In Saturday's paper, I wrote about the injury recovery of Fresno State safety Lorne Bell (Simi Valley). But Bell isn't the only local Bulldog coming back from a knee injury this season.

Junior wide receiver Chastin West (Moorpark) missed all of the 2007 season rehabbing, and was motivated to play against UCLA yesterday at the Rose Bowl.

One of the top receiving threats in Western Athletic Conference in 2006, West displayed his old form against the Bruins.

He caught five passes for 69 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown catch (as my colleague Joe informed earlier), in Fresno State's 36-31 victory played in front of a large collection of red-clad Bulldog fans.

Hitting him where it hurts: Another local was involved in a big play yesterday during the Stanford-Washington game.

Washington quarterback Jake Locker suffered a broken right thumb in a 35-28 loss and is out indefinitely.

Locker hurt the thumb while making a block on Stanford safety Sean Wiser (Oaks Christian) in the second quarter.

Golden moments: After spending a season behind a porous offensive line as a true freshman, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen (Oaks Christian) is beginning to show why he was such a heralded recruit.

In yesterday's 38-21 victory over Purdue, Clausen completed 20 of 35 passes for a career-high 275 yards and tied a career-high with three touchdown passes and no interceptions.

"Yeah, I played good out there," Clausen told reporters. "I was reading the coverages pretty good. I felt like I knew what to do coming into the game, and the coaches helped me and got me ready to go."

Victory party: I had a chance to talk with Oregon State sophomore linebacker Dwight Roberson (St. Bonaventure) on Friday - one day after Oregon State's upset of then top-ranked USC.

Roberson said the city of Corvallis was wild in celebration into the early morning hours and the atmosphere at the stadium during the game was electric.

Roberson, who finished with two tackles, said it felt great to be a part of the action in an upset of USC. In 2006, when the Beavers last shocked USC, Roberson was redshirting.

UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel didn't watch the BYU-Washington game live last Saturday because his kids play Pop Warner and he knew he was going to get the tape.

"But I was keeping track of the score," he said. "It's a tough way to lose for Washington, but it shows what kind of heart and character that BYU plays with."

BYU won the game 28-27 by blocking an extra-point attempt after Washington quarterback Jake Locker was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration on the touchdown. The penalty has generated plenty of opinions from across the country.

Interestingly enough, BYU beat UCLA 17-16 in last year's Las Vegas Bowl by blocking a field goal with no time remaining.

-- Star teammate Rhiannon Potkey in Westwood

Dave Cutaia, coordinator of football officiating for the Pac-10 Conference, told former Star reporter Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times that officials did the right thing by calling Washington QB Jake Locker for excessive celebration after his potential game-tying touchdown run in the final seconds Saturday.

Instead, BYU won 28-27 after blocking the 35-yard Washington extra point.

The call was criticized publically on the broadcast by everyone's favorite Pac-10 commentator, Petros Papadakis:

Quarterback Dennis Dixon and running back Jonathan Stewart left Eugene in the offseason. Now Nate Costa, the heir apparent in the Ducks' backfield, reinjured his surgically repaired left knee and will miss at least eight weeks.

"Dennis was arguably one of the best football players in the United States last year," said Oregon coach Mike Bellotti in Tuesday's Pac-10 Conference teleconference. "He was magic in our offense. Jonathan was a first-round draft choice as an underclassman."

Sophomore Justin Roper, who completed 32 of 61 passes for 342 yards and six touchdowns, will start against Washington Saturday at Autzen Stadium.

"As much as we're going to miss those guys, I think you have to move on," said Bellotti. "Justin Roper is the guy right now, he did some great things in our bowl game."