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Jarring block by Decoud of Cal tops this hit parade

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Times Staff Writers

The hardest hit in UCLA’s 38-24 loss at California on Saturday came during DeSean Jackson’s 72-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter.

After catching the ball, Jackson started left before turning right, which set up a blindside block by Cal’s Thomas Decoud on Korey Bosworth. The hit temporarily knocked both players out.

“After the hit, I was dazed and fell down,” Decoud said. “I didn’t know he scored until I made it back to the sidelines.”

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Bosworth suffered a concussion and a neck injury on the play and did not return.

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Cal Coach Jeff Tedford said the block on the play was something to behold.

“That was as good as it gets,” he said. “We’ve seen a fair share of them through the years, but this was a real high-speed collision. Neither one of those guys was slowing down much. I just hope no one was hurt.”

Jackson said he never saw DeCoud’s block.

“I heard it, though.”

Jackson’s punt return was his third for a touchdown this season and fourth overall. He also had a 49-yarder againstSacramento State last year. This season, he returned punts of 80 yards against Arizona State and 65 yards against Oregon for touchdowns. He is the Pacific 10 Conference leader in career and season punt returns for touchdowns.

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The biggest key to the game? Tedford said it was his team’s ability to convert six of nine third-down chances. UCLA wasn’t bad either, converting 10 of 17 times on third down.

UCLA outgained Cal, 516 yards to 433, but that didn’t impress Cal cornerback Daymeion Hughes: “Sometimes you lose the statistics, but when you look at the scoreboard, who won?”

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UCLA running back Chris Markey rushed for more than 100 yards for the third time this season, finishing with 136 yards in 20 carries. Markey had the longest run of his career in the fourth quarter when he ran 70 yards for a touchdown.

“Chris ran hard all game,” Coach Karl Dorrell said. “He had a lot of second-effort runs.”

Safeties Dennis Keyes and Chris Horton led UCLA with 10 tackles each.

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