Picture Perfect

There have been several big ploys: Coach Bob Toledo trying to motivate his defensive unit by winning a coin toss and deciding to receive. Coach Bob Toledo trying to motivate his defensive coaches by torching them in public. Coach Bob Toledo trying to play interior decorator by posting in the locker room most any anti-UCLA comment he could find.

But there have been more big plays, those that have carried the Bruins to No. 3 in the polls and No. 2 in the bowl championship series rankings and in position to possibly clinch a berth in the national-title game by winning Saturday at Miami.

“I’ve had teams make big plays before,” Toledo said Monday as his 10-0 team returned from a four-day holiday break to prepare for the Hurricanes and the game that could send them to the Fiesta Bowl. “But probably not as many to win games.”

Some were early, but were big plays because of what they meant for the long haul. Some were late and, indeed, won games.

But all have left their mark on a remarkable Bruin season.

1. OCT. 31 vs. STANFORD

Situation: UCLA led, 28-24, but Stanford was driving late in the fourth quarter. The Cardinal, a decided underdog, had first and 10 on the Bruin 27 with about 4 1/2 minutes left.

Play: John Husak dropped back and spotted Jeff Allen down the middle, behind cornerback Marques Anderson. Allen caught the pass and headed to the end zone for the touchdown that would give Stanford a 30-28 lead, and probably 31-28 with the extra point, and maybe even 32-28 if Cardinal Coach Tyrone Willingham wanted to gamble and deny the Bruins the chance to get overtime with a field goal. But Anderson--who hadn’t practiced all week because of turf toe, who was listed as doubtful most of the week, who didn’t know he would play until about 10 minutes before kickoff--swung his right arm while pursuing and raked the ball free when Allen was about two steps away from the goal line. “The guy came out of nowhere,” Allen said. Safety Larry Atkins recovered in the end zone for a touchback, preserving the 28-24 final.

Comment: “Luckily, it came out,” Anderson said. “Sometimes, that’s where your big plays come from. Luck.”

2. NOV. 7 at OREGON STATE

Situation: Oregon State was 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the conference, but had a tie at 24-24 in the third quarter, 31-31 with 3:42 left in the game and, finally, 34-34 with 31 seconds remaining. Jose Cortez shanked the ensuing kickoff, sending it only to the UCLA 39. That gave the the Bruins first and 10, still with 31 seconds showing. Beaver Coach Mike Riley was talking on the headphones with his offensive coordinator upstairs and with his quarterback on the sideline, setting the game plan for overtime.

Play: UCLA flooded the zone defense, sending three receivers to the right side, the usual prime targets, Danny Farmer and Brian Poli-Dixon, and Brad Melsby, who had seven catches all season. But when cornerback Andrae Holland committed to Farmer, it allowed Melsby to break free. Cade McNown spotted Melsby running alone down the right side and hit him at about the 25. Melsby took it the rest of the way for the touchdown that produced the 41-34 victory.

Comment: “I lost the game,” Holland said. “I blew the coverage. I can’t really explain it. They ran a three-receiver set. I was supposed to be deep, and I wasn’t.”

3. OCT. 10 AT ARIZONA

Situation: UCLA was down several starters because of injury and suspension, but had a 31-28 edge at the end of the third quarter in its first big test of the season. It would have been tied, but Arizona’s Michael Johnson had missed a 49-yard field goal. The Bruins took over for their first possession of the last quarter at their 32. DeShaun Foster ran for four yards. That made it second and six on the 36.

Play: McNown and Farmer hooked up on a 64-yard touchdown pass, one of many times they would combine in clutch moments. This one not only provided a 38-28 cushion, but also moved McNown into a tie with Tom Ramsey for first place on UCLA’s list for scoring pass.

Comment: It was not a game-winning play, but was big nonetheless, breaking open a close game when the Bruins were playing several backups in a difficult environment. When Keith Brown charged 54 yards for another touchdown on their next play, it allowed them to run out the clock on the ground behind a dominating offensive line.

4. OCT. 17 vs. OREGON

Situation: The Bruins and Ducks had gone back and forth at the Rose Bowl, offering a big play, only to have the other team match it--Farmer catches a touchdown pass from McNown on a 60-yard play with 2:36 remaining, Oregon scores on the next possession to tie the game again, etc. It was 38-38 in overtime, when UCLA won the toss and chose to begin on defense. The Duck drive began on the Bruin 25.

Play: Plays, actually. Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo sacked Akili Smith on first down for a loss of nine yards and then again on second down for three more, putting Oregon in a hole from which it wouldn’t recover. It was third and 22 when Smith threw incomplete and then, on fourth down, an interception by Ryan Roques allowed the Bruins to take over and get the game-winning field goal from Chris Sailer.

Comment: “You could tell we stepped it up a whole ‘nother level in the overtime,” Ayanbadejo said of the defense.

5. OCT. 24 at CALIFORNIA

Situation: UCLA led, 21-9, but Cal was threatening with about six minutes left in the third quarter, with first and goal from the two. Tailback Marcus Fields went over left guard and was stopped for no gain by Santi Hall. Quarterback Justin Vedder threw to Corey Smith in the end zone, and Smith dropped the ball. A pitch to Fields gained one. It was fourth and one, and Cal Coach Tom Holmoe switched quarterbacks, to the stronger Samuel Clemons.

