PASADENA, Calif. – JJ Molson nailed a 37-yard field goal with four seconds left in the fourth quarter to lead UCLA past California, 30-27, in the regular-season finale for both teams at the Rose Bowl on Friday night.
With the game tied 27-27, the Bruins (6-6, 4-5) drove down the field to the 20-yard line in the game's final 2:22. Molson's game-winning field goal helped the Bruins become bowl eligible. In addition, UCLA secured its fourth win over Cal in their last five meetings.
"We are obviously excited as a program," UCLA interim head coach Jedd Fisch said. "We also feel that we owe this win to Coach Mora. We wanted to make sure that we were able to end his legacy as the head coach at UCLA, as a guy that led five of his six teams to bowl games. So, we are very respectful of that. In turn, we are extremely excited to move forward and to be 1-0 in this capacity."
UCLA's final possession in the game's last two minutes came after California had overcome a 10-point fourth quarter deficit.
The Golden Bears (5-7, 2-7 Pac-12) kicked a field goal with 8:35 to go, reducing UCLA's cushion to 27-20. Minutes later, California drove 77 yards on a 12-play drive, capped by a game-tying six-yard touchdown pass from Ross Bowers to Jordan Veasy.
Jordan Lasley caught a career-high 12 passes for a team-leading 227 yards and had one touchdown reception in the regular-season finale. Lasley, who finished with 204 receiving yards at USC last week, had a 17-yard touchdown catch midway through the second quarter to put the Bruins ahead, 17-6.
Lasley became the first-ever Bruin to record back-to-back 200-yard receiving contests. In addition, his 431 receiving yards between the USC and Cal games are the most by any Bruin in back-to-back contests. He became the first UCLA player to ever record three double-digit reception games in one season.
In all, UCLA quarterbacks Josh Rosen and Devon Modster combined for 393 passing yards as the Bruins closed their home slate with a 6-0 mark at the Rose Bowl in 2017.
Modster finished with career highs in pass completions (14), attempts (18) and passing yards (191).
After securing a 7-3 lead against California late in the first quarter, the Bruins never trailed the rest of the way. The visiting Golden Bears tied the contest, 17-17, early in the third quarter before UCLA answered with a touchdown and a field goal.
Cal running back Patrick Laird finished with 178 rushing yards on 32 carries. Bowers finished the game having completed 25 of 41 pass attempts for 242 yards.
Cal kicker Matt Anderson converted four of five field goal attempts, connecting on kicks from 32, 34, 37 and 20 yards against the Bruins.
JJ Molson connects on a game-winning, 37-yard field goal with four seconds remaining.
Molson's 37-yard field goal helped the Bruins secure the win over the Golden Bears.