Hicks Held in Check, Not Lefty

The “Hicks for Heisman” campaign fell victim to a Houston defense that was bent on making sure UCLA’s leading running back didn’t beat the Cougars.

Skip Hicks ran 14 times for only 31 yards, though he did score two touchdowns. It was his lowest yardage output since he had only eight yards in seven carries in a 41-21 loss to Washington last season.

“One of the things they were doing was playing some nine-man fronts on first down,” UCLA Coach Bob Toledo said. “They were really crowding the ball on first down.

“No question [Houston had stacked its defense against Hicks]. On first down, they weren’t going to let us run the football and they did a good job. Skip had a hard time running the football, but it opened up the passing game.

“When they say they’re going to take away the run and make you play left-handed, so to speak, well the left-hander was hot and did a great job.”

Left-handed quarterback Cade McNown completed 11 of 14 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, playing only in the first half.

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McNown’s passing yardage moved him past Troy Aikman and Tommy Maddox into second place on the UCLA all-time list with 5,544 yards. Tom Ramsey tops the list with 6,168 yards.

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UCLA’s backup quarterback, Drew Bennett, played for the second time as a collegian, coming on with 11:11 to play in the third quarter. Bennett, who had also played in garbage time at Texas and threw one pass [incomplete], connected with Gabe Crecion for nine yards on his first pass, Rodney Lee for 32 yards on his second and Ryan Neufeld for an 11-yard touchdown on his third.

He threw only once more, incomplete.

For Neufeld, a converted linebacker, the touchdown reception was his also his first reception as a collegian.

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Freshman Brian Poli-Dixon caught touchdown passes of 31 and 15 yards on plays that were put into the offense for him during the week to take advantage of his size. Poli-Dixon is 6 feet 4, 200 pounds, reminding some of former UCLA receiver J.J. Stokes, who was in attendance Saturday.

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UCLA’s 56-point margin of victory was its largest at the Rose Bowl, and its 66 points for the second time this season is the first time since the 1954 season. . . . The loss was Houston’s worst ever, eclipsing the Cougars’ 61-7 thrashing at Michigan in 1992.