Dec. 1, 2001
By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer
PASADENA, Calif. - Scott McEwan's turn was a long time in coming. He said it was worth the wait.
McEwan, a fifth-year senior making his first career start, passed for 280 yards and three touchdowns Saturday as UCLA beat Arizona State 52-42 to snap a four-game losing streak.
Coming off a 27-0 loss to Southern California, the Bruins (7-4, 4-4 Pac-10) took command by scoring three touchdowns in the opening 16{ minutes, and added three more TDS in the third quarter to put the Sun Devils away.
Now, McEwan hopes to make another start - in a bowl game. But that might not happen for the Bruins despite their winning record. The Silicon Valley Bowl and Humanitarian Bowl are thought to be possibilities.
Athletic director Peter Dalis refused comment on the matter before the game, but coach Bob Toledo said he believes the Bruins deserve a shot.
"We played a tough schedule," Toledo said. "I think when you're 7-4 at a place like UCLA, you ought to have an opportunity to play somewhere. I'll let the administration handle that stuff. I'm going to enjoy this."
McEwan, who completed 20 of 36 passes with one interception, threw a 62-yard scoring pass to Craig Bragg in the second quarter, a 39-yarder to Bragg in the third period, and a 2-yarder to Ed Ieremia-Stansbury in the fourth quarter.
Bragg, a redshirt freshman, had seven receptions for 138 yards - both career highs.
"It feels great," McEwan said. "It was a tough road this season, to go 6-0 and lose the last four. There was nothing that was going to bring us down today, we were going to come out victorious.
"I've waited a long time for this opportunity, it was a long haul. I just feel very fortunate. It was coach Toledo's decision to have Cory playing, and I supported it. I was just going to go out there and hold nothing back. I'm just real happy I performed well in my final game."
McEwan referred to Cory Paus, the Bruins' starting quarterback most of the last three seasons. Paus was demoted to third string this week for not disclosing two alcohol-related driving incidents to Toledo.
"He responded well," Toledo said of McEwan. "He's a great kid, you can't ask for a more loyal person."
UCLA also played without DeShaun Foster, the nation's fifth-leading rusher who was ruled ineligible Nov. 7 for an extra benefits violation. Foster was invited to be introduced with the other 22 UCLA seniors before the game, but opted not to do so.
The win was UCLA's first since Oct. 20.
"You can't compare this game to anything else, it's our last game," senior defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman said. "It's great, it was an emotional game."
Manuel White, who gained 85 yards on 17 carries, scored on runs of 8 and 9 yards, and Akil Harris, who picked up a career-high 138 yards on 22 carries, added a 1-yard TD plunge for the Bruins.
UCLA also got a 5-yard touchdown run from Matt Stanley and a 28-yard field goal by Chris Griffith.
Tom Pace, a senior playing in his final college game, scored on a 42-yard run and a 100-yard kickoff return for the Sun Devils (4-7, 1-7), who finished the season with five straight losses.
Pace gained 87 yards on nine carries.
"What a thrill the run was," Pace said of his kickoff return. "When I broke free, all I could see was the kicker coming after me, and I thought I could get away from him."
The other ASU touchdowns were scored by Delvon Flowers on a 2-yard run, Mike Williams on a 59-yard run, Justin Taplin on an 18-yard pass from Andrew Walter, and Ryan Dennard on a 2-yard pass from Walter with four seconds left.
ASU scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter including the final two after UCLA had taken a 52-28 lead.
Flowers gained 50 yards on 16 carries to raise his rushing total for the season to 1,041 yards.
Walter, a redshirt freshman making his second career start, completed 16-of-29 for 226 yards with one interception, and was sacked six times.
"This was a tough way to send our seniors out," ASU coach Dirk Koetter said. "But on the positive side, our team did compete quite well today. When you lack confidence, as we did today, you're not only playing your opponent, but yourselves also."
ASU's Jeff Krohn, the Pac-10's passing efficiency leader, sat out the game because of tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.
The game was played before a crowd of 45,271 at the Rose Bowl. It was originally scheduled Sept. 15 as UCLA's home opener, but postponed due to the terrorist attacks on the East Coast four days earlier.