PASADENA — A year ago in Austin, UCLA swung early against Texas and landed its blows on the way to a halftime lead.
The 2011 rematch has been a mirror image. The Longhorns are up 28-10 at the half after four scores that took less than five minutes each.
In the process, Texas managed to knock out UCLA starting quarterback Kevin Prince. The redshirt junior saw his first pass attempt miss its mark and sail into the hands of Texas cornerback Carrington Byndom, and things didn’t get much better from there.
Prince ended the first quarter by throwing his third interception, capping a miserable 15 minutes in which he threw as many passes to Texas defensive backs as he did to UCLA receivers. He heard a chorus of boos from the Rose Bowl crowd as he left the field.
The UCLA defense forced an early three-and-out on Texas’ first drive of the game, only to watch the offense give the ball right back. Prince, in his first game action since injuring his throwing shoulder and suffering a concussion at Houston, sailed his very first pass attempt wide of his intended target and right into the hands of diving Texas cornerback Carrington Byndom.
Texas capitalized instantly. After using backup quarterback David Ash for two plays, starter Case McCoy rotated in on third-and-ten and fired a pass to a wide open D.J. Grant for a 45-yard score.
Even given a golden chance in the red zone after Longhorn receiver Jaxon Shipley fumbled a punt away, UCLA gave the ball right back after a Prince pass was tipped and intercepted at Texas’ 4-yard line. Texas promptly went 71 yards in 4:46 to extend the lead to 14-0.
Texas went on to put 21 points on the board off Prince turnovers. The Longhorns took his last interception and drove 57 yards down the field — converting three third downs in the process — and finished with a 16-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Malcolm Brown.
Backup junior quarterback Richard Brehaut replaced Prince and led the Bruins to their first points, with the help of a fellow reserve. Junior Derrick Coleman ran for 42 yards on the drive, which ended with a Coleman 1-yard touchdown run.
UCLA ended the half with a 51-yard field goal from punter Jeff Locke, who is on in place of an injured Kip Smith.