Bruin up a record
UCLA outslugs Texas 49-31 for 11th straight victory
Posted: Saturday September 12, 1998 09:14 PM
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Cade McNown passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns, as the Bruins scored TDs on five of their six first-half possessions AP |
PASADENA, California (AP) -- At halftime, it appeared UCLA was on its
way to a repeat of 'Rout 66.'
While that didn't turn out to be the case, the Bruins were still
good enough to beat Texas convincingly Saturday for the second
straight year.
Cade McNown passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns as the
sixth-ranked Bruins scored TDs on five of their six first-half
possessions in rolling to a 49-31 season-opening victory over the
No. 23 Longhorns (1-1).
"I'm glad to get this one under our belts," McNown said. "I
do have a good feeling. I feel like we can be a great football
team.
"We weren't as crisp in the second half, we made a lot of
mistakes. We have a lot of work to do."
UCLA's school-record 11-game winning streak began last September 13,
when the Bruins stunned Texas 66-3, the Longhorns' most one-sided
setback in 93 years and their worst homefield loss ever.
"I'm really happy for them," UCLA coach Bob Toledo said of his
players. "They deserved it, they fought hard. Cade McNown did a
great job, he directed the victory. This is not a bad football team
that we beat.
"Our goal is to win the Pac-10 championship and play in a bowl
game, hopefully, the Fiesta."
Toledo referred to the national championship game at Tempe,
Arizona, on January 4.
"You've got to win one game at a time," Toledo said. "We're
not there yet. We're not the finished product."
Ricky Williams became the leading rusher in Texas history by gaining 160 yards on 29 carries AP | |
In last year' game, UCLA benefited from eight turnovers that led
to six touchdowns in what was dubbed "Rout 66."
In this game, played before 73,070 at the Rose Bowl, the
Longhorns turned the ball over just once. But it didn't matter.
Texas couldn't stop the Bruins, especially in the first half when
UCLA took a 35-3 lead.
"We looked like a well-oiled machine in the first half,"
Toledo said. "I must look at the films to see why we broke down so
bad in the second half."
McNown, who led the country in passing efficiency last year,
completed 20 of 30 passes with one interception and no sacks.
He was 13-of-17 for 222 yards and two scores in the first half,
making it 16 straight games in which he has passed for over 200
yards.
Ricky Williams, who led the nation in rushing last year, became
the leading rusher in Texas history by gaining 160 yards on 29
carries, giving him a career total of 4,530 yards. The record of
4,443 yards was set by Earl Campbell, the 1977 Heisman Trophy
winner.
Williams, who ran for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to
make the final score respectable, had one of the least productive
games of his career when the teams met last year, gaining 36 yards
on 13 carries.
He surpassed that total in the first quarter Saturdday, picking
up 45 yards, and passed Campbell on his first carry of the third
quarter.
Williams, who finished fifth, and McNown, who was eighth, are
the two leading returnees from last year's Heisman Trophy
balloting.
"We came out intimidated," Williams said. "Last year, we quit
in the second half. This year, with a better start, we would have
been all right. Our team is stronger this year."
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McNown threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Farmer (right), as UCLA compiled 584 total yards on the day AP |
Texas coach Mack Brown called the second half "a defining
moment for us this year."
"We could have quit, but we didn't," he said. "We have a long
way to go. We are not a good team yet, but with further hard work,
we will be."
Texas quarterback Richard Walton completed 14 of 22 passes for
196 yards without being intercepted. Walton left the game after
injuring his throwing hand early in the fourth quarter, and will be
examined Sunday.
Jermaine Lewis, who scored two touchdowns, led UCLA in rushing
with 113 yards on 22 carries.
Freshman flanker Freddie Mitchell threw a 34-yard touchdown pass
to Brian Poli-Dixon for the game's first touchdown, and caught a
79-yard TD pass from McNown on a third-and-9 play with 7:39
remaining for UCLA's final points.
Mitchell had four catches for 108 yards, and Danny Farmer had
four receptions for 81 yards.
UCLA had scoring drives of 80, 67 and 61 yards in the first
quarter. Lewis scored his team's second and third touchdowns -- on
runs of 3 and 7 yards.
Kris Stockton kicked a 39-yard field goal for Texas in the
opening period.
McNown threw touchdown passes of 25 yards to Farmer and 20 yards
to Poli-Dixon late in the second quarter, making it 35-3. The
Bruins led Texas 38-0 halfway through last year's game.
Ricky Brown's 17-yard run early in the third quarter cut UCLA's
lead to 35-10. Brendon Ayanbadejo recovered a fumble by Brown at
the Bruins 38 a couple minutes later, setting up a 3-yard touchdown
run by freshman DeShaun Foster.
Williams scored on a 2-yard run with 12:49 remaining, a 7-yarder
with 8:38 left, and a 6-yarder with 5:07 to go.
UCLA, which gained 584 yards to 388 for Texas, ran out the clock
after Williams' final touchdown.
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