SEATTLE, Wash. — UCLA football (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) entered halftime down 20-9 to No. 12 Washington (6-1, 3-1) on Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium.

The teams traded field goals in the opening quarter before the Huskies opened up the game by scoring 17 points in the second period. Washington trampled UCLA in the run game, rushing the ball 27 times for 150 yards in the half.

Junior quarterback Josh Rosen played efficiently, avoiding turnovers and completing 10 of his 16 passes for 84 yards, but didn’t complete a pass over 16 yards in the half. He was sacked four times by four different Husky defenders.

Rosen’s eight-yard strike to redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Wilson early in the second quarter was the first touchdown pass Washington has allowed in Pac-12 play this year.

UCLA started strong, forcing a three-and-out on Washington’s first possession and then driving for a field goal with the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Huskies.

Washington would score on each of its next four drives, though, to build its lead heading into the intermission.

After a first-quarter field goal tied the game, the Huskies jumped ahead early in the second quarter when quarterback Jake Browning snuck in from the one-yard line to cap off a nine-play, 70-yard drive.

The Bruins responded with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own, keyed by some creative play-calling by offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch. UCLA picked up a crucial third-down conversion on a misdirection run play and finished the possession with a play-action pass from Rosen to Wilson.

Sophomore kicker JJ Molson missed the extra point, though, to leave the Bruins with a one-point deficit.

The Huskies would then pad the lead with a touchdown on their next drive, set up by an 82-yard kickoff return from running back Salvon Ahmed, and add another three points on a field goal with just under four minutes left in the half.

UCLA’s backs ran the ball decently, with junior running backs Soso Jamabo and Bolu Olorunfunmi combining for 52 yards on 13 carries.

Senior wideout Darren Andrews led the receiving corps with 39 yards on five catches.

 

Published by Matt Cummings

Matt Cummings is a senior staff writer covering UCLA football and men's basketball. In the past, he has covered baseball, cross country, women's volleyball and men's tennis. He served as an assistant sports editor in 2015-2016. Follow him on Twitter @MattCummingsDB.

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