And the nightmare continues
UCLA drops 34-24
decision to Arizona;
streak hits six games
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Staff
TUCSON, Ariz — A stormy 1994 season officially became a tempest
Saturday afternoon in Tucson. The UCLA football team’s trail of
tears extended into Arizona as the Bruins (2-6 overall, 0-5 in the
Pacific-10) lost their sixth consecutive game, this week’s version
being a 34-24 defeat at the hands of No. 13 Arizona Wildcats (6-1,
4-0) before a record crowd of 58,817 in Arizona Stadium.
The loss assured the Bruins of their first losing season since
1990 as their faint bowl chances were lost somewhere in the eye of
the Desert Swarm.
"At this point in the season, it’s pure frustration," senior
quarterback Wayne Cook said. "It’s an absolute nightmare  I
don’t know how else to put it."
The afternoon began nightmarishly enough for the Bruins. The
Wildcats took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards in 10 plays,
capped by senior Ontiwaun Carter’s two-yard burst over the left
side.
Despite the ominous start, the Bruins beared down and refused to
fold.
"I’m very proud of the way we played," UCLA head coach Terry
Donahue said. "Both hard and courageously. We played better today
against a top flight opponent, but it wasn’t enough."
After a UCLA punt, senior linebacker Donnie Edwards came up with
the first of his plethora of big plays on the day. On a second and
nine, Edwards steamrolled over Arizona quarterback Dan White,
forcing a fumble at the Wildcat 16. Edwards was a one-man Desert
Swarm for the Bruins, recording 16 tackles, three sacks and two
forced fumbles.
The Bruins capitalized on the turnover two plays later as Cook
drilled junior wideout Kevin Jordan for a 14-yard touchdown. Jordan
tallied eight catches for 111 yards on the game, marking the fourth
time he has broken the century mark this season.
However, on a day in which senior wideout J.J. Stokes (one catch
for 18-yards) returned to action for the Bruins, the UCLA tandem
was outshone by Wildcat sophomore Richard Dice. Dice burned the
Bruin secondary for six catches totaling 138 yards. The Wildcats
consistently deflated the Bruins with their third and long
conversions. All told, Arizona was 12 of 20 on third downs, with
the White to Dice combination connecting on four occasions.
"Their third down conversions killed us," Edwards said. "Third
and long and we just gave it to them. It definitely hurt the
defense in the long run."
The Bruins took their second possession of the third quarter 49
yards in nine plays with senior Daron Washington winning a one-yard
footrace to the corner of the endzone. The touchdown gave the
Bruins their first lead in 26 quarters, dating back to the season’s
second game. Cook, who completed 16 of 33 passes for 245 yards,
completed all three of his attempts for 37 yards on the march.
"It was a good feeling to have a lead," Cook said. "It’s just a
shame it didn’t last longer."
The Bruins’ ecstasy lasted all of 5:32 as the Wildcats began an
11 play assault, ending in White’s 14-yard bullet over the middle
to senior tight end Lamar Harris.
Following two Wildcat field goals, a Bruin fumble and punt, the
Wildcats’ running game, led by Carter, churned out an eight play,
52-yard drive against an exhausted Bruin defense which stayed on
the field for more than 36 minutes.
Cook finished his day with a 14-yard touchdown toss to senior
wideout Mike Nguyen with 1:34 on the clock.
After a Merten onside kick failed, the Bruins were left to
ponder their lost season.
"This year is just going downhill," Edwards said. "Right now the
world is just like a big cloud."