UCLA
Boise State
Bruins Open Season With Victory
September 04, 1999 | Football
Sept. 4, 1999
Game Stats | Game Notes & Quotes
By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - It wasn't bad, for openers. But the UCLA Bruins realize next week will be another matter.
Freshman Cory Paus ignited a stagnant offense, and the 17th-ranked Bruins showed a much-improved defense in a 38-7 season-opening victory over outmanned Boise State on Saturday night.
Paus relieved starting quarterback Drew Bennett on UCLA's fourth possession, and completed 12 of 18 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.
Bennett, who backed up four-year starter Cade McNown during the last two seasons, was shaky at the outset of his first start, but performed much better in the second half, and wound up 8-of-16 for 120 yards and one TD with one interception.
The Bruins won decisively even though 11 players, most of them starters, were suspended for illegally obtaining handicapped parking permits.
In addition, standout wide receiver Danny Farmer didn't play because of a sprained ankle.
The Bruins hope Farmer will be available next Saturday when they face No. 13 Ohio State at Columbus.
"We've just got to match their intensity," running back DeShaun Foster said of the Buckeyes. "We've just got to come out and play smash-mouth football."
The Bruins didn't manage much of that against Boise State, being held to only 153 net yards on 41 rushing attempts, an average of just 3.7 yards per carry. Foster led the way with 55 on 17 carries and scored one touchdown.
"We ran right at them, and didn't go anywhere," UCLA coach Bob Toledo said. "We've got to be able to run the football or we're going to have some trouble this year.
"A win is a win," Toledo added. "We looked like a young football team, and we obviously were."
The Bruins were especially young on defense, with three freshmen and three sophomores in the starting lineup. Nevertheless, they held Boise scoreless for the game's first 58 minutes.
"I thought our defense made some good plays and played better than it did a year ago," Toledo said.
That's no great feat, since UCLA was ranked 99th in the country in total defense last year, allowing an average of 437.8 yards as well as 28.3 points per game.
In addition, Boise State, a member of the Big West Conference, figures to be the Bruins' weakest opponent this season.
Broncos quarterback Bart Hendricks had a long night, completing 17 of 35 passes for 118 yards with three interceptions - all in the second quarter - before being relieved by Bryan Harsin early in the fourth quarter.
"We can't turn the football over the way we did and expect to be competitive," Boise State coach Dirk Koetter said. "We wanted UCLA to know we were physical enough to be here, and I think we showed them that.
"We should have run the ball more. I did not think we would be able to do as well as we did. It is my fault."
Led by Davy Malaythong, who gained 103 yards on 18 carries, Boise State netted 156 yards on 35 carries.
The Bruins went ahead for good midway through the first quarter on a 37-yard field goal by freshman Chris Griffith four plays after a 12-yard punt by Boise State's Jeff Edwards.
UCLA, the defending Pac-10 champion, blew the game open in the second quarter, scoring three touchdowns in less than six minutes to make it 24-0 with 5 1/2 minutes left before halftime.
Foster scored on a 4-yard run to cap a 68-yard, 10-play drive. Less than three minutes later, Julius Williams intercepted a pass by Hendricks and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown.
Hendricks was victimized again five plays later when Joey Strycula intercepted a screen pass and returned it seven yards to the Boise State 16, setting up a 5-yard scoring pass from Paus to Gabe Crecion.
The Broncos still hadn't crossed midfield to that point, a feat they finally accomplished with 1:33 left before halftime on a 16-yard run by Gavin Reed to the UCLA 39. However, Joe Hunter intercepted a pass by Hendricks two plays later to end the threat.
UCLA made it 38-0 in the third quarter on a 65-yard pass from Bennett to Randy Hakes and a 5-yard run by Jermaine Lewis.
Boise State scored on a 17-yard pass from Harsin to Shaelan McDonough with two minutes remaining, capping a 99-yard drive.
The Boise State players remembered Paul Reyna, a freshman defensive lineman who died Aug. 23, by wearing a No. 95 sticker, the number he would have worn, on their helmets.
Reyna, from nearby La Puente, Calif., suffered a head injury during a scrimmage on Aug. 18. His parents served as honorary Boise State captains for the game, and participated in the coin toss beforehand.
