After Kai Forbath's third field goal, Samson Szakacsy scrambled and found wide receiver Kyle Williams covered by linebacker Kyle Bosworth.
Not a fair matchup.
Williams sprinted past Bosworth and hauled in the 70-yard touchdown pass, bringing the Sun Devils within 10.

After UCLA's back-to-back fumble recoveries, Arizona State is reeling.
Immediately after Brian Price stripped ASU's Samson Szakacsy and Akeem Ayers ran for the touchdown, Damien Thigpen and Craig Sheppard stripped the kickoff return. After some time-management issues, the Bruins settled for a Kai Forbath XX-yard field goal.

Drive Time: 4 plays, 15 yards, 1:13

Another defensive touchdown, and UCLA truly is making Arizona State pay for last season.
Brian Price used four rush moves on ASU backup tackle Tom Nijunge - a bull-rush, a rip, a rip and a swim - and got to Sun Devil quarterback Samson Szakacsy, stripping the ball.
Akeem Ayers - who had two interceptions and two sacks last week - picked up the fumble and lunged into the end zone for the touchdown.

Kai Forbath put UCLA up once again, capping off a 14-play, 73-yard drive.
The Bruins offense is opening it up a little but, with Kevin Prince looking downfield often, hitting Nelson Rosario and Taylor Embree with nice passes.

Drive Time: 14 plays, 73 yards, 6:31

Arizona State answered UCLA's early quick-pick six with an efficient, if not fantastic, drive.
The Sun Devils marched 80 plays in eight plays, with running back Dimitri Nance chugging for 30 yards, and Samson Szakacsy hit Kyle Williams with a 35-yard touchdown.

Drive Time: 80 yards, 8 plays, 3:49

Chane Moline, coming off a three-touchdown performance against Washington State, got the start today.
One carry, one yard so far.

Last season, Arizona State scored four defensive touchdowns.
UCLA seems intent on repaying the favor.
Alterraun Verner intercepted Samson Szakacsy and returned the pick 68 yards, putting UCLA up with 11:47 left in the first quarter.

Drive Time: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0 minutes.

Here is a list of the unofficial visitors who are scheduled to attend UCLA/ASU...

Tauti Aiono South Hills High School 2011
Andrew Lewis Eleanor Roosevelt High School 2011
Andrew Albers Costa Mesa High School 2011
Andy Orozco Charter Oak High School 2011
Bene Benwikere Junipero Serra High School 2010

Brandon Willis James Byrnes High School 2010
Carlton Hudson Crenshaw High School 2010
Charles Garrett Dorsey High School 2010
Conner Preston Junipero Serra High School 2011
Cory Westbrook Long Beach Polytechnic High School 2010

DeAnthony Thomas Crenshaw High School 2011
Dejzon Walker Basha High School 2011
Derek Stickney El Dorado High School 2010
Derrick Brown Vista Murrieta High School 2011
Desman Carter Henry J. Kaiser High School 2011

DeVante Wilson Corona Senior High School 2011
Dres Anderson John W. North High School 2010
Earvin Simmons Murrieta Valley High School 2011
Emughedi Umodu South Hills High School 2010
Eric Kendle Torrance High School 2010

Eric Kendricks Hoover High School 2010
Evan Williams De La Salle High School 2010
George Bell Southwestern College 2010
George Farmer Junipero Serra High School 2011
Harold Mobley Roosevelt High School 2010
Hayes Pullard Crenshaw High School 2010

Sally Lee Harrick, 70, the wife of former UCLA head men's basketball coach Jim Harrick, passed away Friday from complications of scleroderma. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, three sons and three daughters-in-law, and nine granchildren.

She will be remembered at a service to be held on Tuesday, November 24th at 11:00 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 30522 Via Com Dios, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.

In lieu of flowers the Harrick family asks that any donations please be offered to the Scleroderma Foundation at www.schleroderma.org.

All my condolences to the Harrick family and the extended family at UCLA.
Jon

Without Nikola Dragovic in the starting lineup - he was suspended indefinitely after being arrested for felony assault charges (see here: Drago - the Bruins struggled out of the gate against the visiting Roadrunners.

UCLA (1-1) was down by as many as 11 in the first half and was still down 10 with 3 minutes, 57 seconds left in the first half, before sophomore forward Drew Gordon sparked a 10-0 run to close the half. Gordon had six points and a monstrous block of Cal-State Bakersfield's Stephon Carter that swung the momentum in the Bruins' favor.

The roll continued into the second half, as UCLA outscored the Roadrunners 17-6 in the early going of the second half and maintained a 15-point lead for much of the half by shooting 59.3 percent from the field, after shooting just 31 percent against Cal-State Fullerton.

