PASADENA, Calif.—UCLA entered halftime leading 14-10 over Colorado after a fairly even opening half Saturday night in front of an all-white-clad crowd at the Rose Bowl.
Junior quarterback Josh Rosen had an up-and-down performance, finishing 12-of-22 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Rosen’s 54.5 percent completion rate would be his worst of the season, but he did key each of the Bruins’ two first-half scoring drives with big completions to redshirt junior receiver Jordan Lasley, one going for 44 yards and the other for 46.
Lasley made three catches for 101 yards to lead the UCLA receiving corps, and junior running back Soso Jamabo carried the ball 10 times for 35 yards.
The UCLA defense, fresh off surrendering 58 points to Stanford last week, gave up a touchdown on Colorado’s first possession but stiffened after that, holding the Buffaloes to 198 total yards in the opening half.
The run defense, in particular, looked improved after last week’s beatdown. The Buffaloes ran the ball 17 times for 59 yards, an average of just 3.5 yards per carry.
The teams traded touchdowns in the opening quarter, with Colorado’s first score coming on a 23-yard touchdown pass one play after UCLA freshman cornerback Darnay Holmes was ejected for targeting. Holmes’ ejection marked the fourth straight week a Bruin player has been tossed from the game for targeting.
UCLA quickly evened the score when Rosen capped off a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown to redshirt junior tight end Austin Roberts.
The Buffaloes added a field goal early in the second quarter, but the Bruins again responded quickly. They put up a touchdown on their next drive, with sophomore running back Jalen Starks punching the ball in after Lasley’s diving 46-yard catch set the Bruins up at the one-yard line.