UCLA’s Domination Over California Finally Ends

There was a wild celebration on the field at Memorial Stadium late Saturday afternoon. California fans ran about and tried to tear down the metal goal posts to signify the end of the “streak.”

The goal posts held up but UCLA’s 18-game winning streak over Cal that began in 1972 didn’t.

The Bears held on to beat UCLA, 38-31, and kept their Rose Bowl hopes alive. Cal is 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference and 5-2 overall. The Bruins fell to 2-2 in league play and 3-4 for the season.

California, with its dominating running game, outplayed UCLA in the first half, leading, 27-10.

UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said his team played “embarrassingly poor” in the first 30 minutes.

However, the Bruins came back in the second half and were on the verge of tying--or winning--the game with four minutes remaining.

UCLA was at the Cal 14-yard line, second down and six, when quarterback Tommy Maddox retreated to pass.

He was hit by blitzing safety Michael Davis and fumbled. Cal defensive tackle Joel Dickson recovered at the 25-yard line with 3:43 left.

The Bears ran out the clock, prompting the pandemonium that followed.

“In the second half we played like a good football team,” Donahue said. “In the first half we were poor in every facet of the game.”

Cal, with its improved running game, featuring tailbacks Anthony Wallace and Russell White, had 193 yards on the ground in the first half and added 118 in the second. Overall, Wallace rushed for 134 yards. White had 125.

When Maddox lined up his team at the Cal 14 late in the game, it seemed that the streak could be preserved.

“I was looking for (wide receiver) Reggie Moore in the corner of the end zone, but he was covered,” Maddox said.

His next option was to throw to flanker Michael Moore. He never got a chance to exercise it.

“I just held the ball too long,” said Maddox, who added that he was aware of the defensive pressure.

UCLA trailed, 38-17, early in the fourth quarter, but surged on scoring drives of 80 and 56 yards.

Fullback Kevin Smith got the first touchdown on a one-yard run, and flanker Scott Miller recovered Reggie Moore’s fumble in the end zone after he carried a pass by Maddox to the three-yard line.

On Cal’s next series, Wallace was hit by linebacker Roman Phifer. Wallace fumbled and Phifer recovered at the Bears’ 37-yard line.

On second down, Maddox found Reggie Moore slanting over the middle for a 19-yard gain.

The Bears blitzed Maddox on second down, but the quarterback got off a four-yard completion to split end Sean LaChapelle.

Then, Maddox fumbled and the Bears survived a scare.

“I thought he had a long time to throw it,” Donahue said. “I kept saying, ‘Throw it, throw it.’ But nobody came open, or Tommy couldn’t find anyone. It was good coverage by Cal.”

Donahue was asked if he was prepared to go for a two-point conversion to try to win the game or a kick to tie it near the end. He wouldn’t reveal what he might have done, saying, “I’ll take it to my grave.”

The Bears virtually buried UCLA’s Rose Bowl hopes. Teams seldom get to Pasadena with two defeats, and Washington, 4-0 in conference competition, is seemingly Rose Bowl bound.

Cal, which finished in last place in the Pac-10 in 1988 and 1989, is an improved team that plays Washington and USC on the road the next two weeks.

UCLA was playing without injured linebacker Arnold Ale and defensive linemen Mike Chalenski and Siitupe Tuala, part of the explanation for UCLA’s sagging defense, especially in the first half.

“The coach got on us pretty good at halftime,” linebacker Rocen Keeton said. “We had a better attitude in the second half.”

Because Cal won by seven points, a strange play in the first quarter became more meaningful.

The Bears led, 10-0, when quarterback Mike Pawlawski pitched the ball toward where he thought White would be. White wasn’t there.

The play was designed for White to get the pitchout and throw. Instead, Pawlawski picked up the loose ball and teamed with fullback Greg Zomalt on a 49-yard pass play to the UCLA four. The Bears scored on the next play to improve their lead to 17-0.

“We gained more yards on that play than we could have imagined,” White said.

That’s how streaks come to an end, too.

UCLA Notes

Written on a blackboard in the Cal dressing room were the words: “Think sack.” The Bears had UCLA off balance in the first half with their blitzing tactics. Tommy Maddox completed only four of 10 passes for 40 yards. For the game, he was 16 of 33 for 220 yards and one touchdown. . . . UCLA linebacker Rocen Keeton said that Coach Terry Donahue mentioned the streak to the team, saying “You didn’t inherit it,” meaning that the team had to prove itself. . . . Cal tailback Russell White was asked if the victory over the Bruins would make people believe the Bears are serious Rose Bowl contenders. “If they don’t, they better realize it pretty quick,” he said. “Somebody better open their eyes.” . . . The Bears had 466 yards in total offense to UCLA’s 350.