By ADAM MAYA
TUCSON ? It took 42 points from Arizona and a streaker disguised as a referee before UCLA fought back Thursday night.
A brawl broke out between the two teams at midfield with four seconds left in the first half, this after a man ran across the field while removing parts of his clothing before finally being detained by on-field security. The benches-clearing melee was scattered across the field and led to a player ejection for each team.
At least the Bruins earned a draw there. Arizona embarrassed UCLA, 48-12, in a Pac-12 game nationally televised by ESPN. One had to question: What if former Arizona coach Mike Stoops, fired by the school last week, could have coached one more game? Now, the biggest question is whether UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel will get one more.
"They whipped us," Neuheisel said. "I don't know what to say other than we have to play much better and come back with more energy to play at this level."
With UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero standing just a few feet away, Neuheisel had enough energy to defend himself.
"I am doing everything that I can," Neuheisel said. "I've won a lot of football games as a football coach. A lot. And we are going to continue to pound away, to try to build this program into being the team that everybody would be proud of. It is a journey. Sometimes in the journey you take a misstep.
"My argument is I'm absolutely the right guy for the job. I'm looking forward to continuing in that quest."
Guerrero told reporters after the loss he was not going to fire Neuheisel this weekend.
It was the Bruins' third defeat this season by at least 26 points, this one to an Arizona team that was 1-5 and had lost its past 10 games against FBS opponents. The Bruins have now been outscored 132-32 in three Thursday night contests dating back to last season.
UCLA (3-4, 2-3 Pac-12) hosts Cal next Saturday. Thursday's rout was on from the opening kickoff, as Arizona scored on all six of its first-half possessions for a 42-7 lead.
Nick Foles, like Case Keenum and Andrew Luck before him, torched the Bruins' defense for 242 yards and three touchdowns, all to Juron Criner. Foles finished 26 of 39 for 291 yards.
The Bruins have allowed at least 38 points in all four of their losses.
"Nick Foles was as advertised," Neuheisel said. "We're not getting enough pressure where we can keep him from being as accurate as he's been. And when we're there to make plays, we're not getting it done. You can point at a lot of different things."
UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince did his part in the first half, completing 8 of 12 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Starting for the injured Richard Brehaut, Prince's only glaring mistake was missing an open Josh Smith in what could have been a touchdown to tie the score at 7-7.
It wouldn't have mattered.
What had been a non-existent Arizona running game was just as troublesome for UCLA. The Wildcats rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns by halftime, running right through the middle of the Bruins' front seven.
Less than halfway through the first quarter, Arizona had already outgained UCLA 150-5.
On UCLA's second drive, Prince executed a beautiful run fake to Johnathan Franklin, then hit an open Franklin in the flat for a 16-yard touchdown that made it 14-7 late in the first quarter.
But UCLA's next three possessions ended with a Franklin fumble, a Tyler Gonzalez missed 39-yard field goal, which was his first career attempt, and a fumble by Nelson Rosario following a 26-yard completion. Arizona scored a touchdown after each UCLA mistake.
By the end of the first half, the Wildcats had outgained UCLA, 416-177. Prince finished 17 of 35 for 286 yards. The Bruins had just 37 rushing yards, averaging 1.5 yards per carry against the nation's 100th-ranked rushing defense.
"It just got away from us," Neuheisel said. "Sometimes you catch a team hotter than hot."
Only Arizona hadn't led since its season opener against Northern Arizona seven weeks ago.
"I was asked coming into this week, 'Were you concerned that this (coaching) change will have a team (with) a new lease on life?' The answers were yes," Neuheisel said. "You saw, the team unshackled themselves from whatever was bothering them. Now it's up for us to unshackle ourselves from this particular night."
Or maybe just from Neuheisel.
Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com
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