Brett Hundley has become one of UCLA’s best quarterbacks of all time over the past three years, as he has led the Bruins to three straight seasons of nine wins or more after the program only had one such season in the 10-year span prior to Hundley’s playing career.
Daily Bruin Sports takes a look back at some of Hundley’s defining moments at UCLA over the past three years. The redshirt junior will play his final game with the Bruins on Jan. 2 in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
May 5, 2012 – UCLA spring game:
A new era begins
Though Brett Hundley now holds the UCLA record for career passing touchdowns, it was not too long ago that he was battling to become the Bruins’ starting quarterback. Hundley ran for a touchdown and completed several passes in UCLA’s 2012 spring game, but that performance was still not enough to earn him the starting nod right away. After the game, then-first-year coach Jim Mora told reporters that he’d wait until August to decide on his starting quarterback, saying “I don’t know if anyone has reached out and grabbed (the starting quarterback position) … it’s nobody’s yet.” Hundley eventually won the three-man battle for the UCLA starting quarterback spot on Aug. 10, 2012, and he never relinquished it.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Aug. 30, 2012 – UCLA at Rice:
An auspicious start
With all the hype surrounding Brett Hundley leading up to his first game as a Bruin, he managed to surprise everyone almost instantly. Lined up at the UCLA 28-yard line for his first college snap, Hundley kept it himself and took it 72 yards to the end zone, starting off his UCLA career with a bang. The redshirt freshman finished 21 of 28 for 202 yards and two touchdowns as UCLA beat Rice 49-24, but it was the first touchdown that announced maybe the Bruins might have found something special in Hundley.
Compiled by Derrek Li, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Nov. 17, 2012 – No. 17 UCLA vs. No. 21 USC:
New sheriff in town
USC held a five-season football monopoly in Los Angeles; then came Brett Hundley. In his first crosstown rivalry game, Hundley made sure to strike quick, pushing in the first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard rush less than two minutes into the game. He completed his first 10 passes as UCLA jumped out to a 24-0 lead and also broke UCLA’s single-season completion record later in the game. While his teammates provided plenty of support in finally conquering the Trojans for the first win since 2006, Hundley’s performance proved to be the beginning of the power shift in LA.
Compiled by Derrek Li, Bruin Sports senior staff
Sept. 14, 2013 – No. 16 UCLA at No. 23 Nebraska:
No. 17 commemorates No. 36
Just under a week after the death of teammate Nick Pasquale, UCLA traveled to Lincoln, Neb. to take on the No. 23 Nebraska Cornhuskers. With a towel that read “R.I.P #36” tucked into his hip pocket, Brett Hundley led UCLA football on one of its biggest second-half comebacks in recent memory. Hundley responded to an early interception and a 21-3 deficit to mount a 38-0 UCLA scoring run, which ended in a 41-21 Bruin victory. After one of his three passing touchdowns during that comeback, Hundley took the towel commemorating Pasquale’s number out of his pocket and raised it to the sky and to the 91,471 in attendance at Memorial Stadium.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff
Dec. 31, 2013 – No. 16 UCLA vs. Virginia Tech (Sun Bowl):
Game breaker
In a season where Hundley was UCLA’s leading rusher, the then-redshirt sophomore quarterback notched a career-high of 161 rushing yards against Virginia Tech at the Sun Bowl. One play encompassed all of Hundley’s dynamic athletic ability, as Hundley broke through a tough Hokie defense midway through the second quarter, sprinting 86 yards downfield, into the end zone.
After a slow offensive start to the game, Hundley blew the game wide open when his arm warmed up in the second half, powering the Bruins to a 42-12 rout of the Hokies. Hundley’s ability to run the ball is a consistent asset to the Bruins and creates an unpredictable aspect for his game when coupled with his strong arm. His performance at the Sun Bowl showcased these talents and contributed to conjecture around Hundley’s Heisman prospects as well as UCLA’s 2014 postseason chances.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Hundley announces return for 2014 season
Following his second season as the Bruins’ starting quarterback, Hundley surmounted speculation that he would enter the NFL draft by announcing his return for the 2014 season in a press conference at the start of the new year. Having sought advice from family and the coaching staff, Hundley turned to former Bruin and current Green Bay Packers running back Johnathan Franklin, who advised his former teammate to remain in the familiar environment of college for as long as possible. In the end, Hundley’s desire to earn his degree coupled with the team’s “brotherhood” convinced the quarterback to remain at UCLA.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Nov. 8, 2014 – No. 18 UCLA at Washington
Record breaker
In a game where the defense was the Bruins’ saving grace, UCLA’s quarterback still found a way to fit his name in the headlines. Hundley’s sole passing touchdown in UCLA’s 17-7 over Arizona proved to be just what he needed to tie Cade McNown’s all-time passing touchdown record at 68.
It took Hundley just more than seven minutes into the next game to make that record his own. A deep pass downfield to an open redshirt sophomore Kenny Walker set the receiver up for a clear path into the end zone. Walker’s subsequent steps completed the 57-yard connection, doubling UCLA’s lead over Washington and putting Hundley in the forefront of UCLA’s list of career passing touchdowns.
Compiled by Aubrey Yeo, Bruin Sports senior staff.
Nov. 28, 2014 – No. 9 UCLA vs. Stanford
Storied career, rough ending
UCLA’s “savior” overturned a 50-0 loss to USC in 2011 into a 3-0 sweep in his years as a starting quarterback, ending the cardinal and gold rule over Southern California.
Hundley, however, was unable to reverse the Bruins’ fortunes when it came to facing the Cardinal from up north. The quarterback inherited a losing streak that began in 2009, when UCLA lost to Stanford 24-16. After three failed attempts to turn the tide against the Card, it seemed like the luck of the draw was this time with UCLA in the 2014 regular season finale.
Then-No. 9 ranked UCLA was on a five-game hot streak, while Stanford’s previous Pac-12 powerhouse reputation seemed to have fizzled out. What was seen as a chance for UCLA to finally win one against Stanford turned out to be a game that saw their championship aspirations go up in smoke.
And Hundley’s exit in the fourth quarter after he sustained a finger injury meant that the UCLA quarterback would end his career with four straight losses to Stanford.
Compiled by Aubrey Yeo, Bruin Sports senior staff.