UCLA
Fresno State
Bruins Drop Seesaw Affair to Fresno State, 36-31
September 27, 2008 | Football
Sept. 27, 2008
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PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Tom Brandstater threw for three touchdowns and Ryan Mathews ran for one score and caught another as No. 25 Fresno State outlasted UCLA 36-31 on Saturday.
In a game marked by rapid shifts in momentum, the Bulldogs (3-1) took final control after the Bruins' Derrick Coleman fumbled at the Fresno State 10 and the Bulldogs' Wilson Ramos recovered with 8:55 remaining.
With Mathews grinding out yards from there, Fresno State ran out the clock with a 17-play drive that ended on the UCLA 4 as time ran out.
Brandstater was 21-of-30 for 236 yards, including touchdowns of 28 yards to Chastin West, 22 to Mathews, and 4 to Bear Pascoe, the final two as the Bulldogs opened a 36-22 lead in the third quarter.
The Bruins closed the gap against the Bulldogs on a rare 2-point defensive PAT conversion and Kevin Craft's 20-yard touchdown throw to Chane Moline.
Fresno State's victory was just its second in eight all-time meetings against UCLA.
Terrence Austin was a standout for UCLA in the loss, accounting for 298 total yards--206 on kickoff returns, 44 on punt returns, 29 rushing and 19 receiving.
Craft went 11-of-20 for UCLA, and Khalil Bell, back after being sidelined by an ankle sprain, gained 73 yards on 20 carries and scored on runs of 7 and 1 yards. Coleman led the Bruins' rushers with 86 yards on 10 carries.
Early in the fourth quarter, Craft connected with Moline to narrow the gap to five points.