Gordon led all scorers with 19 points, and all five Bruin starters scored in double figures, with senior guard Michael Roll chipping in 12 points and sophomore point guard Jerime Anderson, sophomore guard Malcolm Lee and senior forward James Keefe each adding 10. Carter and Trent Blakely led Cal-State Bakersfield (1-2) with 15 points each.

After saying he regretted not playing freshman forward Reeves Nelson more in the season-opening loss to Cal-State Fullerton, Howland deployed his freshmen throughout the game, with Nelson and forwards Brendan Lane and Mike Moser rotated throughout the game.

UCLA senior forward Nikola Dragovic was suspended for tonight's matchup with Cal State Bakersfield for an off-court altercation.
Dragovic was involved in an incident last month at a concert in Hollywood; following an investigation, the LA District Attorney's office filed felony assault charges.
He turned himself into the university police department today.

Spoke briefly to George Uko's father today, and he said his son was seriously interested in UCLA but has not narrowed down his list. He will announce his decision at the All-American game in January.

Hey guys,

Sorry I was MIA today, had some office work to attend to, and a rather important lunch meeting.

Barring any unforeseen setback, the Inside UCLA podcast will start up on Tuesday for UCLA/USC week with my new cohost...former UCLA starting quarterback Ben Olson.

Ben, who had an injury-plagued career for the Bruins, will provide fantastic insight directly from the mind of a former player, one who is still very connected to the UCLA scene. Ben and I will talk UCLA football and hoops for 30 minutes, with an interview or two sprinkled in. This first show, scheduled to tape on Tuesday, will be available here on the blog, on the LA Daily News Web site, Dailynews.com, and on iTunes. That's right, you can hear my beautiful voice while you run or shop or drive.

The following week, we're going to try to answer your calls live on the air, but either way, we'll provide a call-in number and a specific time to call in.

After working the Q&A and in-game chat into the blog, I'm very excited for this next step.

Thanks, and look forward to hearing from you,
Jon

UCLA's football coaches have a busy weekend out at local games:

Tonight,
Rick Neuheisel, Chuck Bullough and Todd Howard are at Taft/Garfield (Tuan Woods, Lucky Radley, Brent Williams, etc.)

Friday,
Neuheisel at St. Francis/Gahr (Dietrich Riley)

Saturday
Todd Hundley at Cerritos/Palomar.

Jerzy Siewierski will be ready to play at defensive tackle. Guard Ryan Taylor (foot) is out, so Jake Dean will probably start, but Rick Neuheisel said Darius Savage will get time there, too.

Hey guys, join in to talk UCLA football and hoops tonight:

UCLA head coach Ben Howland at the team's press conference on Thursday, as the Bruins gear up for Cal-State Bakersfield:

On UCLA's poor offensive performance:
"The biggest thing was offensively we took so many bad shots. We were really hurried. That's the most shots a team of mine has taken since I've been here by 14. Malcolm Lee took 23 shots, the most any player has taken. We were very anxious, very amped up."

On why the team shot so bad:
"The most important thing about offense is shot selection. I think I counted six or seven either airballs or airbanks. I don't remember seeing that many in any time in recent memory. After the game (I realized) I played our starters too many minutes. When you're a shooter, you have to have your legs. We were so quick to shoot, we were on defense more than offense in that 50 minutes."

On what practices have been like:
"Our practice yesterday was geared totally toward us. Our execution of the things that we need to do. We need to focus on ourselves.

On Jerime Anderson:
"Obviously, he didn't have a good game in terms of his shooting. Neither did Nik. Between the two of them, 3-for-25. Jerime really had a setback, and you could see in his first exhibition against Humboldt State, he got really tired. He's still catching up conditioning-wise. What I want out of Jerime is continued improvement in every facet of the game. I look back at how he was playing in January, February and March, and he was playing really well, just behind an NBA point guard. When he gets back to where he was, I think he'll be fine."

On not playing Reeves Nelson more:
Reeves Nelson was really dominant yesterday. The biggest mistake I made Monday night was not playing him more minutes."

Hey guys,

First off, a couple people asked about Kevin Craft in practice yesterday. He just got more No. 2 reps than Brehaut, who coaches want to get more pocket awareness. As the season got a whole lot more interesting with a possible bowl bid, I think the Brehaut experiment is on hold.
Secondly, Jill Painter will be covering football practice tonight, so I figured we'd do a midweek chat to talk about Arizona State and Cal State Bakersfield.
Thirdly, I wrote a pretty big story about Prince and Su'a-Filo deciding (or not deciding) on embarking on a Mormon mission. Check it out here: A Higher Calling?

