PULLMAN, WASH. — There are many ways to describe how completely UCLA dominated in a 43-7 victory over Washington State on Saturday.
Nick Crissman, the Bruins' fourth-string quarterback, got in the game for the first time ever. Walk-on punter Danny Rees was allowed to kick, another first. And guard Jeff Baca was already thinking about his stomach before he entered the locker room, spying the postgame feed and squealing, "ooooh, smoothies."
But nothing showed how much fun the Bruins were having at Martin Stadium than senior linebacker Reggie Carter's rebellion when he refused to leave the field with the game in hand early in the fourth quarter, forcing the Bruins to call a timeout.
"That was the first time since I have been at UCLA that we have been ahead by so much that they were taking me out of the game," Carter said. "I told them, 'No, let me stay.' Then coach told me he didn't want me to get hurt. So I apologize, but I just wanted to enjoy the moment."
There were many who felt the same after the Bruins followed in the footsteps of nearly every other Washington State opponent this season, allowing them to clear the bench, "a luxury that we don't overlook," Coach Rick Neuheisel said.
Quarterback Kevin Prince threw for 314 yards and was the Bruins' leading rusher with 76 yards. Fullback Chane Moline scored on three touchdown runs. The Bruins held the Cougars to 181 yards, while amassing 556 yards themselves.
"I told the defense, regardless how bad they are, or how bad people think they are, let's not let that alter our game," Carter said. "Let's try to beat them like they have never been beat before."
Unfortunately for the Cougars, they have experienced such moments already this season.
There may be better days ahead for Washington State fans -- Jay Leno plays the university Dec. 4 -- but a victory over the Cougars seems the only guarantee in a season so topsy-turvy in the Pacific 10 Conference that the Bruins rolled to a 36-point victory on the same day USC was routed by 34 points.
The Bruins (5-5 overall, 2-5 in conference play) have surpassed last season's victory total and are again spinning dreams of postseason play. Victories over Arizona State and USC in the final two games could make a bowl game -- a remote possibility at the end of a winless October -- possible.
"We can say, 'Hey, nice win,' but now we got to move forward," tight end Logan Paulsen said.
