CORVALLIS, Ore. — Midway through the second quarter, Josh Rosen stood at his own goal line, sandwiched between two Oregon State defensive linemen. It was a precarious position for the freshman quarterback, whose team had fumbled the ball twice in the past two plays.
Rosen escaped the two Oregon State defensive linemen, and then side-stepped another, before completing a pass to redshirt junior fullback Nate Iese for 10 yards. The play epitomized Rosen’s composed performance in the first half, which included several passes made under pressure. At the end of the first half, Rosen has 252 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 23 UCLA holds a 24-0 lead over Oregon State.
The first half marked one of Rosen’s best halves of the season, if not the best. He’s completed four of his seven passes beyond 15 yards in the first half. He rolled out of pressure and hit junior Y receiver Thomas Duarte for a 51-yard pass, and then he added a 63-yard streak down the left sideline to redshirt sophomore receiver Kenny Walker.
On the opposite side of the ball, UCLA’s defense has held strong, notching its first scoreless half since the UNLV game on Sept. 12. The Bruins have notched two sacks in the first period, holding the Beavers to a 29 percent conversion rate on third downs.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.