Thanks
JG

Westwood Bruin Touchdown Club
Friday Nov 20th -- 7 am
Coach Chuck Bullough, Defensive Coordinator
UCLA Football Players:
#26 Andrew Abbott, CB
#52 Jess Ward, DT
#25 Kai Forbath, PK
#14 Kevin Prince, QB
#82 Taylor Embree, WR
UCLA Spirit Squad
Olympic Collection
11301 W Olympic Blvd (at Sawtelle Blvd)
Free Parking
Cost: $25 includes buffet breakfast and program
For more information call Claudia Hart @ 310-348-UCLA or email at claudia4ucla@yahoo..com

Some quick notes from Wednesday's practice, followed by a short notebook:
Ryan Taylor is out for the game on Saturday, barring a miracle.
Jake Dean will likely be his replacement, with Darius Savage rotating in.
Kevin Craft led most of the 2-minute drill and got plenty of extra reps throughout practice.

Notebook:
UCLA redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Hester was back in practice on Wednesday afternoon.
He's been practicing for weeks after recovering from a broken leg in Week 1 against San Diego State.
But he was back in practice on Wednesday.

At one point, after locking down a receiver on a go-route during team scrimmage, Hester hooted and hollered, daring the offense to bring it.

"My swagger never went anywhere," Hester said. "It's been here the whole time. Now I'm getting more reps, more of an opportunity to make plays. When I'm in my zone, I'm in my zone. I try to get the receivers going. How else can I do that beside talking and getting loud?"

I've been waiting for this to come in...

From UCLA:

UCLA head coach Ben Howland announced today the signing of Tyler Lamb and Josh Smith to National Letters of Intent to attend UCLA in the fall of 2010.

The Bruins' early signing class consists of Lamb, a 6-foot-4-inch, 195-pound guard out of Santa Ana, Calif., and Mater Dei High School and Smith, a 6-foot-10-inch, 280-pound center from Kent, Wash., and Kentwood High School.

Lamb helped the Monarchs to a 31-2 overall record as a junior in 2008-09 for head coach Gary McKnight. Mater Dei won the Trinity League with a 10-0 mark and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 12 in the nation.

"I'm really excited about Tyler Lamb joining our basketball program and family," Howland said. "He's very athletic and is going to be an outstanding player that can play multiple positions. He is a very good defensive player and has been a part of one of the best high school programs in the country. He has received excellent coaching, which will help to prepare him in making the transition to high major college basketball. He has an excellent work ethic, comes from a great family, and I think he'll have a great career here at UCLA."

Lamb averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.3 steals (led the team) and 1.1 blocks per game (led the team) last year. He was a two-year starter at Colony High School (Ontario, Calif.) where he averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 4.8 assists per game as a sophomore. He is rated as the No. 10 shooting guard and the No. 38 overall recruit in the country by ESPN. He was rated the No. 1 shooting guard in the state, the No. 8 shooting guard in the country and the No. 41 overall recruit by Rivals.com. Lamb was also rated the No. 14 shooting guard and No. 60 overall recruit by Scout.com and finished third in the voting for the Press-Telegram's 31st Best in the West.

Smith averaged 26.8 points and 13.5 rebounds per game (school record) last year at Kentwood High School, leading the Conquerors to a 19-7 record in each of the past two seasons for head coach Michael Angelidis. In 2008-09, Kentwood won the tough SPSL North League Championship.

"I'm absolutely elated to have Josh Smith attending UCLA," Howland said. "He is one of the best big men in the country. This was a three-year process recruiting him and we got to know Josh and his family very well. He's a great player and a great person. He has outstanding hands and catches everything. He is one of the few players that is very effective and comfortable with his back to the basket. He is an outstanding athlete and has good leaping ability and quick feet for his size. He has a very bright future ahead of him and he'll make an immediate impact at UCLA."

Smith also averaged 21.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as a sophomore while shooting a school-record 74.0 percent from the field. He also averaged 14.4 points per game as a freshman at Kentwood High. He is rated the No. 1 center and No. 10 overall recruit in the country by ESPN. He is also rated the No. 3 center in the country and the No. 19 overall recruit by Rivals.com. Scout.com rated Smith as the No. 4 center and No. 13 overall recruit in the country and he finished second in the voting for the Press-Telegram's 31st Best in the West.

1) It was reported UCLA said "no thanks" to Darrell Scott as a transfer. I know UCLA has nice depth at RB, but no one has really emerged as an every down back to be feared. Are they that sure he's not the answer and the talent they have or have coming is at least as good or better? Any insights? Thanks. - 74ucla
With four solid backs already there - and while none has emerged as an every-down back, they're all very young - plus two high-profile recruits in James and Jones, I just don't think the coaches thought he was worth adding.

2) Given the number of decent to good freshmen QBs in the Pac-10, will 2012 be a Defensive Coordinators nightmare? - John Amussen
Let's just say it won't be a fun season for them.

