TUCSON, Ariz. — In a game they entered reeling from the loss of star junior linebacker Myles Jack, UCLA came up strong, a dominating offensive performance leading them to a 56-30 victory over the Arizona Wildcats.
It was a game defined by composure – the Bruins had it, and the Wildcats didn’t. The result? Eight touchdowns and three turnovers for the Bruins, a slurry of botched plays and missed opportunities for the Wildcats.
The Bruin offense was seemingly unstoppable, a deadly mix of passes and runs combined with third-down execution leading them to 42 points and a commanding lead in the first half. Freshman quarterback Josh Rosen threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns, Paul Perkins running for 85 yards and three more scores. The defense, for its part, came up big when it mattered most, recovering two fumbles and an interception to keep the Wildcats at bay.
The Bruins took the field trailing 7-0, as the Wildcats struck first on a 34-yard touchdown up the middle. After a false start and two short rushes, the drive looked doomed for failure, as UCLA faced a third-and-nine from Arizona’s 44-yard line. On that play, Josh Rosen evaded pressure and scrambled up the middle for 10 yards and a first down. Two plays later, he found junior receiver Thomas Duarte open down the seam for a 35-yard touchdown, answering Arizona’s score.
That third-down play was to be the first of many crucial conversions made by UCLA in the half; the Bruins were seven of eight on third downs in the half, Rosen throwing for 212 yards and two touchdowns and Perkins rushing for another three scores. Time and time again, Rosen stepped up on third downs, coolly finding an open receiver to prolong the drive.
The Wildcats found no solace on offense, either. Though they found some footing against a weakened UCLA defense, especially when running up the middle, they made several key mistakes when it mattered most.
From a botched snap immediately following the Bruins’ first touchdown, to quarterback Anu Solomon’s unforced fumble just over a minute into the second quarter, to backup quarterback Jerrard Randall’s interception three drives later the Wildcats couldn’t hold on to the ball – and it cost them. All three turnovers were turned into 21 points by the UCLA offense.
Even after the Wildcats surged to open the second half, pinning the Bruins down deep and scoring on the ensuing possession to make the score 42-20, their mistakes cost them.
After a strong drive took them to the UCLA three-yard line with a chance to trim the lead to two scores, yet another botched snap forced the Wildcats back to the 20-yard line, where a holding penalty on the ensuing play made it third down from the 30. Though the Wildcats would score with a field goal, their momentum was dampened.
Rosen’s deep completion to senior receiver Jordan Payton on the following possession awakened the Bruin offense again, and the team never looked back, scoring twice more to complete the rout.
It was the Bruins’ ability to perform in high-leverage situations that powered them to their big victory. They may not have won on every single play, but they did on the ones that mattered, in a performance that will give them hope that they can overcome their early-season injury blues.
Compiled by Anay Dattawadkar, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Buh, bye Kitties.