WSU @ UCLA: Video Highlights

Kai Forbath was a guest on the 570KLAC pre-game radio show in Lot H. Fortunately there was no need to smuggle him into the Bruins lineup as Tyler Gonzalez did fine in his debut (two PAT's and no field goal attempts). Forbath has some free time on his hands since being placed on Reserve/NFI by the Cowboys. Earlier in the week he visited the Bruins practice. Great to see him in town.

The memory of Cade McNown loomed over the stadium...ah, for the days of an All-America QB.

On to the highlights.

After two 1st quarter 3-and-out possessions, the Bruins got un-tracked in the 2nd quarter. Richard Brehaut completed two passes before being helped off the field with a fractured lower left leg. Get well quick, Richard! Kevin Prince came in and kept the drive going. His bomb to Nelson Rosario was nearly a touchdown. After review, UCLA ball at the one yard line. Unlike the Stanford game, Derrick Coleman's second rush resulted in the Bruin's first touchdown, followed by Tyler Gonzalez' debut. UCLA led 7-6.

Down 9-7 in the 3rd quarter, UCLA scored its second TD. Passes to Rosario (21 yards) and Jordon James (17 yards) got the ball to the 3-yard line. Coleman would again need two rushes to get the ball over for a second TD. Another Gonzalez PAT and the Bruins retook the lead 14-9.

By early 4th quarter WSU had taken and then extended the lead 22-14. Two big ground gains, Johnathan Franklin for 32 yards and Prince scrambling for 18 yards (after one-handing a wide snap), setup Prince's 9-yard TD pass to Josh Smith. (Rats, I messed up on the TD) Gonzalez relaxed as the two-point conversion failed. (It didn't take a South Campus guy to do the math) UCLA is within one field goal 20-22.

With UCLA down by 2 points, Gonzalez might have started getting a little nervous about a potential game-winning field goal, but WSU came back with a 47-yard field to push the lead to 25-20. With 5:49 left, UCLA decided clock management be damned with a 58-yard bomb to Rosario who brought it in one-handed, ending up on the WSU 10 yard line. (Much better than running out of time) Prince found Shaquelle Evans for a 7-yard TD (Evans had a facial laceration and a slight concussion, but is expected to be available for Arizona). Then Prince passed to Rosario for the two-point conversion. UCLA up 28-25 with 3:26 to play. 

3:26 is a lot of time. My fingers were starting to get numb as the late night chill began to set in. No way this goes to OT, right? Please no! WSU quickly gains two first downs - great. Then...

Thank you Andrew Abbott!

Game Over.