3) E J Woods, 2008 recruit, is playing at Eastern Arizona CC. Any idea what happens after this year because I thought at one time the UCLA coaches were interested in him coming back. - Tim Warren
He's been at a couple practices, but I would be very surprised if he ends up back at UCLA. There isn't much news on him out there.

4) Which other recruits are UCLA focusing on the most for the 2010 basketball? Terrence Jones? Trey Zeigler? Ray McCallum? - Nick
McCallum is the most pressing concern, because A) UCLA needs a PG recruit and B) Jones and Zeiglers will be tough gets, seeing as how Zeigler's dad is a head coach and Jones has said he is mainly looking closer to home (Oregon and Washington)

5) Not to belabor the point for the 10,000 time, but is there any drive behind fixing the posting delay? - Reformed Droog
If you're referring to my posts, I sometimes put them scheduled for later times just so things aren't quite so bunched together. If you're referring to the delay of posted comments, no, I don't think it's possible. I've asked, but I think it's just part of the system.

6) Bio-Dome or Thunderdome? - Reformed Droog
I hate Mel Gibson, so that rules out Thunderdome. I also hate Pauly Shore, so that rules out Bio-Dome. Answer: Neither dome.

7) HOW MUCH PLAYING TIME DO YOU THINK BOBO GETS THIS YEAR? A BIG POST PRESENCE WOULD BE A HUGE HELP FOR US IMO. - Keith
All indications are not much. Howland wants his players to be extremely skilled defensively, and it looks like Morgan has a lot of catching up to do.

8) Where do you think Uko, Barr, and Owamagbe Odighuzuwa end up signing? I think we get 2 out of 3 - Bruin44
I think Barr will end up at UCLA if they can convince him to switch to LB. The Weis issue at ND opens things way up for the Bruins. Odighizuwa loved his trip to UCLA, and I wouldn't be surprised if he picked the Bruins after all his officials are through. Uko, I'm not so sure on. He's getting looked at hard by some major schools, and he'll have to choose between almost immediate playing time, and a program with a recent history of success.

9) In your opinion, what do you think the starting defense will look like next year? - Anonymous
D. Jones, I. Tepa, B. Price, D. Carter, A. Ayers, S. Westgate, S. Sloan, A. Hester, S. Price, T. Dye, R. Moore.

10) UCLA has so many young basketball players. Which one or two players need to develop the most over the course of this season to help the team win? - WIUbruinfan
Jerime Anderson is the key to the season. As he progresses, so will UCLA.

Check this ESPN story out on UCLA's improvement in the recruiting game: UCLA Moving Up

I don't know much about this story, but I know enough to try and help:
A daughter of two UCLA grads is in need of a bone marrow transplant, and there is a drive at UCLA today. If you're on campus, stop by near the Bruin Bear, please register if you can.
Team Krissy

And just to make it known: I saw this on the Scout board, and I haven't been emailed by the family or anything like that. It's just the right thing to do.

I think ucla's o-line misses eddie williams at gaurd its killing the rushing attack. How do you see the ground game vs ASU working with ryan taylor starting? - Leon Black
If Ryan Taylor starts at all? I expect UCLA to struggle in the running game unless they find a way to mix it up a little bit and catch the Sun Devils off guard.

2) I would like to know what the plans for Presley are? Is he likely to be a go to guy at WR or are there plans to use him at TE again? - BruinBurd
Unless Presley puts on about 40 pounds, he won't move back to tight end. He's too small to block a defensive lineman. He'll stay at wideout.

3) Also what is going on with the Ohio St transfer kid?
Willie Mobley is at Orange Coast College, attempting to gain enough units by next semester as to qualify for UCLA. He has opened his recruiting, though, in case he does not meet the requirements.

4) I'm assuming Anthony Stover is on the BB team. Is there anything going with this guy? Status? Is he redshirting this year? - rejn
I'm almost positive he's going to redshirt.

5) WHAT WAS THE NAME THAT WON IN NAMING THE WILDCAT OFFENSE? - g2ucla
It's still up for voting: VOTE

6) WHO DO YOU THINK STARTS THIS WEEK AT RUNNING BACK? - g2ucla
Derrick Coleman will start at running back this week, with Franklin rotating in.

7) After this year, is sean sheller moving back to offensive tackle, or does he have a future on the defensive line? - Oscar
No, I've been told Sheller will stay put.

8) Do you think we will beat USC this year in football? - Anonymous
Until I see UCLA's offensive line manage a decent pass rush against Arizona State, I don't know. The gap is certainly closed, but an angry, beaten-up USC team at home won't be an easy task.

