TUCSON, Ariz. “”mdash; A simple look at the drive chart tells the story of the first half here as Arizona leads UCLA 42-7 after one half of play.
The Wildcats have scored touchdowns each time they’ve had the ball, once again showing the UCLA defense’s susceptibility to let opposing offenses control the game.
The Bruins, on the other hand, have one score to show for their six drives, once again showing their ability to move the ball but not when it counts. Redshirt junior quarterback Kevin Prince missed a wide-open redshirt senior receiver Josh Smith on UCLA’s first drive while redshirt junior running back Johnathan Franklin fumbled away another drive near midfield.
Arizona quarterback Nick Foles has done what good quarterbacks do by taking what the UCLA defense has given him. UCLA defensive backs are giving Foles the underneath routes, allowing him to sustain drives, much like they did against Houston quarterback Case Keenum. Arizona’s 42 points marks the highest point total the Wildcats have reached in a half this season.
Senior soccer manager turned kicker Tyler Gonzalez missed his first career field goal try from 39 yards after UCLA failed to convert a third-and-five on a running play to Franklin and Foles took it from there.
He went 79 yards down the field again and hit wider receiver Juron Criner for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Foles and Criner hooked up for three of Arizona’s five touchdowns in the first half.
To add insult to injury, UCLA was driving late in the half when senior wide receiver Nelson Rosario was stripped after a 26-yard gain to give the ball back to Arizona.
Rosario laid on the ground and pounded his fist to the turf, knowing full well that the defender who stripped the ball could have been his teammate. Arizona cornerback Shaquille Richardson was a Bruin before legal trouble forced him to transfer.