KEYS TO THE GAME

Gary Klein’s keys to the game:

1. Davis or Davis? USC tight end Fred Davis dropped a couple of passes, but he had six receptions for 41 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that eliminated any chance of a Bruins comeback victory. UCLA defensive end Bruce Davis, who made life miserable for the Trojans last season, finished with five tackles but no sacks.

2. Gotta run. UCLA needed to run the ball effectively to keep USC’s offense off the field, but Chris Markey’s 49 yards, combined with minus-31 yards in sacks, resulted in only 12 net rushing yards. Meanwhile, USC’s Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson and Chauncey Washington each got at least 13 carries, helping the Trojans rush for 231 yards, which set up the passing game.

3. (Un)happy returns. The Bruins could have used a big kickoff return or two from Matthew Slater, but USC kicked out of bounds or away from the senior. Terrence Austin gave USC a break when he fumbled a punt on the first series, but the Trojans failed to capitalize.