Bruins rally and take Cougars
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) Derrick Coleman rushed for 185 yards and three touchdowns, Johnathan Franklin added 216 rushing yards and UCLA scored twice in the fourth quarter for a 42-28 victory over Washington State on Saturday.
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Richard Brehaut passed for 128 yards and scored the go-ahead TD on a keeper early in the fourth quarter while filling in for injured starter Kevin Prince for the Bruins (3-2, 1-1, Pac-10), who won their third straight after an 0-2 start.
The Bruins rolled up 565 yards against the Cougars, including 437 on the ground. UCLA had two rushers with more than 180 yards apiece for the first time in school history.
Yet UCLA still trailed Washington State (1-4, 0-2) by eight points in the second half before rallying to avoid a letdown in the Bruins' first game since a stunning 34-12 road win over Texas last week.
Jeff Tuel went 20 for 37 for 311 yards and two touchdowns for Washington State, lost its 13th straight game against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents, largely due to a shaky run defense that entered the game ranked 108th in the nation and couldn't hold a second-half lead.
Washington State thought it had reclaimed the lead on a 1-yard keeper by Tuel early in the fourth quarter, but replay officials ruled the quarterback was down at the 1. James Montgomery was then stopped short of the goal line on fourth down.
UCLA promptly marched 99 yards, highlighted by Coleman's 73-yard run and Brehaut's go-ahead score with 10:08 remaining. Following a missed field goal by the Cougars, Coleman ran in from 4 yards out with just over three minutes left to cushion the lead.
Brehaut went 12 of 23 in his first career start. Prince injured his right knee during the first half of UCLA's win at Texas, and had his knee drained of fluid last Sunday before missing practice.
Tuel hooked up with Jeffrey Solomon and Daniel Blackledge on first-half touchdowns. Montgomery rushed for 45 yards for the Cougars, who took a 21-20 lead on the opening drive of the third quarter, capped by Montgomery's 3-yard scoring run.
Franklin fumbled on the Bruins' ensuing possession, and Myron Beck returned it 21 yards to the UCLA 20. Six plays later, Montgomery scored from 1 yard out, pushing the Cougars' advantage to 28-20 and quieting a nervous Rose Bowl crowd.
The Bruins answered with a TD plunge by Coleman and a 2-point conversion to tie it moments before the fourth quarter.