Even Bruins beat up Cougars
WSU loses seventh straight game
PULLMAN — Kevin Prince threw for 314 yards and ran for a touchdown as UCLA beat Washington State 43-7 on Saturday in a showdown of the bottom two teams in the Pacific-10.
Chane Moline ran for three touchdowns as UCLA (5-5, 2-5 Pac-10) kept alive its hopes of getting a bowl bid. The Bruins have games left against Arizona State and Southern Cal.
Washington State (1-9, 0-7) lost its seventh straight game, and was held to just 181 yards, while giving up 556 yards to UCLA. Quarterback Marshall Lobbestael, starting in place of injured Jeff Tuel, was intercepted on his first three series. The Cougars were playing their first home game in a month.
Prince, who suffered a concussion and missed the second half of last week’s victory over Washington, completed 27 of 40 passes and ran for 76 yards.
Lobbestael on the third play of the game threw an interception to Akeem Ayers. On UCLA’s first play from scrimmage, Prince threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Embree. The Cougars have yet to lead in regulation time this season.
On WSU’s next possession, Lobbestael was intercepted by Rahim Moore, who leads the nation with nine picks. But the Bruins had to punt.
Lobbestael was intercepted by Ayers on WSU’s next series. Moline punched over from the 2 for a 14-0 UCLA lead. WSU has been outscored 159-3 in the first quarter this season.
Prince scrambled 68 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter. The Bruins also picked up a safety.
Kevin Lopina replaced Lobbestael midway through the second quarter. He ran 36 yards late in the second quarter, but fumbled the ball on the tackle to kill WSU’s best scoring threat of the half. Kai Forbath turned that fumble recovery into a 38-yard field goal to give UCLA a 26-0 halftime lead.
Jeffrey Solomon caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from Lopina late in the third quarter to put WSU on the scoreboard. But Prince marched the Bruins 81 yards on the next series and Moline ran over from the 7 for a score. Moline ran 16 yards for another touchdown in the fourth.
Lopina completed 7 of 14 for 102 yards.
UCLA’s 43 points were the most this season for the Bruins, which came in averaging just 20 points per game. Washington State ranks second from the bottom nationally in scoring, averaging just 14 points per game.
Tuel injured his knee in last weekend’s blowout loss at Arizona.
UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel has never lost to the Cougars in seven outings as a coach.