained ankle two weeks ago that led to his missing last week’s game.

Against UCLA, Longshore completed 22 of 34 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He completed all seven of his passes on Cal’s second offensive series, a drive that ended with Longshore connecting with tight end Craig Stevens on a 21-yard scoring play.

But Longshore also threw three interceptions, including the game breaker to UCLA’s Alterraun Verner that resulted in the Bruins’ clinching touchdown.

“That was a bad mistake by me,” Longshore said.

Cal junior wide receiver DeSean Jackson, from Long Beach Poly, had nine catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns and afterward said, “We as a team have to do something to get back to the right page. I don’t question the team’s confidence. We are not going to point fingers at each other, but 11 guys have to come together now.”

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It does no good, UCLA free safety Dennis Keyes said, to think about what the football polls could have said this week.

If UCLA hadn’t had the disturbing loss to Utah or the unfortunate beating by Notre Dame, Keyes said, “We probably would have been No. 1. But we’re not. But that’s OK. We have a Pac-10 championship to play for.”

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chris.foster@latimes.com

diane.pucin@latimes.com