PASADENA — San Jose State football has become a perennial punching bag over the years, but through one half at the Rose Bowl, UCLA is nowhere close to landing the knockout it was hoping for.
The Bruins took a 14-7 lead on a 14-yard touchdown catch by redshirt junior tight end Joe Fauria with 5:22 to play in the second quarter and took that lead into the locker room. The go-ahead score ““ Fauria’s second in as many games, matching his total from last year ““ was aided by a 43-yard reception by Nelson Rosario. He won’t make SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays again for that one, but Rosario caught the deep ball through a pass interference penalty for another impressive reception.
UCLA opened the scoring with an eight-play, 69-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by redshirt junior running back Johnathan Franklin.
The Spartans responded with a 1-yard rushing touchdown of their own to knot the score. San Jose State is using agile backup Dasmen Stewart due to a concussion to starter Matt Faulkner, and its offense has responded. Stewart is 12-of-19 for 94 yards passing and has 32 yards rushing.
UCLA junior quarterback Richard Brehaut got the start over the ailing Kevin Prince, and is 7-of-12 for 117 yards and the lone touchdown to Fauria.