Game Report

FIRST QUARTER

UCLA 7, Ohio State 6

THE SCORING: * UCLA 7, Ohio State 0: Ryan Smith, 24-yard pass from Cory Paus at 7:27. 80-yard drive, 14 plays. PAT--Chris Griffith (kick). * UCLA 7, Ohio State 6: Ricky Bryant recovered blocked punt in end zone at 3:31. PAT--Kick failed.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins, who had converted on only one of 13 third-down situations in their first two games, were four for four on their scoring drive. The biggest third-down play came on third-and-12 from Buckeye 41. The Bruins came up with a trick play that resembled a fumblerooski, only it wasn’t. Quarterback Cory Paus picked up the live ball off the ground and pitched it--essentially snapping the ball--to DeShaun Foster, who went around left end for 16 yards and a first down. The play seemed to fool everyone, including ABC, which failed to show a replay.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Two plays before the trick play, Foster fumbled the ball and it rolled backward. Teammate Bryce Bohlander recovered. One play after the trick play, UCLA was called for illegal formation, and then Foster fumbled again on the next play when he was hit hard by Ohio State’s Tim Cheatwood. This time UCLA’s Troy Danoff recovered. Paus’ scoring pass to Smith came on the next play.

STAT WATCH: The Buckeyes had two rushing yards in three carries. Buckeye safety Mike Doss was awarded 17 return yards when he blocked the Nate Fikse punt that Bryant recovered for a touchdown--even thought there was no return. The ball almost bounced out of the end zone before Bryant recovered it. But, statistically, since the Bruins were kicking from their own 17, the yards had to be accounted for.

SECOND QUARTER

UCLA 10, Ohio State 6

THE SCORING: * UCLA 10, Ohio State 6: Griffith, 49-yard field goal at 2:31. 39-yard drive, 10 plays.

TURNING POINT: On the first play of the second quarter, Ohio State kicker Mike Nugent was wide right on a 28-yard field-goal attempt. Nugent had also missed the PAT attempt after the Buckeyes’ first-quarter touchdown wide right. The Buckeyes were at the UCLA 15 after Bruin tight end Bryan Fletcher, hit hard by Donnie Nickey, fumbled and Cie Grant returned the ball 35 yards. Ohio State was hurt by a holding penalty.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: After UCLA’s Griffth missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt, Ohio State went back to work. It faced a third-and-nine at its own 24 after quarterback Steve Bellisari was brought down by linebacker Robert Thomas. Bellisari appeared to aggravate his injured left ankle. On the next play, a throw over the middle was intercepted by Marques Anderson.

STAT WATCH: Ohio State finished the first half with two first downs, 11 rushing yards and 36 passing yards. UCLA had 10 first downs, 81 rushing yards and 149 passing yards.

THIRD QUARTER

UCLA 13, Ohio State 6

THE SCORING: * UCLA 13, Ohio State 6: Griffith, 33-yard field goal at 3:00. 64-yard drive, 10 plays.

TURNING POINT: The Buckeyes had a chance to score at least a field goal after another Foster fumble, this one recovered by Cheatwood. They had a first down at the UCLA nine. But a sack by Anderson and a false-start penalty pushed the Buckeyes back and they had to try another field goal. This time they went with Josh Huston, who was wide left.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Catches by tight end Mike Seidman on back-to-back plays, good for 18 yards and 21 yards, helped put the Bruins in position for another field goal.

STAT WATCH: Ohio State had only six first downs and 36 passing yards after three quarters.

FOURTH QUARTER

UCLA 13, Ohio State 6

No scoring.

TURNING POINT: On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ohio State’s Matt Wilhelm was hit with a facemask penalty when he threw Paus for a 10-yard loss. (After the play, Wilhelm went over to Paus to apologize.) Instead of having UCLA backed up to its own 29, the Bruins had a first down at their 46. Two plays later, Foster fumbled again when hit by Cheatwood and Doss recovered. Ohio State got to the UCLA 30 but didn’t try a field goal this time. On fourth and eight, Bellisari, pressured by Steve Morgan, threw a pass that was nearly intercepted by Joe Hunter. Hunter caught the ball but fell backward out of bounds.

NOT IN THE SUMMARY: Ohio State got one more chance when UCLA punt returner Craig Bragg fumbled a punt and Angelo Chattams recovered at the UCLA 38. The Buckeyes gained only three yards and lost the ball on downs. Foster, a Heisman Trophy candidate, was booed after his fourth fumble.

STAT WATCH: UCLA fumbled seven times, losing four. The Bruins haven’t given up single digits in scoring since the opening game of the 1999 season, a 38-7 victory over Boise State.

S Larry Stewart