PASADENA — Though UCLA donned grey uniforms Saturday, it might want to start thinking about switching to yellow. After a penalty filled first half, it is a far more fitting color through quarters.
UCLA committed nine penalties for 98 yards in the opening half and trail Arizona 7-3 at the break, despite leading the Wildcats in yards, 224 to 103.
Arizona took advantage of two third down, 15-yard penalties on sophomore linebacker Myles Jack to extend its opening drive. Following a facemask penalty on Jack, redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon found wide receiver Cayleb Jones in the left corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown, putting the Wildcats up 7-0 with 12:29 to go in the first quarter.
Penalties continued to hurt UCLA on its opening drive, as a holding call on redshirt junior center Jake Brendel stalled the Bruins’ drive at their own 44-yard line, forcing them to punt.
Arizona would do the same on its following possession, and UCLA turned to its ground game on the following drive but to no avail. Redshirt junior Brett Hundley, Jack and redshirt sophomore Paul Perkins combined for 43 yards on seven carries but junior kicker Ka’imi Fairbarin missed a 37-yard field goal to keep the Bruins scoreless.
The Wildcats failed to capitalize on the special teams gaffe, going three and out and giving the ball back to the Bruins. UCLA continued to rely on its rushing attack as Hundley raced upfield for 29 yards on third-and-11 to move the ball in Arizona territory.
The Bruins matriculated all the way down to the 1-yard line, but Jack was stuffed for a four-yard loss and UCLA settled for a field goal, making it 7-3 Arizona with 12:17 to go in the second.
That score held for the rest of the half.
Hundley threw for just 65 yards in the first half on 10-14 passing, and added another 67 yards on the ground. As a team UCLA ran the ball well, totaling 159 yards on 30 carries.
Solomon completed just four of his 14 passes and the Wildcats averaged a paltry 2.9 yards per play in the first half.
Compiled by Jordan Lee, Bruin Sports senior staff