A Texas Two-Stomp

The only people who left the Rose Bowl horizontal Saturday afternoon were the Texas Longhorns, trashed again and apparently in such desperate need of salvaging something from this home-and-home series that they grabbed on to the prideful second half. The one that came after they trailed by 32 points.

So much for being motivated. In place of that he’s-a-dead-man threat by defensive end Aaron Humphrey against UCLA quarterback Cade McNown, whether delivered with actual or comedic intent, the Bruins played the undertakers in an often-overwhelming game for the second season in a row, burying Texas, 49-31, before 73,070 to record a school-record 11th consecutive victory.

It wasn’t 66-3--the final a year ago today in Austin, the one that supposedly would offer some motivation for the Longhorns in the rematch--but it was impressive, especially for starters. UCLA, mostly living up to every expectation that came with the No. 6 ranking, its highest to open a season in nine years, had 584 yards in offense, 113 from tailback Jermaine Lewis in his first start. McNown contributed another 339, along with three touchdowns, on 20-of-30 passing.

“Yeah,” Lewis said, “he’s still alive.”

He’s not the only one.

The receiving corps trying to replace Jim McElroy’s 47 catches and 11 touchdowns came through with big contributions from Freddie Mitchell (108 yards and a score in four receptions and a touchdown pass on the option), Brian Poli-Dixon (five for 78 yards) and Danny Farmer (81 yards and a score in four grabs).

The running game looking for a successor to Skip Hicks combined to average a commendable five yards a carry and total 217 yards, with freshman DeShaun Foster looking as if he has already moved up to No. 2 at tailback.

The defense trying to replace almost everybody--seven of the 11 players who started the 1997 finale are gone--surrendered only 10 points the first three quarters, before Ricky Williams scored all three of his touchdowns in the final 12:49.

The inability to close strong, whether because of fatigue in that it was the first game of the season or because it was only a matter of time before the talented Williams broke, will remain as one of the two bits of bad news. That, and the series with the Longhorns is over.

What’s a Bruin to do? In the two games within a calendar year, they recorded two dominating victories, this time over a team that was ranked 23rd, and combined to outscore Texas, 115-34, and outgain Texas, 766-534.

UCLA will instead have to settle for picking on Boise State and Fresno State in the home nonconference schedule next season.

The Longhorns never had a chance, either time. It was 38-0 at halftime a year ago and 35-3 at the Rose Bowl, but it might have been worse in ‘98, UCLA having rampaged without benefit of prime field position off Texas turnovers. Saturday, it was more like brute force.

“We knew if we set the tempo, Texas would be like, ‘Man, another 66-3,’ ” Mitchell said. “If it could be bam, bam, bam, it could really get to their self esteem.”

Said Lewis: “As a team, we talked how we wanted to jump on them early to take that emotion--they came in looking for revenge--out of them early.”

The Bruins did more than talk about it. Getting the opening kickoff when the Longhorns deferred until the second half, UCLA needed only 2:42 to score, seven plays to go 80 yards.

The option reverse capped it, Mitchell taking the handoff from Lewis and hitting Poli-Dixon in stride for a 34-yard scoring pass, the first of many times the Texas secondary got torched.

The Longhorns went three-and-punt. The Bruins, merely getting warmed up, went eight and in, 67 yards in all by the time Lewis used the lead block from UCLA’s other first-time starter in the backfield, Durell Price, to go in from the three.

The next possession, after a Texas field goal, the next score. Lewis again, this time from the seven, one play after Mitchell kept the reverse and gained 30 yards. It was 21-3 at the end of the first quarter.

It was over.

The Longhorns went to Plan B, the moral victory, and even that was little more than lip service. They were pleased they didn’t give up, that being the lone accomplishment.

“We said we’re not going to let them score 66 on us again,” said Humphrey, who contended all along his McNown comments were in jest, even if the Bruins never quite got the joke. “The hell with that. We’re going to play four quarters.”

It was in the final one the Longhorns scored 21 points, but even that couldn’t get them within two touchdowns. Only self respect.

“We had three points at halftime,” Humphrey said. “They had 35. We just got fired up.”

They apparently didn’t want to rush into it.

If the Longhorns were standing tall at the end, the Bruins were the only ones standing, at 1-0 and bound for another step up in the polls because of Florida State’s loss to North Carolina State.

UCLA had a school record, Bob Toledo had his first win in an opener in three years as coach, and everyone had a glimpse at what could be.

“We came out and wanted to prove we were ready to play,” Farmer said. “I think we did a good job of that.”