page_title: 2008 UCLA Bruins football team
section_title: California
hierarchical_section_title: 2008 UCLA Bruins football team / Game summaries / California
caption_attribution_description: UCLA Bruins quarterback junior Kevin Craft (#3) passes at a road game at Cal. The Golden Bears won 41-20.
context_page_description: The 2008 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They opened the season at home against Tennessee under new head coach Rick Neuheisel, at the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, California. The Bruins played six of the Top 25 teams in the 2007 final Associated Press rankings. More than half of the opponents had won nine or more games during the 2007 season.
  The Bruins had seven home games and five away games this season, UCLA's 90th season in college football and 27th season at the Rose Bowl. Since moving to the Rose Bowl, the Bruins had a 109–46–2 record, winning 70%.
  On Monday, August 19, Neuheisel named Kevin Craft as starting quarterback for the first game of the season. Both Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan were injured in pre-season practices. Other available quarterbacks were Chris Forcier, Osaar Rasshan, and Nick Crissman.
  Alterraun Verner and Aaron Perez were named to the 2008 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team. Verner majors in mathematics and Perez is a sociology major. Sophomore place kicker Kai Forbath was named to Associated Press' All-America third team.
context_section_description: Cal quarterback Kevin Riley started for the Bears, his first since nearly a month before against Colorado State on September 27. The Bruins took their only lead of the game at the beginning of the second quarter by managing to block a punt attempt by Bryan Anger and recovering the ball in the end zone to go up 7–3. On the ensuing possession Jahvid Best was able to break free for 34-yard run, the only offensive touchdown in the first half for the Bears. Marcus Ezeff then intercepted a pass by Bruins quarterback Kevin Craft which he was able to return for a 69-yard touchdown. Both teams then traded field goals into the fourth quarter. After getting a stop on a fake Bruins punt attempt which nearly converted a 4th and 23 with a 22-yard pass, Riley hit Nyan Boateng for a 53-yard touchdown.  Michael Mohammed then intercepted a Craft pass for a 19-yard score.  Riley threw his second touchdown pass of the game on a ten-yard strike to Cameron Morrah.  UCLA got in the final score of the game when backup quarterback Chris Forcier threw a nine-yard pass to Dominique Johnson, which was set up by a kickoff return by wide receiver Terrence Austin for 81 yards.
  Craft passed for 206 yards and was picked off four times, two coming off tipped balls. Wide receiver Taylor Embree had 90 yards receiving. The Bears held the Bruins to 16 yards rushing, while Jahvid Best ran for 115 and Shane Vereen had 99. Riley passed for 153 yards and two touchdowns, although he was sacked three times. The victory continued Cal's win streak against UCLA at Memorial Stadium, having not lost to the Bruins at home since 1998.
caption: Craft passes
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