CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — If UCLA’s offense imagined how it would like to start the season, its first half performance against Virginia would unequivocally not be it. The same, though, can’t be said for the Bruins’ defense.
At the half, UCLA leads Virginia 21 – 10, led by three touchdowns from its defense.
With 13:35 left in the second quarter, junior cornerback Ishmael Adams interceped redshirt sophomore quarterback Greyson Lambert’s pass and took it 20 yards to the house.
Virginia then chipped in a field goal at the 8:35 mark of the second quarter.
Later, with 2:55 left, junior safety Randall Goforth struck back for UCLA returning a fumble by Virginia’s sophomore receiver 75 yards for the score.
To add on, redshirt senior linebacker Eric Kendricks picked off another Lambert pass. 37 yards later, it was another defensive score (1:20, 2nd qtr). By half’s end, Lambert had been replaced by sophomore Matt Johns at quarterback.
Johns led the Cavaliers offense down the field for its first touchdown for the game, hitting redshirt freshman Andre Levrone for a 29-yard TD.
Overshadowed by UCLA defense’s success was its offense, which has had anything but thus far.
Time and time again, redshirt junior quarterback Brett Hundley was pressured in the pocket, having little time to throw. UCLA’s offense amounted to just 137 yards in the half, 48 of which came on the first play of the game, a pass from Hundley to redshirt freshman receiver Eldridge Massington.
Virginia had 245 yards of total offense in the half.
Compiled by Chris Kalra, Bruin Sports senior staff.