9) On a scale of 1 to 10, how good of a coach do you think Rick Neuhisel is? - Anonymous
As a game manager, I say somewhere around a 7.5. There have been some blown timeouts and misuse of players that I didn't agree with. As a recruiter, he's a 10. So overall, I'd say around an 8.7.

10) Do you think Richard Breheut should have been redshirted? - Anonymous
Yes, but it's complicated. From the start, I don't think they gave Craft enough of a chance to prove himself as a backup. Had they known that he wasn't going to be such a calamity as last year, they probably would've at least preserved Brehaut's redshirt earlier in the season. With Craft's emergence as a suitable No. 2, it threw things off.

A rowdy practice tonight for the Bruins, who know full well what a win over Arizona State means to the season.
The more and more UCLA is in the news with big recruits and winning streaks, the higher their national profile, and the better chance for an at-large bowl bid.

Saturday's game against Arizona State - with which ranks No. 15 in total defense in the country - is of utmost importance.

* Jerzy Siewierski saw a much increased workload as his status was determined "as tolerated," for practice, which means he determined his practice time.
* Ryan Taylor did not practice with a spranied foot and is still highly doubtful.
* Aaron Hester practiced extensively but still needs to "get his confidence back."
* In his Pac-10 conference call this morning, Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson addressed his quarterback issue, whereas Samson Szakacsy played the second half against Oregon last week.
"I haven't decided yet. I'll let them practice today and tomorrow and make a decision. Right now, Samson will get some looks with the one. We've just never seen him - he's been hurt all the time. We're going to let him take that first group quite a few times."

On Arizona State quarterback Samson Szakacsy, who completed 13-of-22 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, with a rushing touchdown, in the Sun Devil's loss to Oregon on Saturday:
"We certainly take notice of him and think he played well in the second half. He does provide different challenges, but I'm not sure that means a wholesale change in their offense. He's certainly capable of making some moves with his legs."

On what doomed UCLA last year against Arizona State:
"We have to do a great job of not turning the ball over. Obviously that was the nightmare of a year ago. We just can't do that. We can't afford that. We have been better this year with regard to turnovers, especially interceptions. But we have to keep track of the football - this is too good of a football team to do that."

On what the two-game winning streak means to UCLA:
"We're a young team, and young teams are impressionable. To come off a couple of victories and still have a chance to get in the postseason - those are exciting things for our guys. It's going to take a great effort, but we're capable of it."

On the Pac-10 conference:
This is as good and as deep a conference as I can recall. As a player, assistant coach and head coach before. This is unusual. You've better to be able to play each week, or you'll face the consequences. There's great coaching going on, great effort in the recruiting world. You can stockpile all these programs and give them a chance to be successful."

The prevailing thought in basketball is simple: Live by the three, die by the three.
A UCLA team trying to find its identity in this brand-new season might know where to look now.
Six-feet under.

The Bruins dropped their first season-opener since 2002-03 with a 68-65 loss in double-overtime to Cal-State Fullerton on Monday night, shooting 1-for-6 from 3-point range in double-overtime.

"To me, every loss is a shocking loss," said sophomore center Drew Gordon, who had 10 points and eight rebounds. "I feel like every time we lose, a little piece of me dies inside. It's competition for you; you win some, you lose some. It's not necessarily shocking as it is hurtful."

Gordon might not be hurt if the Bruins didn't shoot themselves in the foot.
UCLA's poor shooting did not start at the end - the Bruins shot 5-for-29 from 3-point line and 26-of-83 overall - but the problem was certainly exacerbated.

Against a Cal-State Fullerton 1-2-2 zone that caved in the post, UCLA did not so much settle for the threes as much as they were forced into them. And when the ball went up, it crashed back down, thudding off the rim and into the arms of the Titans.

"Our 1-2-2 zone is designed for shooters to think they have a wide-open shot, but they really don't," Cal-State Fullerton point guard Jacques Streeter said. "We did a good job of talking in it and getting out on the shooters."

While the Titans weren't exactly lighting it up either - Cal-State Fullerton shot 40 percent for the game, compared to UCLA's 31 percent, and 25 percent in overtime - they hit key baskets when it counted.

Streeter hit a fadeaway, 23-foot 3-pointer to five the Titans a five-point lead with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining in the second-overtime, three of his 11 points. Teammate Aaron Thompson led all scored with 22 points, while guards Michael Roll and Malcolm Lee paced UCLA with 17 each.

The only reason Cal-State Fullerton didn't pull away was turnovers, as the Bruins forced 19 and had seven steals and five blocks.

"I think it was the battle of who was kinda gonna give it up there," said a wide-smiling Titans head coach Bob Burton. "It's a great win for us; I know we're both kinda in the same boat. We're struggling with new teams. It was kind of a battle of who was going to be standing there last."

