UCLA 29, Arizona State 28 (final)

UCLA controls its own destiny.

The Bruins improved their record to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the South Division of the Pacific 12 Conference, which moves them into a tie for first place with Arizona State (6-3, 4-2). What's more, UCLA holds the tiebreaker with their victory Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

But the Bruins didn't get there easily.

In fact, even if that game going on in the Deep South is said to be the Game of the Century, there's a good chance it won't live up to what transpired tonight in Pasadena.

At the finish, Arizona State kicker Alex Garoutte was short on a 46-yard field-goal attempt as time expired. 

Just before that, the Sun Devils moved down field from their 24-yard line to the Bruins' 29 largely on three plays: a 20-yard pass from Brock Osweiler to Gerrell Robinson, a controversial pass interference call on UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester and a 12-yard pass from Osweiler to Mike Willie.

But Garoutte couldn't come through. He missed all three of his field-goal attempts tonight. He had missed only three all season coming into the game.

Some final stats: 

--The Bruins tallied 416 total yards, and 220 of them came on the ground. Derrick Coleman had 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 17 carries. Quaterback Kevin Prince had 61 yards in 15 rushes.

--Arizona State had 465 total yards, 264 through the air from Osweiler, who completed 22 of 38 passes and threw for two touchdowns. Robinson was his main target, catching six passes for 131 yards.

--Prince completed 11 of 17 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. Nelson Rosario caught five passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.  

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UCLA vs. Arizona State photos

Here's a recap of the game:

UCLA 29, Arizona State 28 (late in the fourth quarter)

The Bruins have shown plenty of fight tonight and just retook the lead with 49 seconds left after a one-yard touchdown run by Derrick Coleman with 49 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

UCLA football: Kevin Prince gets another chance, rallies the Bruins

Kevin Prince had three passes intercepted in a 49-20 loss to Texas three weeks ago. He went home and went to bed.

“I woke up a 6 a.m., opened my laptop and started watching the game tape,” Prince said. “I didn’t sleep too well.”

After throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in rallying UCLA to a 28-25 victory over Washington State on Saturday, Prince was planning the same routine . . . mostly.

“I’m going home and going to sleep,” Prince said. “But I might sleep in a little bit late.”

Prince earned the rest after pulling UCLA back from the precipice of defeat. He replaced starter Richard Brehaut, who fractured an ankle in the second quarter, and put the Bruins tied for second place in the Pacific 12 Conference South Division with the comeback win.

With UCLA trailing, 22-14, Prince drove the Bruins 58 yards, throwing a nine-yard touchdown strike to Josh Smith with 10 minutes 52 seconds left.

With UCLA trailing 25-20, Prince drove the Bruins 71 yards, with 58 coming on a completion to Nelson Rosario. Prince tossed a seven-yard touchdown pass to Shaquelle Evans with 3:26 left and then hit Rosario for the two-point conversion and final margin of victory.

“I have never been in that position before, being shoved into a game coming off the bench,” Prince said. “I hate that Richard got hurt. I love Richard.”

But, Prince said, “It was fun to be able to take advantage of the opportunity.”

Prince completed eight of 13 passes for 173 yards. It was his first game since facing Texas. He left that game with an injured left shoulder and was booed as he walked off the field following the third interception.

He was booed when entering the game Saturday. Moments later there were cheers, after he completed a 41-yard pass to Rosario to set up Derrick Coleman’s second one-yard touchdown run of the game.

Did Prince hear the boos?

“How could you not hear them?” he said.

And the cheers?

“I heard that too,” Prince said. “Football fans are football fans, they want to see their team win.

“Personally, being a sports fan, I have gotten mad at players who haven’t made plays. That goes with the game. It doesn’t necessarily affect me.”

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Photos: UCLA vs. Washington State

Kevin Prince gives UCLA shelf life with win

Tyler Gonzalez gets his kick on a different field

--Chris Foster

Photo: Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince throws a touchdown pass to receiver Shaquelle Evans for the go-ahead score against the Cougars in the fourth quarter Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Texas 49, UCLA 20 (final)

Texas turned the tables.

Embarrassed last season in Austin when they were run over by UCLA in a three-touchdown loss, the Longhorns delivered payback in an even bigger way Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

With a lot of help from the host Bruins.

UCLA committed four turnovers, including three first-half interceptions of passes thrown by Kevin Prince, and the Bruins were unable to recover.

Texas, ranked No. 23 by Associated Press, ran its record to 3-0 by running and passing at will. Sophomore Case McCoy completed 12 of 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Malcolm Brown ran for 110 yards and a touchdown in 22 carries.

And the UCLA running game, unstoppable in this matchup a year ago, simply couldn't bust enough big plays to get the Bruins back in the game.

UCLA, which ran for 264 yards in a 34-12 win over Texas last season, gained 141 yards in 34 carries  Saturday.

Prince, making the start at quarterback after missing last week's win over San Jose State because of a shoulder injury, was benched after having three of his seven passes picked off.

Richard Brehaut came on to complete eight of 19 passes for 150 yards.

UCLA is 1-2 and will open Pacific 12 Conference play next Saturday at Oregon State.

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Photos: UCLA vs. Texas

Texas 49, UCLA 20 (2:57 left in fourth quarter)

From start to finish, the Texas offense is cashing in opportunities provided by its defense.

Taking over at midfield after stuffing UCLA on a fourth-and-one play, the Longhorns drove 50 yards in 11 plays for their seventh touchdown in 11 possessions.

UCLA vs. Texas football: Live updates from the Rose Bowl

Texas 7, UCLA 0 (early first quarter)

The Longhorns converted an intercepted pass into a touchdown.

