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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
SEATTLE (AP) -- Washington didn't let UCLA knock it out of the
Rose Bowl race this time.
|  | | Washington quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo rushed for 69 yards but passed for only 111 Saturday in beating UCLA. |
Freshman Rich Alexis ran for 127 yards on 21 carries and the Huskies (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 7 AP) 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 3½ 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.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
UCLA Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Marques Tuiasosopo lofts a pass to Todd Elstrom for the touchdown. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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Willie Hurst opens the second half with a big run leading to the game-tying TD. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
avi: 980 k
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Another big catch by Brian Poli-Dixon allows UCLA to take the lead at half. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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QB Marques Tuiasosopo finds Jerramy Stevens in the endzone for an early Washington score. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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A key block by Ed Ieremia-Stansbury gives Deshaun Foster a 12-yard touchdown run. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
avi: 992 k
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Washington's offensive line opens a huge hole allowing Willie Hurst to score. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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Brian Poli-Dixon's 48-yard catch sets up a UCLA touchdown. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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 Coach Rick Neuheisel credits UCLA for putting up a good fight. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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Marques Tuiasosopo final home game was extremely emotional for the entire team. (Courtesy:ABC Sports)
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