PASADENA, Calif. — Quarterback Kevin Craft sparked UCLA's offense in the second half tonight, and Kai Forbath kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Bruins to a 27-24 victory over No. 18 Tennessee, making coach Rick Neuheisel's debut a winning one.

The season opener for both teams had a wild finish.

The underdog Bruins, who took the lead with 27 seconds left in regulation, were forced into overtime when the Volunteers' Daniel Lincoln kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired.

But in the overtime, when neither the Bruins nor the Vols were able pick up a first down, Forbath made his kick and then Lincoln missed from 34 yards.

Craft, who threw four interceptions and totaled 66 yards in the opening half of his first game for UCLA, went 18-of-25 for 193 yards and one touchdown in the second half without an interception.

The touchdown was a 3-yarder to Ryan Moya that capped a 70-yard drive and gave the Bruins a 24-21 lead with 27 seconds left.

The Vols came right back with a quick 27-yard march that ended with Lincoln's tying field goal.

Craft, a junior college transfer who was a third-stringer for the Bruins before injuries to the first two quarterbacks pressed him into the starting role, finished 25-of-43 for 259 yards, with the one touchdown and four interceptions.

Neuheisel, a former UCLA quarterback who was the 1984 Rose Bowl MVP, returned as head coach last December after Karl Dorrell was fired. The Bruins, plagued by quarterback injuries, went 6-7 last year.

Tennessee won the SEC East and finished 10-4, with one of the losses a 45-31 defeat to California at Berkeley in the Vols' season opener.

Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton finished 19-of-41 for 189 yards, with one interception.