Big plays down Washington on road

In their first Pac 10 game of the season the Washington Huskies had a chance to face a beaten up and beaten down team in the UCLA Bruins. But when the smoke cleared after 60 minutes, it was the Dawgs that left the Rose Bowl turf the beaten team and it was a game marked by big plays on both sides. The only problem was most of them came from the hometown Bruins who walked away with a 44-31 win.

UCLA QB Pat Cowan was an efficient 17 of 30 for 149 yards with one touchdown and one interception before leaving early in the fourth quarter with a sprained knee.

He was helped by a running game that wracked up 321 yards against an overmatched Husky defense including 192 yards and one touchdown from RB Chris Markey and 108 yards and a touchdown from Kahlil Bell.

For the Huskies, Jake Locker had his best day, statistically, as a starter completing 17 of 35 passes for 216 yards including four touchdown, but he also had two backbreaking interceptions.

Locker also had 91 yards on the ground, but RB Louis Rankin was unable to get going as he was only able to muster 44 yards on 14 carries.

WR Anthony Russo had the big night catching the ball totaling 106 yards on five receptions including two touchdown – one from 20 yards out and another from 63. Marcel Reece also had a good night catching four passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

WR Corey Williams also had a touchdown as well.

The Husky defense played tough in the first half, holding the Bruins to 10 points, but in the second half they wore down just as the offense began to make a push.

Cowen was intercepted by LB Dan Howell and on the return sprained his knee. He was replaced by walk-on freshman McLeod Bethel-Thompson, but the Huskies were unable to stop the running of Markey and Bell and the Dawgs were also victimized on a 85 yard kickoff return by Matt Slater shortly after they had drawn within seven points at 31-24.

On defense the Bruins were led by LB Reggie Carter and CB Alterraun Verer with six stops apiece along with S Dennis Keyes who returned one interception 60 yards for a score and CB Rodney Van who picked off Locker’s last pass with 2:10 remaining on the clock.

The Husky defense was led by E.J. Savannah with 15 tackles (13 solo), CB Roy Lewis with 11 stops and Mesphin Forrester added 10.

Washington now falls to 2-2 on the season and will play host to USC, who torched Washington State today 47-14, next weekend.

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The injury report following the game (pending further diagnosis once the team arrives in Seattle ): LB Fred Wiggs (shoulder), LB Matt Houston (shoulder), DE Greyson Gunheim (leg) and LB E.J. Savannah (stinger)