TEMPE, Ariz. “”mdash; One quarter in, the UCLA football team was putting on a clinic.
One quarter later, it looked like Arizona State had learned a thing or two.
At the end of the game, the Bruins were left in a foul mood one day after Thanksgiving, knowing that their holiday break wouldn’t be the same anymore without a bowl game.
The end result was a 55-34 loss for UCLA Friday at Sun Devil Stadium. The loss sealed up a losing season for the Bruins (4-7) who have one game left to play, Dec. 4 at the Rose Bowl against USC.
After a 21-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut to junior wide receiver Nelson Rosario in the third quarter brought UCLA to within four at 31-27, the Bruins’ bowl eligibility hopes were all but lost on the feet of Jamal Miles. The Sun Devil sophomore ran the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to put ASU (5-6) up 38-27.
UCLA jumped out to a big lead on the heels of impressive plays on offense, defense and special teams. After scoring a touchdown on their first possession, the Bruins turned a blocked punt into three points and added a second touchdown following a fumble recovery.
The 46-yard bomb from sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut to sophomore wide receiver Randall Carroll put the Bruins up 17-0 with 2:33 to play, but that was as big as the lead would get.
ASU sophomore quarterback Brock Osweiler single-handedly responded for the Sun Devils. After replacing injured starter Steven Threet, who left with a head injury on the Sun Devils’ second drive, Osweiler led ASU to three touchdowns to cap the first half, putting his team up 21-20 by halftime.
Osweiler posted a gaudy 27-for-36 stat line, throwing for 380 yards and four touchdowns, as the Sun Devils’ spread offense continually gashed the Bruins and poured it on late.
One week removed from suffering a concussion at Washington, Brehaut was 33-of-56 for 321 yards and three touchdowns, and added a 12-yard rushing score on UCLA’s first drive of the game.