UCLA 34, Texas 12 (final)
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Good thing UCLA really enjoyed itself in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, because it’s doubtful the Bruins will be invited back anytime soon.
The Longhorns aren’t used to being treated this way on their own football field -- or any football field for that matter.
So much for those warnings that Texas was a lot different football team than it was in 1997, the last time UCLA visited.
The 34-12 margin of the Bruins’ victory made this one closer -- the ’97 game was a 66-3 Bruins victory, the Longhorns’ worst-ever loss at home -- but Texas didn’t play too much better.
The Longhorns, who had eight turnovers in what became known as ‘Rout 66,’ had five turnovers on Saturday.
Texas’ other problem: UCLA (2-2) played great.
UCLA’s new ‘pistol’ offense, which lacked any kind of firepower in losses to Kansas State and Stanford to open the season, ran all over Texas’ highly regarded defense.
The Longhorns (3-1) came in with the nation’s top-rated rushing defense, giving up only 44 yards a game.
UCLA had three runners surpass that individually: Jonathan Franklin had 114 yards and a touchdown in 18 carries, Derrick Coleman had 95 yards in 17 carries and quarterback Kevin Prince ran for 49 yards and touchdown in 13 carries.
The Bruins’ total rushing: 264 yards.
In a postgame television interview, Coach Rick Neuheisel credited the new offense’s potential for confounding defenses.
‘We have this new thing called the pistol ... ‘ he said. ‘The kids are getting better at it.’
Prince, maligned for his performances in the Bruins’ two losses, ran the offense efficiently despite passing for only 27 yards. He accounted for two touchdowns, a one-yard pass to Ricky Marvray that gave the Bruins the lead in the first quarter and a 38-yard run near the end of the third quarter that made the score 27-6.
Neuheisel credited the No. 7-ranked Longhorns for being ‘a really good football team’ but said Saturday ‘wasn’t their day.’
As for the Bruins?
‘For a night,’ he said, ‘it’s a blast.’
--Mike Hiserman
UCLA 27, Texas 6 (end of third quarter)
UCLA continues to dominate Texas on the ground. The Bruins answered the Longhorns’ field goal with a 50-yard scoring drive, which was set up by Josh Smith’s 45-yard kickoff return.
Quarterback Kevin Prince sprinted untouched around left end for a 38-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.
UCLA 20, Texas 6 (late in third quarter)
Texas scratched out a 47-yard, nine-play drive to set up a field by Justin Tucker.
His 40-yard kick was his second of the game and so far the only points the Longhorns can muster.
UCLA 20, Texas 3 (early in third quarter)
The Bruins just ground the Longhorns under cleat to start the second half to take a 17-point lead.
UCLA went 80 yards, 73 of it on the ground, in eight plays. Johnathan Franklin gained 56 of the yards, including an 11-yard touchdown run where he shed two tacklers.
UCLA 13, Texas 3 (halftime)
A sloppy game was titling UCLA’s way at halftime Saturday as the Bruins turned Texas mistakes into points for a 13-3 lead at Memorial Stadium.
The Longhorns turned the ball over four times, three on fumbles. The Bruins were hardly crisp themselves with three fumbles. The difference: They were converting Longhorn mistakes into points.
The Bruins’ defense has been stingy, allowing only 129 total yards in the half.
Texas is ranked No. 1 in the nation in rushing defense, giving up only 44 yards a game. But Derrick Coleman had 41 yards in seven carries and Johnathan Franklin had 40 yards in nine carries.
UCLA’s pass protection was poor, as quarterback Kevin Prince twice fumbled when the Longhorns’ pass rush got to him. Prince did connect with Ricky Marvray for an early score following a Texas turnover.
Bruins kicker Kai Forbath has made two of three field-goal attempts.
UCLA 13, Texas 3 (late in the second quarter)
The generosity of Texas seems to know no limits.
A bad hand-off exchange between quarterback Garrett Gilbert and running back Fozzy Whitaker resulted in a fumble recovery by UCLA’s Patrick Larimore at the Texas 33-yard line.
Kai Forbath kicked a 49-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead with 3:55 left in the half.
UCLA 10, Texas 3 (midway through second quarter)
After UCLA’s defense held Texas on fourth down, the Bruins’ running game found some room. Derrick Coleman went through a big hole for 19-yard gain.
Moments later, Johnathan Franklin broke three tackles on a 19-yard run. The drive ended in a 39-yard field goal by Kai Forbath for a 10-3 Bruins lead with 5:32 left in the half.
UCLA 7, Texas 3 (early in second quarter)
Texas’ punt returner Curtis Brown had the ball knocked loose by UCLA”s Sean Westgate, with Dalton Hilliard recovering to give UCLA the ball on the four-yard line.
Three plays later, Kevin Prince rolled to his right and found Ricky Marvray in the end zone for a one-yard touchdown pass and a 7-3 lead with 11:07 left in the half.
Texas 3, UCLA 0 (end of first quarter)
Texas took advantage of a turnover, unlike UCLA, to go up 3-0. The Bruins’ Johnathan Franklin lost the ball when hit by Texas’ Aaron Williams. Sam Acho recovered the loose ball, which led to a 31-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.
UCLA had an opportunity to take an early lead after linebacker Akeem Ayers separated Garrett Gilbert from the ball. Cassius Marsh returned the fumble to the Texas 20-yard line.
Three plays later, the Bruins were backed up 11 yards. Kai Forbath missed a 49-yard field goal attempt with four minutes left in the first quarter.
Pregame
UCLA has high hopes heading into today’s game at Texas.
“These guys are ranked No. 7, so it gives us a chance to go out there and pad our resume,” defensive tackle David Carter said this week.
The Bruins’ resume thus far includes being run over by Kansas State and beaten into submission by Stanford, as well as victory over then No. 23-ranked Houston.
Houston was jettisoned from the polls this week after the 31-13 loss to the Bruins last Saturday.
So a victory over Texas would be a watershed moment for UCLA.
“It’s going to be tough,” Carter said. “They are big up front and got a lot of depth. They know what they’re doing. We can’t just go out there and expect to do like we did against Houston. This is a chance a lot of people don’t get.”
Carter, though, said the Bruins will not be intimidated today in Austin.
“We play USC every year, a team is a team,” Carter said. “It is who brings the better team that day. These guys are a great team. Our plan is to bring the better team.”
--Chris Foster, reporting from Austin, Texas
