This Date in College Football Belt History – October 30

The 3^rd ranked, 6-0-1 UCLA Bruins of coach Terry Donahue traveled to Seattle to battle Don James’ 4-3 Washington Huskies.  QB Warren Moon lead the Washington offense in the Huskies first ever Belt game.  UCLA’s All-Pac 8 RB Theotis Brown rushed for a school-record 220 yards & scored 3 touchdowns as the Bruins defeated the Huskies for the first time in Seattle since 1958 to retain The Belt with a 30-21 victory.  The Bruins opened with a punishing 72-yard drive with Brown scoring the touchdown on a 29-yard run.  Washington responded with a 31-yard field goal from PK Steve Robbins that cut the UCLA lead to 7-3 before the Bruins came back with a 9-play, 80-yard drive with Brown carrying in from 15 yards giving UCLA a 14-3 2^nd quarter lead.  Just as it seemed the Bruins had taken control of the game, Washington’s RB Joe Steele took the ensuing kick-off & returned it 89 yards for a touchdown.  Robbins’ 31-yard field goal kept the Huskies in the game as the trailed just 14-13 at the half.  Defense for both teams dominated the 3^rd quarter with the only points coming on a 25-yard field goal from UCLA’s All-Pac 8 PK Frank Corral.  The most critical outcome of the 3^rd quarter may have been Washington’s loss of All-Pac 8 NG Charles Jackson to injury.  UCLA’s RB James Owens’ 34-yard touchdown run early in the 4^th quarter again seemed to leave the Bruins in total control with a 24-13 lead but Moon had still had hopes of leading a comeback.  Washington traveled 80 yards for their touchdown with Moon throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to TE Scott Greenwood that got the Huskies within 5 points at 24-19 & when Moon connected with RB Ronnie Rowland on the 2-point conversion, the Huskies were within a field goal at 24-21.  Brown’s third touchdown came midway through the 4^th quarter through a hole that might have been occupied by Washington’s injured nose guard.  Brown finished the 85-yard drive when he broke through the line & ran 51 yards untouched for the clinching score.  UCLA’s QB Jeff Dankworth threw for just 69 yards but Brown’s school-rushing record & Owens’ 123 yards rushing with his score helped the Bruins amassed 451 yards rushing for the game.  Moon threw for 132 yards with a touchdown in the loss.  UCLA finished the season 9-2-1; ranked 15^th nationally while the Huskies finished 5-6.  Washington would play for The Belt again in 1978.

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