University of Washington
UCLA
Huskies Claim Sixth Straight PAC-10 Victory
November 11, 2000 | Football
Nov. 11, 2000
SEATTLE - Washington didn't let UCLA knock it out of the Rose Bowl race this time.
Freshman Rich Alexis ran for 127 yards on 21 carries and the No. 7 Huskies rallied in the third quarter to beat the Bruins 35-28 on Saturday for its sixth straight Pac-10 victory.
The Huskies (9-1, 6-1) beat the Bruins (6-4, 3-4) for the first time in four seasons. UCLA's victory in Los Angeles last season cost Washington a trip to the Rose Bowl.
"We were real eager to play them again after what happened last year," nose tackle Larry Tripplett said.
To get to Pasadena for the first time since 1993, the Huskies will need some help as well as a victory in the Apple Cup against Washington State next Saturday in Pullman. Oregon State would have to beat Oregon next Saturday in Corvallis, too, in order for the Huskies to go to the Rose Bowl.
"We've got a big game next week," second-year Washington coach Rick Neuheisel said.
Trailing 21-14 at halftime, the Huskies dominated the third quarter as Alexis returned after spraining his left shoulder. Alexis, who had his shoulder X-rayed, had 75 yards on seven carries in the first quarter.
"In the second half, my shoulder felt very sore, but at this point in the season, you've just got to suck it up," Alexis said.
The Huskies didn't wait until the fourth quarter to score a touchdown to win this week. Fullback Pat Conniff scored on two short runs and Marques Tuiasosopo passed 2 yards to Todd Elstrom for a score as Washington took a 35-21 lead in the third period.
The Huskies had to come from behind in the final period to win against California, Stanford and Arizona the past three weeks.
But the fourth quarter proved interesting anyway.
UCLA's Cory Paus passed 7 yards to Brian Poli-Dixon for a touchdown with 1:57 left to cut Washington's lead to a touchdown.
Washington's Anthony Kelley recovered the Bruins' onside kick attempt, but the Bruins got the ball back with 27 seconds on their own 36 when Washington failed to make a first down on a run by Conniff. On the next play, Kelley sacked Paus and then recovered a fumble.
"It would have been nice to have made that first down instead of making it exciting again," Neuheisel said.
Paus blamed himself for UCLA's first defeat in three weeks.
"It should not have come down to that last play," he said. "I played the worst half of football that I've ever played."
Washington tight end Jerramy Stevens couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at the Bruins despite their attempt to rally back in the final quarter.
"If you get up on UCLA, sometimes they just want to roll over because they are kind of Hollywood," Stevens said.
Conniff's first score on a 4-yard run was set up by Willie Hurst's 62-run on the first play of the second half. Hurst, who had 99 yards on 11 carries, broke his right collarbone on the play.
Neuheisel called Hurst's run the play that ignited Washington's comeback.
"My hope is that Willie will be ready for our bowl game," Neuheisel said.
Conniff's second TD on a 5-yard run came after Tuiasosopo and Stevens teamed on a 47-yard completion.
Conniff's second TD came after coach Rick Neuheisel took a 27-yard field goal by John Anderson off the board. UCLA was called for offsides on the play, giving the Huskies first down at the UCLA 5.
Washington scored touchdowns the first two times it had the ball in the opening quarter on drives of 80 and 79 yards. But the Huskies lost Alexis with his shoulder injury on the second march for the rest of the first half and their offense bogged down after that.
Tuiasosopo passed 13 yards to Stevens for a touchdown, and Hurst ran 3 yards for a score to give the Huskies a 14-0 lead.
A 48-yard pass from Paus to Poli-Dixon set up UCLA's first touchdown, a 5-yard pass from Paus to Ed Ieremia-Stansbury with 1:46 left in the first quarter.
The Bruins went ahead 21-14 at halftime with two touchdown runs by DeShaun Foster in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the first half. UCLA's go-ahead TD, a 1-yard run by Foster with 43 seconds on the clock in the first half, was set up by a 48-yard pass from Paus to Poli-Dixon to the Washington 5.
UCLA missed out on a TD in the second quarter when free safety Greg Carothers intercepted a short pass by Paus in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter.
Neuheisel used a ball-control offense to try to keep UCLA's high-powered offense off the field. Washington had 349 rushing yards and controlled the ball for 38:39.
"We fatigued," UCLA coach Bob Toledo said. "They pounded on us pretty good and our defense was on the field too long."
Paus completed 22 of 38 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. Poli-Dixon caught eight passes for 185 yards.
Washington finished 6-0 at Husky Stadium, its first unbeaten home record since 1996.
By JIM COUR
AP Sports Writer