Lee wasn't standing there at all at one point.
Midway through the second half, Lee fell to the floor, grasping his right thigh. He attempted to get to his feet but collapsed again, ultimately being carried off the floor by trainers. Lee suffered tremendous cramps, though he would return six minutes later, and had a big role in the team's second-half comeback.

Lee had a 3-pointer with 3:38 left in the second half to give UCLA its first lead in more than 20 minutes, then found a wide-open Jerime Anderson for an easy lay-in to put the Bruins up three with three minutes to play.

But in a night when the Bruins scattershot the ball anywhere but in the hoop, Lee also missed a fadeaway jumper with 14 seconds left that would have tied the game at 67.

"I thought they had pretty good shots," Burton said. "They really had good shots, they just didn't make them. We were in zone there mostly at the end; we were just hoping they didn't make them."

Decimated by injuries throughout the preseason, UCLA knew the early season would be a struggle.
The Bruins fully understood that without adequate court time, pure passes would be scarce, on-ball defense would be a worry and clean screens would be hard to come by.
But not this hard.

As the first half dwindled down against Cal State Fullerton in UCLA's season-opener, the boo-birds came out, the Bruins trailing 33-27.
As bad as it looked early, neither team scoring until almost three minutes into the game, it would get worse for UCLA.

The Bruins shot 12-of-36 in the first half while allowing the Titans a 46.4 percent clip, as Fullerton was able to get the basket on UCLA guards Jerime Anderson and Malcolm Lee.
Case-in-point: Cal State Fullerton guard Jacques Streeter pulled a beautiful dribble-drive on Anderson, two plays after Bruin senior forward James Keefe tagged Anderson in the back with a pass.

More worrisome, though, a two-minute run to close the half.
Fullerton outscored the Bruins 8-4 to close the half, and if not for a rebound-and-putback by freshman forward Reeves Nelson on an airball floater by Anderson, the fans would have really let UCLA have it.

Nelson was possibly the lone bright spot early for the Bruins scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds off the bench.
Lee was on his game offensively, cutting through the Titans for 10 points, though his counterpoint, guard Aaron Thompson, had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

Forward Gerard Anderson added nine points for Fullerton, while senior guard Michael Roll chipped in six first-half points for the Bruins, who shot 0-for-7 from the 3-point line.

Hey folks,
UCLA is about five minutes from tip-off with the Cal State Fullerton Titans.
Starting for UCLA: Jerime Anderson, Malcolm Lee, Michael Roll, Nikola Dragovic and Drew Gordon.
How about we start this off with a bang?
Game-time chat to commence...

You've got questions...
I've got answers...

Fire away, and if there are enough questions by tomorrow, you'll get the dish sooner than later.

Thanks guys
JG

Scout.com is reporting that No. 9 outside linebacker Aramide Olaniyan verbally committed to UCLA today.
Olaniyan originally committed to Duke but backed out of his commitment. A four-star prospect out of Woodberry Forrest High, Olaniyan visited the Bruins just two weeks ago, and was apparently very taken with the program.
Olaniyan quickly climbed up the prospect ranks this year, with offers from Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia, among others.

Here's his profile: Olaniyan

Just got a text from Kentwood (Wash.) center Josh Smith, Scout.com's #4 center, that he will sign with UCLA tomorrow.

UCLA sophomore linebacker Akeem Ayers was named Pac-10 defensive player of the week for his two-interception, two-sack performance at Washington State.
Here's a full story:

Ayers

Loyola Cubs tight end John Young - a teammate of coveted running back Anthony Barr - has reportedly committed to UCLA.
Young told Scout.com's Allen Wallace that he has been committed to the Bruins for about two weeks, but wanted to keep it under wraps.
In Young, UCLA gets a 6-foot-4, 250-pound brick wall with fantastic grades and a solid work ethic.
With Logan Paulsen and Ryan Moya graduating and Cory Harkey, Nate Chandler and Joseph Fauria all expected to battle for top billing next season, I wouldn't be surprised if Young redshirts.

Here is Young's recruiting profile: Young

As the regular season draws to a close, only two games standing between UCLA and a December date with destiny, head coach Rick Neuheisel has one eye on Arizona State, one eye on USC and one eye on the Pac-10 standings.

And he still knows it might not be enough.
The Bruins are stuck behind six already bowl-eligible teams in the supposedly "down" Pac-10, with six conference bowl tie-ins.

But while the league is not nearly as top-heavy as it has been in recent memory, the middle is quiet crowded, with four teams at 7-3 and Arizona at 6-3.

"I understand that were on the outside looking in," Neuheisel said. "That doesn't matter to me. I just want us to be playing and enjoying this month. We've got a good thing going right now."
He's right about that.

