Maddox Steps Over the Line as Bruins Lose : UCLA: Quarterback’s apparent touchdown pass on final play is nullified because he had crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing it. Arizona wins on 70-yard interception return in last minute, 28-21.

UCLA quarterback Tommy Maddox is a 19-year-old redshirt freshman, but Saturday’s game against Arizona may linger with him a long time.

He threw three damaging interceptions at the Rose Bowl as Arizona beat UCLA, 28-21, in a Pacific 10 Conference game before 50,156.

Then, with his team trailing by a touchdown in the waning seconds, it seemed for a moment that Maddox had redeemed himself.

With five seconds remaining, UCLA was on the Arizona 35-yard line, fourth and 10. Maddox scrambled and threw an apparent touchdown pass to wide receiver Sean LaChapelle between two Arizona defensive backs.

However, it was ruled that Maddox had stepped over the line of scrimmage before throwing the football and the touchdown was nullified.

Replays showed that Maddox was over the line by about a foot.

So the game ended with UCLA suffering its first conference loss, while Arizona stayed alive in the league race. UCLA is 2-3 overall, 2-1 in league play. Arizona is 4-1 and 2-1.

“I went from the greatest moment of my life to the worst moment of my life,” said Maddox, referring to the touchdown pass that wasn’t allowed.

“I thought I knew where the line of scrimmage was, and I thought I had pulled up short. As soon as I threw it, somebody hit me and and I wasn’t sure I was across (the line).”

Maddox said, and it was confirmed by UCLA Coach Terry Donahue, that the Bruins would have tried a two-point conversion if the touchdown had been legal.

Almost a minute earlier, UCLA seemed on the verge of winning the game with either a touchdown or field goal.

The Bruins had a first down at the Arizona 36 with the score tied, 21-21. Maddox then threw a sideline pass intended for split end Reggie Moore.

Cornerback Darryl Lewis stepped in front of Moore, intercepted and raced 70 yards untouched down the sideline for a touchdown.

“They ran the same play before and I didn’t get a good jump,” Lewis said. “On the interception I looked at the wing, and I had a feeling he would throw it my way.

“When I was running to the end zone, all I was thinking that it was a long ways away. I was just praying I could get there.”

It was Lewis’ fifth interception of the season. The senior from Nogales High in West Covina came into the game sharing the national lead in interceptions with four.

“I saw number four (Lewis), but the ball fluttered on me a little bit,” Maddox said. “It was a ball that shouldn’t have been thrown. It cost the game for us.”

Maddox’s miscues clouded the positive things that the quarterback did, such as throwing three touchdown passes to flanker Scott Miller.

However, when it seemed that UCLA was on the verge of pulling away, the Bruins let Arizona back into the game.

Examples:

--With the score tied, 14-14, in the second quarter, UCLA had second and goal at the Arizona five-yard line.

Maddox threw a pass intended for tight end Corwin Anthony in the end zone, but safety Jeff Hammerschmidt intercepted for a touchback.

--A few plays later, UCLA defensive tackle Matt Werner recovered fullback Mike Streidnig’s fumble at the Arizona 32, but UCLA’s Brad Daluiso eventually missed a 48-yard field goal.

So the half ended with the teams still tied, 14-14.

Early in the fourth quarter, with UCLA leading 21-14, Miller returned a punt 51 yards for an apparent touchdown.

Instead of a two-touchdown advantage, the play was nullified when UCLA’s Pat McPherson was cited for clipping, a 15-yard penalty.

--Two plays later, with the ball at the UCLA 39, Maddox’s short pass intended for tight end Randy Austin was intercepted by Arizona linebacker Zeno Alexander.

“One of their defensive linemen grabbed my arm,” Maddox said. “I tried to hold up, but I couldn’t.”

After Alexander’s eight-yard return, the Wildcats drove 35 yards to the tying touchdown.

There were almost six minutes left when UCLA got the ball again.

Maddox drove the Bruins from his 11 to the Wildcat 36, where he threw his last interception--the 70-yard return by Lewis.

“We had a perfect opportunity to win it,” Maddox said. “All we needed was a field goal. We didn’t take advantage of it, and I made a terrible mistake and it cost us the game.”

Maddox acknowledged that he didn’t have a good day. He completed 14 of 33 passes for 269 yards. Scott Miller had scoring catches of 40, 45 and 32 yards.

Donahue wasn’t overly critical of his young quarterback saying, “He’s young and made some mistakes and they hurt our team, but he’s a fabulous player, and he’ll be even better in the future.”

UCLA Notes

Arizona came into the game as the leading rushing team in the Pac-10 and the worst passing team, averaging only 70.5 yards a game. However, the Wildcats had 149 yards passing at halftime. Coach Dick Tomey alternated his quarterbacks, starter Ronald Veal and George Malauulu. . . . Malauulu was more effective. He completed six of 11 passes for 122 yards and was a threat as an option runner. He gained 52 yards and scored a touchdown on a six-yard run to tie the score, 14-14, in the second quarter. . . . “I thought we could pass well against UCLA,” Tomey said. “Our (run-oriented) offense is geared to making the opponent’s secondary do things they’re not used to doing.”

Arizona gained 480 yards rushing last year while beating UCLA, 42-7, in Tucson. The Wildcats settled for a more-balanced attack Saturday with 158 yards rushing and 178 by passing. UCLA had 425 yards in total offense as tailback Brian Brown gained 103 yards rushing.

* STOLEN MOMENT: Arizona cornerback Darren Lewis was burned early but came back to return an interception for the game-winning touchdown. Thomas Bonk’s story, C8.