#18 UCLA Bruins Hold On To Upset #11 Utah Utes 42-32
UCLA Bruins #1 Dorian Robinson-Thompson looking over the Utah Utes’ defense for an open receiver. Photo by Scott Kurtz/TGSportstv1.
PASADENA, CA - The No. 18 UCLA football team (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) trounced the No. 11 Utah Utes (3-2, 2-1) in a shocking 42-32 victory on Saturday. The win was UCLA's ninth in a row going back to last season. Saturday's victory in the Rose Bowl was the team's best start since it won its first eight games in 2005. The offense produced 511 yards on the day.
Each team's first two possessions resulted in a punt due to their inability to advance the ball downfield. Even after Utah reached the 30-yard line, senior linebacker Darius Muasau intercepted quarterback Cameron Rising to keep the score tied.
With 10 seconds left in the first quarter, Thompson-Robinson finished a 95-yard drive with a 7-yard dash to put the Bruins on the board. On the subsequent drive, the Utes settled for a field goal after Tavion Thomas gained 41 yards on six rushes and one reception before he was stopped on third-and-goal.
Zach Charbonnet, a senior running back for UCLA, ran up the middle for 44 yards on the opening play of the Bruins' subsequent drive. After the Bruins again reached the red zone, redshirt senior wide receiver Jake Bobo grabbed a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap a 75-yard drive and extend his team's lead to 14-3. Bobo scored two touchdown passes last week against Washington.
Rising's next six throws set up Thomas' 5-yard running score with three minutes remaining in the half after opening the game 3-of-7.
UCLA Bruins #24 Zach Charbonnet (RB) carried the football 22-times for 198-yards and one touchdown. Photo by Scott Kurtz/TGSportstv1.
Charbonnet reacted by bursting off for his second huge gain of the day, stiff-arming and dodging a defender for a career-long 49-yard run that moved the Bruins to the 8-yard line. The gold and blue were unable to convert, as redshirt junior kicker Nicholas Barr-Mira missed a 21-yard field goal attempt wide left.
The Utes' failed 43-yard field goal held the Bruins' advantage at four going into the locker room. Charbonnet generated 125 running yards and a touchdown on 10 runs during 30 minutes of play, while Thompson-Robinson contributed 17 rushing yards while passing for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Utah Utes #7 Cameron Rising (QB) ran the football 13 times for 59-yards and two touchdowns. Photo by Scott Kurtz/TGSportstv1.
After halftime, the quarterback kept the momentum rolling by finishing a 48-yard drive with his second touchdown throw of the day and a 5-yard connection to redshirt junior wide receiver, Kam Brown, on third down. Rising's 6-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion cut Utah's deficit to 21-18. However, the offense would not see the field again for over six minutes of play until the offense returned.
Once again, UCLA was able to advance into the opponent's territory, this time thanks to a 30-yard rush by junior running back Keegan Jones on his first touch of the game. Thompson-Robinson capitalized by finding Bobo in the end zone for his second touchdown reception.
With a 28-18 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the gold team's defense was picked apart by Rising before the quarterback scored his second touchdown of the day to counter the Bruins' second score.
UCLA Bruins #17 Logan Loya (WR) 70-yard touchdown against the Utah Utes’ secondary. Photo by Scott Kurtz/TGSportstv1.
Thompson-Robinson continued the onslaught by delivering a short toss to sophomore wide receiver Logan Loya, who ran 70 yards to the end zone for the biggest play of the day for the Bruins. With this pass, the fifth-year quarterback surpassed former quarterback Brett Hundley for the most throwing touchdowns in program history.
Rising, attempting to retaliate for a third consecutive drive, mishandled the ball after being smacked by Muasau. Jaylin Davies, a redshirt freshman defensive back, picked it up and returned it 37 yards to set up UCLA's offense at the 1-yard line.
Charbonnet quickly put the game out of reach by scoring his first touchdown of the day. Along with his touchdown, the senior rushed for a career-high 198 yards on 22 attempts, including six runs of at least 10 yards.
Thompson-late Robinson's pick-6 cut the lead to 10 points in the last minute, but it was too little, too late for the Utes. The redshirt senior finished the game with 299 passing yards and five total touchdowns, giving him the win.