UCLA passes the toughness test in win

Every once in a while, toughness wins football games, and that happened for UCLA against Tennessee tonight at the Rose Bowl.

Although the Bruins seemed outmanned and often hurt themselves with sloppy play, they made enough plays to hang around before defeating the Volunteers, 27-24, in overtime in Rick Neuheisel’s debut as UCLA’s coach.

Character plays made by the Bruins helped keep the score close.

That was the case in the first quarter when UCLA special teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. noticed that Tennessee punter Chad Cunningham took his sweet time before kicking the ball.

After watching Cunningham punt twice, Gansz turned up the pressure and the Bruins responded with a heavy rush. Linebacker Akeem Ayers got to Cunningham first and blocked the kick that bounced directly to Craig Sheppard, a walk-on and former starting tailback, who scored a touchdown to give UCLA a 7-0 lead.

It was the type of special teams play well-coached teams execute early in the season.

UCLA’s fiber was tested again midway in the second quarter when Tennessee appeared ready to take control of the game with the score tied, 7-7, and the Bruins’ offense struggling.

After forcing UCLA to punt, the Volunteers had first down from their 32 when defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker’s unit made its first major statement.

Defensive back Alerraun Verner got things going when he stopped Tennessee running back Arian Foster after a two-yard gain. Then it was linebackers Kyle Bosworth and Reggie Carter’s turn, and they teamed up to stuff a short pass to Foster for a three-yard loss.

With the Volunteers stuck in a predictable passing situation (third and 11), UCLA’s soft zone defense turned into a perfect trap when Verner jumped in front of a pass thrown by quarterback Jonathan Crompton for an interception.

Although UCLA did not score and ended up trailing, 14-7, at halftime – thanks to four interceptions thrown by Kevin Craft – the Bruins went into their locker room at the break with confidence.

In the third quarter, it was a hustle play made by senior Brigham Harwell, a 280-pound defensive lineman, that displayed UCLA’s will to win.

With Tennessee again on the move, Harwell ran 40 yards to tackle Foster, who broke free for a 41-yard run to the UCLA 22-yard line. Harwell’s effort was rewarded four plays later when Carter forced Foster to fumble and Bruins safety Rahim Moore recovered the ball at the six.

The next big character play made by UCLA came minutes later from Craft, who bounced back with strong leadership after a shaky first half.

With Tennessee applying strong pressure, Craft turned a broken play into a six-yard gain that helped change the Volunteers’ defensive approach. Craft’s willingness to run combined with the Bruins’ decision to put him more on the move, forced Tennessee into tipping its defensive coverage in the second half.

That helped UCLA mount a drive that led to a 41-yard field goal by Kai Forbath that cut the Volunteers’ lead to 14-10.

In the Bruins’ first fourth-quarter scoring drive, Craft was again in the middle of the action when he hooked up with freshman wide receiver Taylor Embree for a completion.

It came on third down and nine from the Tennessee 34 when Craft ignored the rush and zipped a pass in traffic to Embree, who made the catch sandwiched between the Volunteers’ Rico McCoy and Eric Berry.

Embree’s catch helped set the stage for more clutch completions by UCLA receivers the rest of the game.

In the end, it was the Bruins’ timely plays that proved to be the difference.

 lonnie.white@latimes.com