SEATTLE — It might’ve taken three months, but UCLA is finally looking like, well, UCLA. Or at least, what many thought the team would look like at the onset of the season.
The Bruins defense turned in a solid performance while the offense was as sharp as it had been all season as No. 18 UCLA (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12) beat Washington (6-4, 2-4) 44-30 to go undefeated on the road for the first time this century.
Redshirt junior quarterback Brett Hundley ran for scores of five and six yards and connected with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kenny Walker on a 57-yard touchdown pass in an impressive first half performance by UCLA’s offense.
Sophomore linebacker Myles Jack added a 28-yard touchdown run of his own and the Bruins entered halftime with a 31-10 lead.
UCLA kept things rolling on its initial drive of the second half, as they put together a 14-play, 73-yard drive, finished off with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Hundley to freshman receiver Mossi Johnson to put UCLA ahead 38-13.
Meanwhile, Washington ate up six minutes of clock on the opening drive of the second half, but was forced to settle for a 47-yard field goal.
Its next drive took much less time and was far more productive.
Husky sophomore wide receiver John Ross returned a kickoff 100 yards following Johnson’s touchdown catch to trim UCLA’s lead to 38-20 with 5:47 left in the third quarter.
While UCLA failed to slow down Ross, Washington accomplished a small victory in holding the Bruins to a field goal on their next drive as junior kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn notched his second field goal of the game, this one a 37-yarder that extended UCLA’s lead to three touchdowns late in third quarter.
The Huskies cut that difference to two touchdowns on its next drive. The Huskies put together their second long drive of the half, going 75 yards on 11 plays, capped by a 12-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Dwayne Washington.
UCLA appeared to stretch its lead back to 21 when Hundley hit redshirt junior receiver Devin Lucien in the end zone, only to be negated by a phantom offensive pass interference call on Lucien.
Instead of the touchdown, the Bruins settled for a 46-yard field goal from Fairbairn to put them up 17 with 8:30 remaining.
Washington did the same on its next drive, adding a 38-yard field goal with 5:08 left in the game.
The Huskies would continue their comeback attempt with an onside kick, but UCLA redshirt senior linebacker Eric Kendricks recovered, allowing UCLA to wind the clock down to 3:20 before punting the ball back to Washington.
Junior cornerback Fabian Moreau intercepted Husky sophomore quarterback Cyler Miles on Washington’s final drive to seal the victory.
Compiled by Jordan Lee, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Go Bruins Go!!!!