Mike Fafaul hasn’t met or spoken with Patrick Cowan. He probably wouldn’t mind if they were forever linked after Saturday.
Cowan was the most recent in a string of UCLA backup quarterbacks who improbably helped nudge the Bruins to victory over USC.
The tradition goes back to at least 1966, when Norm Dow, who had barely played in his first three seasons, started in place of injured quarterback Gary Beban and guided UCLA to a 14-7 triumph. Beban won the Heisman Trophy the next season and Dow went on to slightly less glamorous endeavors as a longtime high school football coach.