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UCLA Defense Can't Contain Thomas in 31-22 Loss to Kansas State
As expected the UCLA-Kansas State game was a tight one with offense being a premium until a three-touchdown flurry in the final 123 seconds resulted in the Wildcats topping the Bruins 31-22.
Wildcat running back Daniel Thomas, who was held to only 54 yards in 15 attempts in the teams’ matchup at the Rose Bowl last season, went wild with a career-high 235 yards on the ground in front of a crowd of 51,059 in the Little Apple.
With the Bruins leading 10-7 after the first half, the Bruin defense had a hard time containing the option in the Wildcats’ opening drive of the second half which took four plays and went 80 yards culminating in a William Powell 28-yard run for a touchdown.
The Bruins would get to within one point in the fourth quarter when they gave up what looked to be a game clinching touchdown with 2:03 left giving the Wildcats the 24-16 lead. However quarterback Kevin Prince led a furious two-play 64-yard drive with a 35-yard pass to Cory Harkey and a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Marvray to bring the Bruins to within two thanks to a failed two-point conversion.
After a failed on-side kick attempt, the Bruin defense could not stop Thomas and the Wildcats who were obviously trying to kill the clock. Instead in went Thomas with a 35-yard run to score the clinching touchdown.
Prince showed no ill effects from back problems that held him out of most of fall camp despite the 9-for-26 day for only 120 yards and a touchdown and interception. Out of the pistol formation, Prince routinely scampered gaining 30 yards on 12 keepers.
The main problem for the Bruin offense was the receivers’ inability to catch the pigskin. Despite the ball being delivered right on the money all the receivers could not prevent it from touching the ground.
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