Battered Bruins win battle with Cougars

Published: Monday, December 14, 1998

Monday, December 14, 1998

HOUSTON: Mitchell, Coleman fall victim in game filled with questionable calls, late hits

By Jeff Kmiotek

Daily Bruin Staff

There was some good, more bad and a lot of ugly when the Bruins clashed with the Cougars in Houston.

Although third-ranked UCLA won the game 42-24, it was nothing less than a trying day.

The Bruins lost Freddie Mitchell, their top playmaker, to a broken left femur in the opening minutes. They then lost Kenyon Coleman, their top defensive lineman, to a sprained knee.

They had to battle the torturous Texas humidity and a stadium primarily used for high school games. They had to battle continual late hits and a group of officials that allowed them to happen. And they had to battle a vengeful Houston team that gave it all they had. But the Bruins failed to succumb to the injuries, penalties and hostilities.

"Obviously we had to overcome a lot of adversity," said head coach Bob Toledo.

"But we won the football game, and anytime you can win, particularly on the road, it's a good win."

But UCLA's school record 12th consecutive victory was one that most Bruins would like to forget. Especially Cade McNown, who was angered by the overly aggressive Cougars.

"It wasn't a fun game, " he said. "I felt like they played us dirty. A lot of cheap shots, a lot of going for the knees, and late hits. It was just rampant in that game."

It began with Houston driving the field for 67 yards before settling for a field goal. On the ensuing kickoff, returner and receiver Freddie Mitchell exploded for a 47-yard return, but after being tackled, he landed awkwardly and snapped his left femur. Mitchell missed the remainder of the season.

UCLA played a hideous first quarter in front of the 19,540 fans at tiny Robertson Stadium. McNown failed to complete a pass and the offense only mustered 6 yards, only a week after totaling 584 yards against a better Texas team.

The loss of Mitchell and the arduous conditions definitely took their toll as Houston took an early 6-0 lead.

But the Bruins stuck around and grabbed the lead for good in the second quarter when McNown hit Brian Poli-Dixon for a 61-yard touchdown strike.

UCLA's young defense, after struggling in the opening quarter, also made some big plays to assist the offense. Five snaps after the referees erroneously called back a UCLA interception, Tod McBride blocked a punt to set up a Jermaine Lewis one-yard TD run. Lewis, who was named UCLA's offensive player of the game, scored on an 8-yard scamper later in the quarter to give the Bruins a 21-6 lead. The slippery tailback finished the game with 67 yards and tied a school record with four TDs.

When the clock finally reached 0:00 on the sometimes nonfunctioning scoreboard, the Bruins had prevailed.

"We ended up lighting them up, but when the dust settled, we lost some guys, and that hurt," said McNown.

AARON MICHAEL TOUT

Senior tight end Mike Grieb runs the ball during UCLA's 42-24 victory over Houston.

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