ASU's QB swap doesn't help against UCLA

PASADENA, Calif. — UCLA did its part to salvage a rocky season, beating Arizona State 23-13 Saturday and earning a sixth win to become bowl eligible for the 11th time in 13 seasons.

Still, there's no guarantee the Bruins will be going anywhere.

Bordow: Devils make no progress this season

ASU notes: Williams' big day goes to waste

UCLA must still finish among the top six teams in the Pac-10 to get a guaranteed bowl berth, but the Bruins at least gave themselves a chance Saturday behind a defense that accounted for two touchdowns and set up a field goal.

"At the outset of the season, I said we wanted to get ourselves to a bowl and that would keep the momentum of our program going," second-year coach Rick Neuheisel said. "The number six was magic in that regard."

UCLA (6-5, 3-5 Pac-10), whose last postseason appearance was a loss in the 2007 Las Vegas Bowl, has won three straight and will visit crosstown rival Southern California next weekend in a bid to solidify its selection to a lower-tier bowl.

When the Bruins' defense wasn't scoring against ASU, it forced six turnovers. The result was the opposite of last year's game in Tempe, where the Sun Devils won 34-9 on four defensive touchdowns.

"For two years this has been a knockdown, drag-out defensive war," Neuheisel said. "Last year they got the better end with the turnovers, but it was our day to make some offensive miscues turn into scores for us."

The Bruins staggered through October with an 0-5 record; they're 3-0 this month.

"We knew we had to find a way to step up these last couple of games," said cornerback Alterraun Verner, who had a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown. "You can see in practice the enthusiasm and work ethic, especially us seniors, knowing it's our last go-around that we had to turn it around and make a difference."

Redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince was 15 of 31 for 161 yards with no interceptions and no TDs for the Bruins. He was briefly replaced by Kevin Craft after being shaken up early in the fourth, but he soon returned.

Chane Moline had 84 yards rushing on 25 carries for UCLA, and Nelson Rosario had six catches for 81 yards.

ASU's hopes of being extended a bowl invitation were dashed with its fifth consecutive loss. The Sun Devils (4-7, 2-6) have averaged 15 points during the skid. They finished 1-4 on the road, only beating Pac-10 doormat Washington State.

"It's disheartening and not any fun," coach Dennis Erickson said. "I'm not used to losing. It's hard to believe where we are at this point in the season."

The Sun Devils, who boasted the Pac-10's top defense, have only next week's rivalry game with Arizona remaining.

"We looked forward to coming here and getting a win and trying to become bowl eligible, but we did not take care of business," ASU receiver Kyle Williams said. "You cannot make turnovers and win football games. Now all we're playing for is pride."

Williams had six catches for 128 yards and two TDs, including a 70-yarder in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Samson Szakacsy, the Sun Devils' third quarterback of the season, was 15 of 22 with one interception and two touchdowns while getting sacked four times in his first career start.

"I take full responsibility for what I did wrong," Szakacsy said. "I did not make plays and there are no excuses. I wasn't nervous, but I was anxious. First start or whatever, I just have to make more plays and make less mistakes."

Dimitri Nance was ASU's leading rusher with 21 carries for 110 yards.

Williams' second TD reception pulled Arizona State to 23-13 with 11:47 remaining in the game. The 2-point conversion failed when Jovon Williams dropped Szakacsy's pass on the goal line. Thomas Weber also missed a 43-yard field goal wide left in the third.

The Bruins outscored ASU 13-0 in the second quarter and overcame 11 penalties for 100 yards in their home finale at the Rose Bowl in front of 46,151. Kai Forbath kicked two of his three field goals in the second.

Szakacsy was sacked by Brian Price for an 11-yard loss, causing a fumble that was recovered by Akeem Ayers at the ASU 9-yard line. Ayers reached across the goal line with the ball as he fell, extending UCLA's lead to 16-7.

"It was a good play by him stripping the ball," Ayers said. "It was just pursuit of the ball, scoop and score, the same thing we do in practice."

On Arizona State's ensuing kickoff, Sean Westgate recovered a fumble by Jamal Miles at the ASU 18. UCLA capped its possession with Forbath's 20-yard field goal for a 20-7 halftime lead.

Forbath hit a 22-yard field goal earlier in the second quarter to give UCLA a 10-7 lead.

The Sun Devils tied the game at 7 on Szakacsy's 35-yard TD pass to Williams with 51 seconds remaining in the first. Szakacsy lofted the pass under pressure to Williams, who dove into the end zone.

UCLA scored first on Verner's interception return at 11:47 of the opening quarter. It was his school-record fourth career interception return for a TD.

"We always take it as a challenge every week to make plays, create turnovers," Verner said. "So these last couple of weeks, we've been seeing that's what we should've been doing this whole year. But it's better late than never."

By the numbers:

6 – Number of ASU turnovers

0 – Number of UCLA turnovers

0 – Sacks for ASU’s defense

4 – Sacks for UCLA’s defense

Key moment: UCLA’s Gavin Ketchum scored on a Samson Szakacsy fumble with 1:19 left in the first half to give the Bruins a 17-7 lead.

Star of game: Bruins defensive tackle Brian Price forced a fumble, recovered a fumble had six tackles and two quarterback sacks.

Thumbs up: Kyle Williams caught touchdown passes of 70 and 35 yards and finished with six catches for 128 yards.

Thumbs down: ASU’s four first-half turnovers gave the Bruins 17 points.

Did you see that? Freshman middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict was joking and laughing on the sidelines in the closing minutes of the loss

— Compiled by Scott Bordow