BERKELEY—Two lucky bounces for the Bruins led to their first touchdown and another helped them kick a field goal.
Joshua Kelley made both happen.
The redshirt junior running back ran for 114 yards in the first half and a touchdown as UCLA (0-5, 0-2 Pac-12) leads California (3-2, 0-2) 13-0 at halftime in Berkeley.
Sophomore cornerback Darnay Holmes forced a fumble from Cal running back Patrick Laird, and the ball was bouncing straight to the sideline and out of bounds. But it took a turn upfield, allowing redshirt senior safety Adarius Pickett to slide in and recover it before going out of bounds.
On the ensuing possession, freshman quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson fired a third-down pass that bounced off freshman receiver Michael Ezeike’s hands. It floated in the air like a frisbee for a couple seconds before landing in the arms of redshirt junior tight end Caleb Wilson.
On the next play, Kelley stormed into the end zone after meeting a couple would-be tacklers at the three-yard line.
Midway through the second quarter, Kelley coughed the ball up on a tackle from behind, but the ball rolled out of bounds without anyone recovering it.
Junior kicker JJ Molson connected on his second field goal of the game – a 29-yarder – four plays later to put UCLA up 13-0.
Thompson-Robinson completed 10-of-12 passes in the first half for 102 yards. Wilson had five receptions for 92 yards.
The Bruins’ defense held the Bears to only 108 yards, and Cal kicker Greg Thomas missed a 32-yard field goal off the right upright to end the half.