PASADENA — Facing the Pac-12’s most potent offense, No. 22 UCLA found itself in a low scoring contest for most of the game against No. 12 Arizona, eventually winning 17-7.
The Wildcats (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead on their first possession after a pair of personal foul penalties on UCLA sophomore outside linebacker Myles Jack extended Arizona’s drive.
The Bruins looked to respond two drives later, but junior kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 37-yard field goal to keep the Bruins scoreless.
UCLA (7-2, 4-2) finally broke onto the scoreboard three minutes into the second quarter, as Fairbairn nailed a 24-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
The Bruin offense continued to gain yards consistently throughout the first half, but committed penalties on a more regular basis, holding the team scoreless the rest of the half. Defensively, UCLA kept Arizona quiet after its first possession, holding the Wildcats to just 103 yards in the first half.
UCLA went into halftime trailing just 7-3, but committed nine penalties for 98 yards in the half.
After a slow start to the second half, UCLA drove 58 yards on its second possession of the third quarter to score on a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore Paul Perkins to take a 10-7 lead, its first of the game.
The Bruins quickly added to that lead, as redshirt junior quarterback Brett Hundley found junior wide receiver Jordan Payton alone down the left sideline for a 70-yard touchdown pass to make the score 17-7.
On the next drive, Arizona looked poised to trim down UCLA’s lead, as the Wildcats advanced down inside the UCLA 25-yard line. But Arizona redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon threw three straight incompletions, forcing the Wildcats to take a field goal, which would miss wide right.
The teams traded punts over the next six drives, until finally a drive would end in a different fashion.
On a UCLA third-and-five with under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Hundley ran for 18 yards to the Arizona 35 yard line. But just before UCLA’s quarterback hit the ground, with his knee just inches above the grass, he fumbled the ball, and Arizona recovered.
The fumble appeared to give Arizona new life, as the Wildcats advanced the ball all the way down to the UCLA eight-yard line over the next eight plays.
With Arizona inching closer to a touchdown, the UCLA defense made a stand once again. Redshirt senior linebacker Eric Kendricks sacked Solomon on a third-and-goal play from the UCLA five-yard line, forcing Arizona into a field goal attempt.
Kendricks’ sack proved pivotal, as the Bruins blocked the ensuing field goal attempt, then took the ball and seemingly all the momentum with them, as redshirt senior Anthony Jefferson recovered and advanced the ball to the UCLA 49 with under two minutes to play.
After a UCLA three-and-out, the Bruin defense capped off its standout performance by notching its lone turnover of the night – an interception by sophomore safety Tahaan Goodman. With the win, UCLA moved ahead of Arizona in the Pac-12 South division standings.
Compiled by Kevin Bowman and Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.