UCLA’s running game improves ahead of meeting with USC

UCLA heads into its rivalry game against Tailback U after experiencing a needed U-turn in its running game.

That’s not to say the teams will be on level ground Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl when No. 20 USC plays the Bruins.

The Trojans have nearly tripled UCLA’s 872 yards rushing this season, running for 2,020 yards behind a steady stable of tailbacks led by Ronald Jones II and Justin Davis. Jones has 772 yards.

But UCLA gained at least a smidgen of confidence after its diversified ground game helped the Bruins rush for 163 yards Saturday in a 38-24 victory over Oregon State.

Freshmen Brandon Stephens and Jalen Starks joined the rotation after mainstays Soso Jamabo, Nate Starks and Bolu Olorunfunmi failed to earn the distinction of becoming the featured tailback.

“Just no one in the older class has separated themselves,” UCLA offensive coordinator Kennedy Polamalu said after the Bruins ran for more yards than they had since they totaled 219 in the season’s second game, against Nevada Las Vegas. “Now it’s our backs against the wall and we just got to get them to compete and I thought they all competed. They wanted to outdo the one that was out there.”

Olorunfunmi ran for a team-high 65 yards in eight carries, averaging 8.1 yards per rush. Jamabo had three carries for 36 yards, including a 19-yard burst on the game’s first carry in which he fumbled. Nate Starks had four carries for 16 yards.

The freshmen showed some promise. Jalen Starks made a team-high 10 carries for 24 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career.

“I froze up in the end zone, I’m not going to lie; I was pretty nervous,” Starks said of his first foray past the goal line. “But it’s always good to celebrate with my family.”

Stephens ran the ball twice for 18 yards, including a 14-yard gain on third and 10, and would have scored had a 40-yard touchdown run not been called back because of holding on left tackle Conor McDermott.

“Conor told me coming in that ‘I’m gonna take [Stephens] out for a steak dinner,’ ” Coach Jim Mora said, referring to his lineman’s mea culpa.

Polamalu said coaches needed to evaluate game footage before determining whether any of the tailbacks had earned more carries. But they had already gained Polamalu’s respect.

“As a group, they’ve stayed together, they didn’t complain, they are helping each other on the sideline,” Polamalu said, “and I thought that was pretty cool.”

Passing on the run

The Bruins were having success with their running game for the first time in more than a month. They had the ball at Oregon State’s one-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Their prospects improved when an offside call against the Beavers moved the ball inside the one on third and goal.

That’s when UCLA decided to … pass?

“Bonehead call I made on the inch-yard line,” Polamalu said after his decision resulted in quarterback Mike Fafaul throwing a pass that was intercepted in the end zone.

Polamalu said he thought there was potential for “an easy completion on the edge” before things got complicated.

“When I called the play,” Polamalu said, “[others on the headsets] yelled, ‘Coach it’s on the inch-yard line!’ We tried to do a little too much but it was a bonehead call putting a kid in that situation. That wasn’t on him.”

Fafaul finished the game passing for 281 yards, giving him 1,060 yards this season. Fafaul and Josh Rosen (1,915 yards) are the only two Bruins quarterbacks to throw for 1,000 yards in the same season.

Hello and goodbye

Austin Kent’s return as the UCLA punter lasted three quarters.

The freshman, who had been benched for the previous two games, averaged 35.8 yards on five punts before being replaced by Stefan Flintoft in the fourth quarter. Kent punted away from Oregon State return specialist Victor Bolden Jr. but also the Bruins’ coverage in the second quarter, allowing Rahmel Dockery a mostly open field for a 39-yard return that set up a Beavers touchdown.

Mora had said this week he was recommitting to Kent and freshman kicker J.J. Molson, who had a more successful return. Molson shrugged off back-to-back timeouts by Oregon State late in the first half to kick a career-long 49-yard field goal.

Quick hits

UCLA freshman receiver Theo Howard’s five catches equaled his previous season total. … UCLA’s game against USC will start at 7:30 p.m. and be televised by Fox.

Times staff writer Jesse Dougherty contributed to this report.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twtiter: @latbbolch