Best scores twice, Cal rebounds from bad losses with 45-26 win over UCLA

Cal rebounds with 45-26 win over UCLA

PASADENA, Calif. — Jahvid Best made a 93-yard touchdown run and caught a 51-yard scoring pass, and California got back on track after two tough losses with a dynamic first half in a 45-26 victory over UCLA on Saturday.

Shane Vereen rushed for 154 yards and a score, and Marvin Jones caught two TD passes from Kevin Riley in the Golden Bears’ first win in nearly a month.

After a perfect nonconference start, Cal (4-2, 1-2 Pac-10) was embarrassed in back-to-back games by Oregon (42-3) and Southern California (30-3), all but ending their Pac-10 title hopes.

Cal got back in top form with a series of impressive first-half scores against UCLA (3-3, 0-3), which has lost three straight. Johnathan Franklin had a 74-yard TD run among his 101 yards rushing and two scores for the Bruins.