UCLA
3-2 , 1-1
Arizona
2-3 , 0-2
UCLA Football Secures 45-24 Win Over Arizona
October 01, 2016 | Football
PASADENA, Calif. โ Josh Rosen threw for a season-high 350 yards and three touchdowns to lead the UCLA football team past Arizona, 45-24, before 68,013 at the Rose Bowl in a Pac-12 game on Saturday night.
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The Bruins (3-2, 1-1 Pac-12) led by a 14-7 margin at halftime before outscoring Arizona in the second half, 31-17, to secure their fifth consecutive victory over the Wildcats.
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Rosen finished the game having completed 20 of 37 passes, twice connecting with Kenneth Walker III on touchdowns. The Bruins' quarterback completed 11 of 13 passes in the second half.
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Walker totaled four receptions for a team-leading 114 yards, marking his second 100-yard game of the season. Darren Andrews caught a team-best and career-high nine passes for a personal-best 108 yards.
"Our offense responded in the second half to the challenge that was presented to them at halftime," UCLA head coach Jim Mora said. "And our defense and special teams kept us in the game in the first half with some outstanding play."
The Bruins' defense limited Arizona to just 145 passing yards, as three quarterbacks for the Wildcats combined to complete 13 passes in 31 attempts. Kenny Young registered a team-leading 12 tackles and had one quarterback sack, while Jayon Brown notched 11 tackles.
UCLA's Nate Starks finished with 80 rushing yards on 17 carries, including a two-yard touchdown run with 9:18 to play in the first quarter that tied the game, 7-7. Walker hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass from Rosen to close the opening quarter, handing UCLA a 14-7 advantage.
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After a scoreless second quarter, the Bruins struck first after halftime. UCLA pushed its margin to 24-7 midway through the third quarter after a 19-yard touchdown pass from Rosen to Theo Howard at the 12:38 mark and a 39-yard field goal by J.J. Molson with 9:12 left in the period.
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Arizona reduced UCLA's cushion to 24-10 on a 20-yard field goal by Josh Pollack before the Bruins pushed their lead to 31-10 on a one-yard touchdown carry by Rosen with 14:15 to go in the fourth quarter.
"We can play some good defense, some good special teams and some good offense," Mora said. "But for us tonight, winning a game in the South [Division] against Arizona at home is a step in the right direction. We have a great challenge coming up this week with Arizona State."
UCLA's lead swelled to as many as 28 points, 45-17, late in the final quarter. Arizona scored its final touchdown with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth.
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UCLA returns to action at Arizona State on Saturday, Oct. 8. Game time is 7:30 p.m. (PT). UCLA's game at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
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Team Stats
ARIZ 7, UCLA 0
ARIZ - Grant, S. 12 yd pass from Dawkins, B. (Pollack, J. kick) 5 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:36
ARIZ 7, UCLA 7
UCLA - Starks, N. 2 yd run (Molson kick), 5 plays, 40 yards, TOP 1:39
ARIZ 7, UCLA 14
UCLA - Walker 62 yd pass from Rosen (Molson kick) 1 plays, 62 yards, TOP 0:14
ARIZ 7, UCLA 21
UCLA - Howard 19 yd pass from Rosen (Molson kick) 6 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:22
ARIZ 7, UCLA 24
UCLA - Molson 39 yd field goal 4 plays, 8 yards, TOP 2:03
ARIZ 10, UCLA 24
ARIZ - Pollack, J. 20 yd field goal 15 plays, 87 yards, TOP 6:10
ARIZ 10, UCLA 31
UCLA - Rosen 1 yd run (Molson kick), 9 plays, 68 yards, TOP 3:34
ARIZ 17, UCLA 31
ARIZ - Brown, S. 31 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kick) 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:07
ARIZ 17, UCLA 38
UCLA - Walker 29 yd pass from Rosen (Molson kick) 5 plays, 45 yards, TOP 2:17
ARIZ 17, UCLA 45
UCLA - Andrews 26 yd run (Molson kick), 7 plays, 96 yards, TOP 3:40
ARIZ 24, UCLA 45
ARIZ - Denson, C. 13 yd pass from Tate, K. (Pollack, J. kick) 9 plays, 76 yards, TOP 2:47
