Bruins are facing a big decision

There will be no quarterback controversy in Westwood. At least not this week.

Patrick Cowan and his injured right knee have been ruled out of the Oregon State game, leaving room for Ben Olson to reclaim the starting position at UCLA.

But if Cowan recovers any time soon, things could get interesting.

The junior quarterback proved his worth to the Bruins in Saturday’s emotional victory over Washington, jump-starting his team in a must-win situation.

It wasn’t about big numbers -- his passing yards totaled a mere 147 and he was injured while chasing a defender after an interception. It was about spark.

“He gave us some signs of life,” Coach Karl Dorrell said Sunday, adding: “I know he wasn’t perfect and he missed some throws, but Pat plays with a lot of energy and players enjoy that.”

Slumped in a chair at his locker after the game, dripping wet, Cowan did not have much to say. He has never been fond of talking to reporters.

Asked about his performance, he offered a few cliches and mumbled, “I just love playing with this team.”

His teammates were far more enthusiastic, explaining that they needed some tenacity after a humbling Sept. 15 loss at Utah.

“A team can fold and give up or a team can fight back,” linebacker Christian Taylor said. “We fought back.”

And Cowan’s play spoke louder than words.

This is the second consecutive year he had lost the starting job to Olson, who possesses a stronger arm and is cut from the classic quarterback mold. But when Olson suffered lingering headaches after Utah, Cowan got the nod against a Huskies team that came into the Rose Bowl ranked fifth in defense in the Pacific 10 Conference.

After a lackluster first half in which some of his throws sailed off-target, he cobbled together a third-quarter drive by completing two third-down passes and scrambling for 12 yards.

On third and six at the Washington 16-yard line, he appeared to be wrapped up for a sack when he flipped the ball to receiver Brandon Breazell for another first down. UCLA scored on the next play to take a 17-10 lead.

Though the Bruins would need plenty more to hang on, including touchdowns from the defense and special teams, that drive was a defining moment.

“There was a sense of urgency,” said tailback Chris Markey, who stole the headlines with 193 yards rushing and a long touchdown run.

Cowan’s determination -- running, passing, doing whatever it took -- was a reminder of last season’s USC game, the way he converted on scrambles and clutch passes for a 13-9 upset victory.

Again, his performance on that day was not statistically noteworthy, but the intangibles translated into a win, just as they did Saturday.

All the more impressive, Cowan was nursing a sore hamstring against Washington, a condition that could not have benefited from the cool, damp weather.

“Pat played very well considering his limitations going into the game,” Dorrell said. “He really made some nice plays, engineering some drives.”

The UCLA players have been careful not to favor one quarterback over the other, at least not publicly, directing equal praise to Cowan and Olson, who has been cleared to resume practice.

But when asked about Cowan on Saturday night, Markey sounded slightly biased.

“I hope that his injury isn’t really bad,” he said. “Hopefully he bounces back.”

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Times staff writer Chris Foster contributed to this report.

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david.wharton@latimes.com