It’s a Wonderful Day for the Bruin Offense : UCLA: Shah runs for 135 yards and Cook passes for 218 as team scores four touchdowns in second half.

His name resounded from all over the Rose Bowl on Saturday, with his high school coach yelling at him from the stands and his former roommate calling to him from the sideline--the wrong sideline. Sharmon Shah, known to his friends as “Hollywood,” laughed later as he talked about USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson taunting him before plays.

“He was screaming my name--Hollywood,” Shah said, “and I wanted to tell the refs over there to get him.”

It would take a lot more than that to get to Shah, who rushed for 135 yards in 25 carries and scored the go-ahead touchdown in UCLA’s 31-19 victory over USC. There seemingly wasn’t much that could get any of the Bruins down. Even a demoralizing series in the second quarter when they were inside the three-yard line and failed to score on seven consecutive plays didn’t break their spirit.

“I came in with a smile and I am leaving with a Kool-Aid smile,” J.J Stokes said.

Shah’s running, coupled with 218 yards passing by Wayne Cook and six receptions and a touchdown by Stokes helped give UCLA its biggest victory in a disappointing season.

“When I look back (at my season), definitely this game will be the highlight,” Stokes said.

For Stokes and Cook, both seniors, Saturday was an opportunity to showcase for the pros, though Stokes doesn’t need to show much to anyone. His decision to return to UCLA for his senior season rather than make himself available for the NFL draft was often criticized after he battled a nagging leg injury that sidelined him for most of the season. Still, he set UCLA career records for most touchdown catches (28), most receiving yards (2,467) and most receptions (154).

“I learned not to take anything for granted, nothing is for sure, I just have to go out and take advantage of every situation, and I did that by staying in school,” Stokes said. “Unfortunately I got hurt but I have no regrets.

“I still feel great. I have no control over being injured, so I just have to move on.”

It’s no coincidence that since Stokes has returned to play full time--the last three games--Cook has led the Bruins to victory. Stokes is such a presence on the field that he distracts the defense whether Cook throws to him or not. Since Stokes returned to the starting lineup, the Bruins have scored 121 points. In the eight games before, they scored 118.

“J.J. is just J.J.,” Cook said. “He just makes teams respect his ability and makes everybody else play better. Here’s a guy that could be out there and if he didn’t even have a catch today it wouldn’t matter. He makes everybody better because they have to worry about him.”

Cook, booed off the field during one game this season, finished his career strong. His 34 touchdown passes rank third on the Bruins’ all-time list. Against USC, he completed 15 of 23 passes, two for touchdowns, and scored on a quarterback sneak. He had one interception.

“I feel good to have won three in a row and to show people that I wasn’t done and that I can play,” Cook said.

After Stokes caught a 10-yard pass from Cook in the end zone two minutes into the third quarter, Shah had a five-yard touchdown run through the right side of the line to give the Bruins a 17-12 lead. By then, he had 13 carries for 80 yards.

It was quite a turnaround for the Bruins, who went into the locker room at halftime trailing, 12-3, and having lost Kevin Jordan, who suffered a sprained knee.

“I was frustrated but I knew how this game would go,” Shah said. “I knew we would come back, but I didn’t think we would win by a couple of touchdowns. I thought it would come down to one touchdown or a two-point conversion.

“I really wanted to be a part of a team that went down as the first team in (UCLA) history that beat SC four years in a row.”