PASADENA, Calif. – Mike Fafaul completed 25 of 47 passes for 281 yards to lead the UCLA football team past Oregon State, 38-24, before 64,813 at the Rose Bowl in a Pac-12 game on Saturday evening.
UCLA (4-6, 2-5 Pac-12) had a pair of touchdown carries from Jalen Starks – his first two career scores – and a key interception return for a touchdown by Randall Goforth late in the final quarter.
Oregon State (2-8, 1-6) claimed an early 7-0 cushion but never regained the lead after UCLA pushed ahead by a 21-7 margin by the end of the first quarter. The Bruins scored three first-quarter touchdowns, all within an 11-minute span.
"It's good to get a win," UCLA head coach Jim Mora said "They have been hard to come by this year. These guys have stayed together and have kept a great attitude. So, they got rewarded for it. That was great. We have to get ready for a big week this week."
Jordan Lasley finished the game with five receptions for a game-high 105 yards, while Darren Andrews caught six passes for 74 yards.
Leading 31-24 with 2:14 left in the fourth quarter, Goforth picked off a pass from Oregon State quarterback Marcus McMaryion, returning the ball 40 yards and into the end zone to push UCLA ahead, 38-24.
A four-yard touchdown run by Starks with 7:00 to play in the third quarter helped give UCLA some separation from Oregon State. Starks' touchdown pushed the Bruins' advantage to 31-21 and capped UCLA's eight-play, 86-yard drive.
The third of UCLA's first-quarter touchdowns, giving the Bruins a 21-7 cushion, came by way of a blocked punt. DeChaun Holiday broke through Oregon State's offensive line and blocked the punt before Lasley recovered the loose ball and raced into the UCLA end zone.
Trailing the Bruins, 21-7, Oregon State scored a touchdown on a three-yard run by Artavis Pierce with 7:05 to play before halftime, reducing its deficit to 21-14. UCLA entered the locker room at the break with a 24-14 cushion after J.J. Molson connected on a career-high 49-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the quarter.
The Bruins have two games remaining on their regular-season schedule, including their final home game next Saturday at the Rose Bowl against USC. UCLA will play at California the following week (Saturday, Nov. 26).
Mike Fafaul (photo by Kirby Lee)
Fafaul passes for 281 yards, helping UCLA secure a 14-point win against Oregon State.
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