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Bumpus leads victory over Nevada

Granted, the USC Trojans are doing just fine without Michael Bumpus. As for Washington State? Well, the Cougars aren`t too proud to admit that a USC leftover such as Bumpus might wind up being one of the greatest players ever for WSU. Bumpus, one of the leading punt returners in school history as a freshman last year, capped a dazzling night of punt returns by scoring on a school-record 87-yard return to help WSU pound Nevada, 55-21, on Friday at Mackay Stadium.

Just 13 games into his college career, Bumpus already has tied the WSU career record of three punt returns for touchdowns. He`s sixth in career punt return yards with 576. He likely would have broken the school record of 167 punt return yards in one game if he wasn`t pulled midway through the third quarter after his TD gave him 157 punt return yards -- second in WSU`s 111-year football history.

Bumpus wound up at Washington State only because USC wavered at the last minute on a promised scholarship. The soft-spoken youngster from suburban Los Angeles, who also serves as a key receiver for the Cougars, always has maintained that the move away from home was best for him. Bumpus was one of numerous Cougar standouts during Friday`s mismatch, which was nationally televised on ESPN. Most of the 17,552 spectators were back at the slots long before the end of Nevada`s season opener. WSU was up 48-7 in the third quarter before subbing liberally.