Arizona State wide receiver Chris McGaha makes a reception in front of UCLA safety Bret Lockett during the first quarter Friday. Associated Press Photo.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State scored a school-record four defensive touchdowns in a 34-9 victory over UCLA on Friday night, keeping alive the Sun Devils’ bowl hopes while eliminating the Bruins from postseason contention.

Troy Nolan, Travis Goethel and Mike Nixon each returned interceptions for scores — Nolan’s went for 100 yards, matching a school record — and Paul Unga returned a fumble for a touchdown. All three interceptions were thrown by UCLA’s Kevin Craft.

The Sun Devils (5-6, 4-4 Pac-10) can earn a minor bowl berth with a victory next week over archrival Arizona in Tucson. ASU, which opened the season ranked 15th, has won three straight after losing six in a row to match a school record.

The defense bailed out the Sun Devils on a night their offense mustered 122 total yards.

After UCLA (4-7, 3-5) took a 3-0 lead on a 53-yard field goal by Kai Forbath midway through the first quarter, Unga helped Arizona State rally on a fluke play.

With UCLA at its own 21 early in the second quarter, ASU defensive end Dexter Davis sacked Craft, forcing a fumble that was recovered by UCLA tailback Derrick Coleman.

Coleman stood with the ball in his right hand, apparently thinking the play was dead. But Nixon alertly stripped the ball and Unga picked it up and rambled 17 yards for a touchdown that gave Arizona State a 7-3 lead.

Six minutes later, Goethel grabbed a tipped pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to put the Sun Devils ahead 14-3.

With Arizona State leading 17-9 early and UCLA threatening early in the fourth quarter, Nolan intercepted a pass from Craft in the end zone and sprinted down the right sideline for a 100-yard touchdown return.

A few minutes later, Nixon picked off Craft and went 45 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-9.

Craft completed 24 of 39 passes for 204 yards.

The Sun Devils’ offense sputtered, as it has for much of the season. They had nine punts and 10 first downs and gave up five sacks.

Forbath kicked three field goals, also connecting from 26 and 38 yards.

It was the final home game for Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter, who started his 42nd straight game, the nation’s longest active streak.

Carpenter completed 13 of 26 passes for 101 yards and became the school’s career leader in completions with 786. But he was booed by the sparse Sun Devil Stadium crowd after throwing an interception late in the third quarter.

Pittsburgh 19, West Virginia 15

PITTSBURGH — LeSean McCoy scored his second touchdown with 52 seconds left to finish off a 183-yard performance, and Pittsburgh beat rival West Virginia 19-15 on Friday to make Cincinnati the Big East champions.

McCoy carried all but one play on the 59-yard, game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes, scoring from the 1.

Pitt (8-3, 4-2 in Big East) had to rally from a 15-7 deficit after Bill Stull threw two interceptions and a pair of drives inside the West Virginia 10 ended with no points.

Pat White scored on a 54-yard touchdown run, but West Virginia (7-4, 4-2) lost for the second year in a row in the Backyard Brawl. This loss didn’t hurt nearly as badly as last year’s 13-9 defeat that cost the Mountaineers a national title game appearance. White threw incomplete on fourth-and-1 from the Pitt 18 on the final play to end it.

West Virginia came with a chance to win the Big East, needing to win its final two while hoping No. 16 Cincinnati was upset by Syracuse today. Now the Bearcats’ game is moot.

Arkansas 31, LSU 30

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Casey Dick threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to London Crawford on fourth-and-1 with 22 seconds remaining to give Arkansas a 31-30 victory over LSU on Friday night.

The Razorbacks trailed 30-14 early in the third quarter when Dick replaced his younger brother Nathan at quarterback. With the help of several LSU penalties, Arkansas slowly chipped away before converting twice on fourth down on the winning drive.

On fourth down from the LSU 24 with the clock running, the Razorbacks hastily lined up to run a play. Dick found Crawford single covered in the end zone, and the junior held on for a touchdown.

LSU (7-5, 3-5) is all but assured of a trip to a minor bowl, not what the defending national champions had in mind when the started the season ranked in the top 10.

After Alex Tejada’s extra point put Arkansas ahead by one, LSU had one more chance, but Colt David was short on a 63-yard field goal attempt.

Nebraska 40, Colorado 31

LINCOLN, Neb. — Alex Henery kicked a school-record 57-yard field goal with 1:43 left and defensive end Ndamukong Suh returned a tipped pass 30 yards for a touchdown seconds later, giving Nebraska a 40-31 victory over Colorado on Friday.

Henery’s third field goal of the game allowed the Cornhuskers to take the lead in a game the 18-point underdog Buffaloes made closer than expected.

Suh snuffed the Buffs’ last hope. Fellow defensive end Zach Potter deflected Cody Hawkins’ pass and Suh made the catch and ran it back for his second interception return for a touchdown this season.

Nebraska (8-4, 5-3 Big 12) positioned itself for an invitation to the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. The loss knocked Colorado (5-7, 2-6) out of bowl contention.

Roy Helu Jr. ran for 166 yards for the Cornhuskers, and Joe Ganz threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns and set Nebraska’s single-season passing record.

Eastern Michigan 56, Central Michigan 52

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Andy Schmitt broke the NCAA record for completions, Tyler Jones tied the NCAA Division I record for receptions and Eastern Michigan upset Central Michigan 56-52 in the regular-season finale for both teams on Friday.

Schmitt’s 58 completions broke the record NCAA record of 57, which was set by Jeremy Moses of Stephen F. Austin earlier this season. The NCAA Division I record of 55 was shared by Purdue’s Drew Brees in 1998 and Wake Forest’s Rusty LaRue in 1995.

Schmitt attempted 80 passes and his 516 yards broke the Eastern Michign school record, which he set last week in a 55-52 loss at Temple. Schmitt also threw five touchdown passes and ran for a TD.

“We just kept spraying the ball around and took what they gave us,” Schmitt said. “I’m really proud of the way we came out.”

Jones 23 receptions tied the mark of UNLV’s Randy Gatewood, who set it in 1994. Jerry Rice of Mississippi Valley State holds the NCAA record of 24 catches in 1983.

It was Eastern Michigan’s final game under coach Jeff Genyk. It was announced that his contract would not be renewed on Nov. 24. His final record is 16-42.

Eastern Michigan (3-9 and 2-7 in the Mid-American Conference) led 42-35 at halftime.

Dan LeFevour was 22-for-38 for 378 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for a score for Central Michigan (8-4, 6-2).

No. 25 Mississippi 45, Mississippi State 0

OXFORD, Miss. — Jevan Snead threw for 213 yards and four touchdowns, Greg Hardy had three of Mississippi’s school-record 11 sacks and the 25th-ranked Rebels took the most lopsided Egg Bowl in 37 years.

The Rebels (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), spurred by an opportunity to play in a top-tier bowl, scored 2:20 in, led 24-0 after the first quarter and dominated the fading Bulldogs (4-8, 2-6) in every phase. The margin of victory was the largest in the series since Ole Miss beat Mississippi State 48-0 in 1971.

East Carolina 53, UTEP 21

GREENVILLE, N.C. — Brandon Simmons ran for three scores and had a touchdown catch to help East Carolina beat UTEP 53-21 on Friday in its final home game.

Patrick Pinkney threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns for the Pirates (8-4, 6-2 Conference USA), who have already clinched a berth in next week’s league championship game. Though there was nothing to play for in the standings, the Pirates came out with probably their best performance of the season and quickly turned the game into a rout.

The Miners (5-7, 4-4) came up short in their push to become bowl eligible for the first time in three years.