UCLA shuts down Houston's passing game in blowout

PASADENA, Calif. -- The UCLA defense entered its matchup against the high-flying Houston passing game with quite a chip on its shoulder.

Rice put together a surprisingly efficient effort in the first half of the Bruins' season opener, leaving pundits questioning UCLA's toughness against the run.

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez picked the Bruins apart for a half in UCLA's surprising Week 2 win before the Bruins figured him out.

In came the Cougars' vaunted aerial attack to the Rose Bowl, ready to throw all over the place, as Houston did in a season-opening win over UCLA last year.

Instead, Houston awakened the beast.

The Bruins narrowly missed their first shutout since 2007 as two defenders scored touchdowns and redshirt senior cornerback Sheldon Price added three interceptions in UCLA's 37-6 win Saturday night in front of 53,723.

"You know you're going to have the opportunity to make plays on the ball (against a team like Houston)," said Price, who has four interceptions on the year. "With (defensive backs coach) Demetrice Martin hyping us up ... I got three passes my way, and I was able to capitalize on them."

UCLA grounded the Cougars' passing game with a combination of pressure, both at the line of scrimmage and in the defensive backfield.

Houston quarterback David Piland completed 28 of 60 passes for 249 yards with five interceptions, the most by the Bruins defense since 1987. UCLA added a fumble recovery and a sack. The shutout was only averted by Piland's 86-yard touchdown run with just under five minutes left.

"That's a great football team we played tonight," Houston coach Tony Levine said. "They played incredibly well on all three sides of the ball, offensively, defensively and special teams. It's a talented team, and they've got it going very well right now."

The Bruins' offense, while effective, did not measure up to the lofty standard set in the team's first two games.

UCLA gained 567 yards on 98 plays Saturday, including 320 yards on 27-of-42 passing by redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Hundley.

Johnathan Franklin, the nation's leading rusher, added 110 yards on 25 carries.

"We don't feel satisfied," said new UCLA head coach Jim L. Mora, who has guided the team to a 3-0 start. "We just don't feel satisfied. I think that's a good thing. I'm glad our team feels that way. I think we realize what our potential is, if we play up to that potential."

In a matchup of one of the country's best running games and one of the best passing games, the story quickly became the UCLA defense.

How quick?

Try about 16 seconds.

That's how long it took Bruins linebacker Eric Kendricks to scoop up a fumble on a backward pass by Piland and cruise into the end zone.

"They played well, which gave our offense trouble," Levine said. "You don't want to lose two of your top three running backs. When one doesn't play and the other goes out extremely early it really limits what you can do. ... I think not having Charles Sims tonight affected our rhythm offensively, and Ryan Jackson went down with a leg injury early and was out for the game.

"(The Bruins have) got a tremendous pass rush, and they showed it in their first two games."

UCLA maintained a healthy cushion for much of the first half, heading into halftime up 17-0. It was a rather unassuming 17-0 lead, though.

Despite 308 yards of offense, the Bruins' lone offensive touchdown was scored by a defensive player, defensive end Datone Jones, who caught a 7-yard touchdown pass as a tight end in a bunch formation late in the first quarter.

Less than a minute later, switching from his No. 97 offensive jersey back to the familiar No. 56, Jones picked up a tackle for loss.

It was one of seven for the Bruins on the evening.

"We came into this one saying we have to come out and play with the same intensity and play with just as much fun," Mora said of avoiding a letdown after beating then-No. 16 Nebraska. "I don't think there was any disrespect in that light."