After squeaking past Washington with a 24-23 win in Week 9, the Bruins thoroughly dominated Washington State on Saturday, their first winning streak since September.
The recent burst has UCLA thinking that if it becomes eligible, a bowl such as the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, or The EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C.

"When you look at the schedule we played and the schedule other teams have played, I don't think we have to be ashamed at all," Neuheisel said. "Not one bit. We've gone toe-to-toe with a lot of good football teams. If we're bowl eligible, we're bowl eligible. I don't think we have to apologize at all."

Ramirez in Limbo
Junior running back Christian Ramirez - the preseason starter - did not travel to Washington State with the Bruins because of a coach's decision. Ramirez, who has been banged up and inconsistent all season, is stuck in a crowded backfield.

More surprising: UCLA did bring scarcely used senior running back Craig Sheppard, a former walk-on, and Sheppard actually got two carries for 16 yards.

Neuheisel noted Sheppard's role in the special teams game, though.
"We just needed some other bodies, and we had enough tailbacks," Neuheisel said. "When we made all those teams, he was hurt. He hasn't fought his way onto that depth chart."

Bumps and Bruises
Neuheisel said he hopes to get senior defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski (foot) and junior offensive guard Ryan Taylor (foot) back this week. ... Redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Hester is expected to return to full-speed action this week as he has still been hampered by a fractured leg suffered in Week 1. ... Senior tight end Logan Paulsen suffered a calf cramp that kept him down on the field for a few minutes against Washington State, but Neuheisel said Paulsen was fine.

Hey guys,
Here's my report card...what's yours?

RESULT: UCLA 43, Washington State 7
RECORD: 5-5
WEEK 10 GPA: A-

QUARTERBACK
Who knew Kevin Prince had a third gear, much less a fifth?
A-

RUNNING BACKS
Chane Moline has emerged as a valuable red-zone and receiving back.
A-

WIDE RECEIVERS
Taylor Embree struck early, Nelson Rosario had three big grabs and Terrence Austin was efficient.
B+

OFFENSIVE LINE
Yes, Washington State's defensive line is as menacing as a napping kitten, but the UCLA O-Line was great.
A-

DEFENSIVE LINE
A message to opposing offensive linemen: If Brian Price charges, just fall to the ground and whimper.
A

LINEBACKERS
When he lets the game come to him, Akeem Ayers might be UCLA's best linebacker.
A

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Rahim Moore made two big gambles, one paid off and the Cougars had just nine completions.
B

SPECIAL TEAMS
Kai Forbath, meet Lou Groza. Jeff Locke, meet Ray Guy.
A-

COACHING
Norm Chow a genius? Yeah, I kinda see it now.
A-

After a 55-21 loss to Stanford, USC dropped to No. 22 in the AP poll on Sunday, while the Cardinal jumped all the way up to No. 14.
The loss was the Trojans' worst in 43 years, since a 51-0 smashing by Notre Dame in 1966, and was Stanford's second straight win in the Colisseum.
USC had not been ranked lower than 13th since 2002, Pete Carroll's second season as coach, while Stanford is at its highest since 2001.

How it affects the Bruins:
If UCLA gets to 6-6, it still might not be enough for a bowl game, as the Bruins will likely finish in seventh place despite the record. Even a 7-5 finish with a win over USC in Week 12 might not be enough to leapfrog to the sixth spot.
I'll try and play out some scenarios later today, when I get back to LA.
I'm in the Seattle Airport right now, about to fly home. Will stay in touch.

Thanks
Jon

By Jon Gold
Staff Writer

Picking a standout defensive player from UCLA's 43-7 win at Washington State on Saturday proved to be a tough task for senior linebacker Kyle Bosworth.
On the one hand, there was Akeem Ayers.

The sophomore linebacker had an interception on the third play of the game and added another pick less than five minutes later off Cougar quarterback Marshall Lobbestael. He also had two sacks and was generally disruptive of both facets of the Cougar offense.
Perhaps not more disruptive than Brian Price, though.

The mammoth junior defensive tackle was in the Washington State backfield almost more than Lobbestael, who was pulled after Ayers' second interception, with just more than 10 minutes left in the first half. Price had three tackles for loss, giving him a Pac-10 leading 16.5 for the season, to go along with 5.0 sacks.

It's quite the quandary for Bosworth.

"BP has always had his name out on the leader board, but with Akeem, it's really good to see him kind of shine today," Bosworth said. "Two picks is huge for anybody, and it's good to see him with those two sacks. I'm happier for him, but BP did great - I know he'll be in the league one these days, and this is one of the games that's going to help him do that."

As the UCLA running back carousel continues to spin round and round, the young pups in the backfield at times biting off more than they can chew, Chane Moline seems to be the one constant.