Carrington Byndom picked off a poorly thrown pass by Kevin Prince, giving Texas the ball at the UCLA 45-yard line. Two plays later, Case McCoy connected with a ridiculously wide open D.J. Grant, who coasted into the end zone on a 45-yard yard touchdown pass.

The interception was on Prince’s first pass since he sprained his right shoulder against Houston in the season opener two weeks ago.

Pregame

Kevin Prince will start at quarterback for UCLA today against Texas at the Rose Bowl.

Prince missed last week’s game against San Jose State because of a sprained right shoulder. He was the Bruins’ starting quarterback in the season opener against Houston, but injured his shoulder and sustained a concussion when he was upended on a scramble in the second quarter.

Richard Brehaut started against San Jose State.

Prince engineered a 34-12 victory over Texas in Austin last season.

MORE:

Bruins, Longhorns have things to prove

Can UCLA beat Texas and capitalize on the win?

Derrick Coleman is pounding out tough yards again

--Chris Foster

Photo: Kevin Prince (4) and Richard Brehaut during pregame drills last week at the Rose Bowl. Credit: Bret Hartman / Associated Press

UCLA football: Houston defeats Bruins, 38-34

Quarterback Kevin Prince has a concussion, but UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel might have the bigger headache after Houston held on for a 38-34 win over the Bruins on Saturday afternoon at Robertson Stadium in Houston.

UCLA's defense simply couldn't contain Cougars quarterback Case Keenum, who might own a couple of NCAA career records when he's finished this season. In the season opener for both teams, he showed why, completing 30 of 40 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 30 yards.

Prince, UCLA's starting quarterback, completed his first three passes, but sustained a game-ending concussion when he was upended on a play in the second quarter.

Backup Richard Brehaut came on to complete 17 of 26 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 87 yards and a touchdown in 13 carries.

Offense wasn't the problem for the Bruins. Johnathan Franklin ran for 128 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries and UCLA outgained Houston, 554 yards to 469.

Tight end Joseph Fauria, a 6-foot-8 transfer from Notre Dame, led UCLA receivers with six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Brehaut connected with Anthony Barr on an 11-yard scoring pass with 1 minute 19 seconds left in the game, but Kip Smith's extra point was blocked and Houston easily recovered an onside kick.

--Mike Hiserman

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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER RECAP:

Houston 38, UCLA 28 (fourth quarter)

Houston refuses to fold. The Cougars, leading by three, get a defensive stop. Quarterback Case Keenum puts the ball in the end zone again, although it required a kind bounce.

Keenum completed a jail-break screen to Tyrone Carrier, who had the ball knocked loose at the one-yard line. Center Chris Thompson recovered the fumble in the end zone for the touchdown.

Houston 31, UCLA 28 (late third quarter)

The Cougars were on the verge of upping their lead when running back Bryce Bell fumbled on the UCLA five-yard line. The Bruins went 95 yards in nine plays.

UCLA football: Bruins vs. Houston live updates

 

UCLA’s first opportunity with the ball resulted in a fumble on a kickoff return, which the Bruins recovered. They held the ball for three plays, with a bad snap by center Kai Maiava killing any chance of moving the ball.

Houston, meanwhile, was efficient, driving 60 yards to get a 35-yard field goal by Matt Hogan for a 10-0 lead. Quarterback Case Keenum completed seven of seven pass for 52 yards on the drive.

Houston made it look easy on its first drive, going 80 yards in 16 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Michael Hayes went the final yard for the touchdown, but it was quarterback Case Keenum’s moment.

Keenum, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against UCLA last season, completed five of seven passes for 42 yards. He also ran twice for 18 yards. He completed an eight-yard pass to Hayes on a third-and-seven play. Keenum also scrambled 10 yards on a third down to give the Cougars a first down on the UCLA seven-yard line.

--Chris Foster, reporting from Houston

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UCLA opens season with question mark at quarterback

Bruins look to continue Texas winning streak against Houston

UCLA will be ready for the Cougars from the opening kickoff

Photo: Houston quarterback Case Keenum takes the field Saturday. Credit: Thomas Campbell / US Presswire

UCLA football: Quarterback Kevin Prince shines in practice

The Kevin Prince that UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel has been waiting to see appeared at practice Wednesday morning.

Prince looked very much like the guy who won the Bruins’ quarterback job the last two seasons, completing 11 of 17 passes during 11-on-11 drills.

Of the misses, two were drops and another was broken up by a defender. His passes were crisp and -- pleasing to Neuheisel’s eyes -- on target.

“I thought it was maybe as good a practice as he has had,” Neuheisel said. “It’s like anything that requires skill and touch, it’s about confidence. A golfer with confidence can hit any shot. A golfer without it is playing defense all day long. We want to coach him hard but we also want to remind him he’s a good player.”

Prince struggled through Tuesday’s practice while getting most of the reps. Fellow quarterback Richard Brehaut is sidelined with an injured left foot.

Brehaut was out of the walking boot Wednesday, but Neuheisel wasn’t sure whether he would participate in Saturday’s scrimmage.

As for Prince, footwork has been a big issue, Neuheisel said.

“It’s all about distributing the weight,” Neuheisel said. “When you’re throwing in the backyard it’s easy. But you never get that type of throw in a game. You have to move your feet, like if you were playing shortstop. Only you’re not just throwing to first, but third sometimes.”

Prince said he relaxed more Wednesday.

“I broke down on the fundamentals yesterday,” Prince said. “The ball was flying pretty well today, so I think it was better. I’ll know when I see the tape.”

As for his footwork, “I just keep doing the drills over and over and it will carry over to where I don’t have to think about it when I play.”

-- Chris Foster