Play: The Bruins, seeing Clemons, played for the keeper. They guessed right. Clemons pushed forward, but the defensive line walled him off from the goal line, specifically Ken Kocher and Tony White. In what might have been the greatest moment of the season for the oft-maligned defense, Clemons was stopped for no gain.

Comment: “That was big,” defensive line Coach Terry Tumey said. “It was huge. Right there, it’s a gut check for Cal, it’s a gut check for us. To see who wants it more. . . . It doesn’t only change the complexion of the game, but shows our guys what they’re capable of.”

6. OCT. 24 at CALIFORNIA

Situation: Cal’s tough defense had lived up to its billing, holding the Bruins to 21 points through three quarters. The Bear offense, meanwhile, had scored 16 points, on drives of two yards after a fumble recovery and 52 yards, and a safety. UCLA had the ball at the start of the fourth quarter, looking to find some breathing room. The Bruins had moved the ball down to the 30 and had second and nine.

Play: Jermaine Lewis took the handoff from McNown, headed right and spotted Jon Dubravac, wide open behind cornerback Drae Harris. Lewis hit Dubravac in stride, over his right shoulder, for the 28-16 lead. That held up as the final score.

Comment: Toledo loves trick plays. This one made sure the great showing by the Bruin defense would not go to waste.

7. OCT. 17 vs. OREGON

Situation: The Bruins were in overtime because Chris Sailer, bothered by a strained groin that would dog him for weeks, had missed a 21-yard field goal wide left on the final play of regulation. They got the ball back when Oregon failed to score in the first drive of the extra period, beginning with first down at the Duck 25. Brown went off right tackle for six yards, then again for seven yards, earning a first down. UCLA ran three more plays, all conservative: Craig Walendy up the middle, Brown up the middle, Walendy up the middle. It was fourth and four from the six.

Play: Sailer kicked the game-winning field goal from 24 yards out, gaining redemption and hero status.

Comment: “I’m just glad they gave me another chance,” Sailer said.

8. SEPT. 19 at HOUSTON

Situation: It had already been a tough day for the Bruins, who were battling the heat and humidity and bad field conditions and had lost Freddie Mitchell and Kenyon Coleman to injuries. And now Houston, a four-touchdown underdog, was within 35-24 and about to get the ball back. UCLA had third and 17 on its own 32, meaning failure to get a first down would give the Cougars the chance to narrow the gap.

Play: Farmer went down the right sideline, cornerback William Fields right with him. McNown threw a perfect pass, Farmer kept his concentration amid tight coverage and made the catch before being knocked out of bounds at the Houston 27. The 41-yard play kept alive the drive that was capped by Lewis’ three-yard scoring run. That made for a 42-24 final score.

Comment: The first of many clutch catches for Farmer in 1998.

9. SEPT. 12 vs. TEXAS

Situation: It was the first drive of the first game of the first season without star runner Skip Hicks and star receiver Jim McElroy, and the question was whether the Bruins could replace them. At least for a few minutes. They had already driven to the Texas 34 on second and six.

Play: Mitchell, the backup flanker, threw an option pass to Poli-Dixon, hitting his target in stride for the touchdown.

Comment: It was early in a game the Bruins would win easily. But it also set the tone for a wide-open offense, no matter who wasn’t still around.

10. NOV. 14 at WASHINGTON

Situation: UCLA, knowing it could clinch the Pacific 10 championship with a victory at Husky Stadium, held a 13-10 lead late in the second quarter. Its offense was struggling, twice getting first down at the Washington 12 and emerging only with a pair of field goals. The Huskies punted from their own 30.

Play: Ryan Roques, who had an 81-yard kickoff return to set up one of the field goals, fielded the punt at the UCLA 23 and headed left. Searching for an opening that would allow him to accelerate to full speed, he broke tackles, then finally got into the clear at about the Washington 30. He was gone from there, bound for the touchdown that gave the Bruins a 20-10 lead with 41 seconds left in the second quarter.

Comment: In a game that was a concern as much because of the environment--potential rain and cold, a notoriously loud crowd--as the opponent, the play by Roques gave the Bruins the momentum. They never relinquished the lead, eventually claiming a 36-24 win and the conference title.

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Top 10 Moments

* 1. Marques Anderson strips Stanford’s John Allen at goal line.

* 2. Cade McNown to Brad Melsby, 61-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left to beat Oregon State.

* 3. McNown to Danny Farmer for 64-yard touchdown that breaks open Arizona game.

* 4. Opening (and closing) defensive series in overtime against Oregon.

* 5. Stopping Cal quarterback on keeper at goal line.

* 6. Halfback touchdown pass to Jon Dubravac against Cal.

* 7. Chris Sailer’s game-winning field goal against Oregon.

* 8. McNown to Farmer, 41-yard pass play to keep drive alive against Houston.

* 9. Flanker option pass for UCLA’s first touchdown of season against Texas.

* 10. Ryan Roques’ 77-yard punt return against Washington.

HONOR ROLL: Cade McNown and Akili Smith are named co-Pac-10 offensive players of the year. Page 5