The senior tailback-fullback hybrid had three touchdowns on three carries in the Bruins' 43-7 win over Washington State on Saturday night and was a huge factor in the passing game.

The coaching staff has discovered that don't have to teach this old dog any new tricks.
They're fine with the ones he already has.

"The coaches have realized how dependable he really is," redshirt quarterback Kevin Prince said. "He's Chane the Train, he doesn't go down easily. He's a good catcher, a good runner, a great blocker, and as a senior, he knows the offense really well. He's a great presence not only in the field, but in the huddle, too."

By Jon Gold
Staff Writer

Rick Neuheisel can hem and haw as much as he'd like about a win over Washington State just being enough for his UCLA football team.

Kevin Prince can say that he never goes into a game looking to wallop an opponent.
Reggie Carter speaks the truth, though, and the truth was this: With their resume spotty at best - and missing a huge chunk in the middle at worst - the Bruins needed a big win over the host Cougars on Saturday.

Carter's wide smile after UCLA's 43-7 demolition of Washington State at Martin Stadium told the whole story.

"I wanted to really beat the dog-piss out of them," Carter said. "They've been losing all year, and then we heard that they said this was the game they felt could win. It's nice for them to have confidence, but it's nicer for us to snatch that away."

Akeem Ayers and Rahim Moore did most of the snatching.
Ayers intercepted Washington State quarterback Marshall Lobbestael on the third play of the game at the Cougars 27-yard line and Prince did the rest, finding sophomore wide receiver Taylor Embree open for a touchdown on the ensuing play.

Moore then grabbed his NCAA-leading ninth interception on Washington State's next drive, followed by another Ayers pick on the Cougars' third series.
Less than 10 minutes in, Lobbestael had three interceptions and the Bruins had 14 points, with senior running back Chane Moline punching it in from a yard out following Ayers' second interception.

Hey guys,

UCLA's 43-7 win over Washington State must be taken with a bit more than a grain or two of salt. It was not just a win over a bad team - and the Cougs are baaaaaaaaad - but a complete and utter domination.
For starters: UCLA outgained Wazzu 556-181, allowed just one third-down conversion, went 5-of-6 in the red zone and generally beat the hell out of the Cougars.
Some more tidbits:
* Kevin Prince was masterful. In building on the Oregon State and Washington success, Prince went 27-of-40 for 314 yards and a touchdown and ran for a 68-yard score.
* The defense hounded Washington State ALL game, picking up 10 tackles for loss and four turnovers. Akeem Ayers led the way with two interceptions and two sacks, and Brian Price added three tackles for loss.
* The UCLA running game was stunted at times, but Coleman and Co. finished with 156 yards on 31 carries.
* Chuck Bullough was on his game today - stunts, blitzes, improvisations. Solid game.
* Norm Chow really lived up to his billing today, calling effective play after effective play, and mixing in the Wildcat...or Oso Loco...or Bear Claw...several times.

Stay tuned for my gamer, sidebar and notebook.

And for future reference: I head down to the field with 10 minutes left, interview players and coaches for more than an hour, and then head up to write on deadline. I can't post on the blog until I finish my stuff for the paper, but I'll always be here eventually.

And the power cord is working fine.

Thanks guys - ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CHILLED ON THE IN-GAME CHAT, WHICH WAS AWESOME.
-JG

Looks like UCLA backup quarterback Richard Brehaut is going in for the first time today, with 10:47 left in the game.
Kevin Prince exits with 314 yards and 1 touchdown, 27-of-40 passing.

That was fast:
Chane Moline's 16-yard run capped off UCLA's fifth touchdown drive of the day, a three-play, 70-yard exercise in perfection.
First, a long bomb from Prince to Rosario.
Next, a solid 10-yard pass from Prince to Embree.
Then, Moline.
UCLA's offense hasn't look this good in five years.

Drive Time: 3 plays 70 yards 49 seconds

Chane Moline scored for the second time today, on a seven-yard run, as UCLA leads 36-7. The Bruins again moved the ball well, using the run to set up the pass and benefitting from a 15-yard penalty.

Drive Time: 6 plays 81 yards, 1:56

Washington State put together an effective drive for the first time today, capped off by a Kevin Lopina-to-Jeffrey Solomon 46-yard touchdown.
Rahim Moore went for the interception on the play and the ball floated just above his hands, and Solomon jaunted into the end zone.

Drive Time: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:01

UCLA just efficiently marched it down the field and Kai Forbath hit a 31-yard field goal to put the Bruins up 29-0.
Prince hit wideouts at the second level, Coleman ran the ball well and though UCLA settled for a field goal, it was a solid drive.

Drive Time: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:01