McNown Is New No. 1 in Passing Ratings

By completing 11 of 20 passes against California on Saturday, UCLA quarterback Cade McNown moved into first place in the NCAA passing efficiency statistics.

McNown threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the 12th-ranked Bruins’ 35-17 victory over Cal, and has completed 127 of 208 passes for 2,139 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight games.

He has thrown four interceptions and has an efficiency rating of 169.0.

Washington’s Damon Huard, the efficiency leader for much of the season, dropped to second with a rating of 168.2

*

After being moved from split end to flanker and being told his per-catch average, best in school history, would probably fall because of the shorter routes run by players at his new position, receiver Jim McElroy is proving the predictors--they were McNown and UCLA coaches--wrong.

McElroy went into the season with a per-catch average of 19.28 yards. His three receptions for 127 yards Saturday give him 33 catches for 774 yards.

That averages out to 23.45 yards per catch and has increased his lifetime average to 20.86, well ahead of Willie “Flipper” Anderson’s 19.27, second on the school’s list.

And at 96.75 yards a game, McElroy is well on his way to his goal of a 1,000-yard season. The per-game average projects to 1,064 yards for a receiver who had 1,041 yards coming into his senior season.

*

UCLA also continues to lead the nation in turnover margin at two a game, even after fumbling three times and getting only a single pass interception against the Bears. . . . The Bruins have dropped to second in the nation in scoring at 42.3 points a game. Iowa is first.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NEXT FOR UCLA

WHO: Stanford

WHERE: Stanford Stadium

WHEN: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 9

RADIO: AM 1150