UCLA gave it, and took it back in wild victory over Arizona State
UCLA #UCLA
It wasn’t easy, but for UCLA, it was a big step.
It took 29 games and a COVID-19 shortened third-season for UCLA coach Chip Kelly, but the Bruins’ football team is finally above .500 for the first time during his tenure after Saturday’s wild come-from-behind 25-18 victory over Arizona State in Tempe on Saturday night after blowing a big lead, and then taking it back.
The Bruins wasted a 17-point lead after the Sun Devils rallied, scoring 18-straight points to take an 18-17 lead on quarterback Jayden Daniels’ one-yard touchdown run with 4:26 left.
But UCLA, who had been shutout in the second half, answered.
The Bruins got an 11-yard run from quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a clutch 18-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Greg Dulcich, and a Demetric Felton 13-yard run to move within striking distance.
That all eventually set up Felton’s game-winning two-yard TD run with 1:09 left to to seal the deal after Chase Cota came down with a two-point conversion to give the Bruins a much-needed seven-point cushion, and they were able to hold on.
Yes, the Bruins will take good news any way they can get it.
Kelly, who coached the Bruins to a 3-9 record his first year in 2018, and was 4-8 last year, watched his Bruins improve to 3-2 heading into next week’s crosstown rivalry game against USC at the Rose Bowl after winning their second straight.
Thompson-Robinson, who returned from a 14-day quarantine from COVID-19 protocols, picked up where he left off, using his full arsenal to help the Bruins pull it out.
Thompson-Robinson completed 18 of 24 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown, and was good with his feet too, rushing for 49 yards and a touchdown.
The Bruins also got starting receiver Delon Hurt back and starting safety Quentin Lake, along with other reserves from quarantine.
“To get Dorian back in the middle of the week was huge for us,” Kelly said. “And Dorian, not only can he beat you throwing the ball, he was really big for us in the run game too.
“We feel very fortunate to get the guys back because they’ve worked so hard and they deserved it. To get Delon Back, to get Q-Lake back and Dorian back was huge for our football team and we needed all three guys to help us win our football game.”
And nobody is going to care that Arizona State (0-2) was playing just its second game of the season and first home game in more than a calendar year after having three straight games cancelled due to a COVID-19 outbreak and all the rust that comes with a long layoff. What matters is the Bruins continue to trend in the right direction after entering the season with many wondering if this could be Kelly’s last stand if he didn’t start winning soon.
Kelly didn’t seem to think being over .500 was anything significant, however, when asked about it.
“Anytime you win a football game it feels great,” Kelly said. “Great big picture question.”
While there might have been some sarcasm in Kelly’s voice, Thompson-Robinson didn’t parse words explaining what it meant to have a winning record for the first time since the 2017 season.
“It feels amazing, I think the whole UCLA community has been waiting for this,” Thompson-Robinson said. “Coach Kelly has said it all along, we’re headed in the right direction, it’s all about the process. We’re taking it day by day and working really hard so I’m happy about where we’re headed.”
UCLA rushed for 171 yards as a team led by Brittain Brown’s 94 yards and Felton finished with 41 yards and his big plays down the stretch. Kyle Phillips had a big night with six receptions for 53 yards and Hurt had four receptions for 62 yards and a TD.
For ASU, Daniels rebounded from a poor first half to throw for 225 yards and a touchdown, but the Bruins held him to just six-yards rushing.
UCLA’s defense sparked its offense, and it came up with two big turnovers — one that helped it build its lead in the first half, and one that helped it hold its lead in the second half.
“I thought they did a great job and came up huge with those two turnovers,” Kelly said of his defense. “The fumble in close and the interception coming out of the end zone.
“I’ve been proud of how our defense has played all season long. We have a bunch of guys who fly to the football and play extremely hard and we talked about rallying to the ball and gang tackling. We talked about playing hard for 60 minutes. You can’t play hard for 58, you have to play for 60 and I thought our defense came up huge tonight.”
The Bruins’ defense certainly did it all, especially in the first half.
After the Sun Devils drove to the Bruins’ 15, back-to-back sacks from Osa Odighizuwa and Mo Osling forced a 45-yard field goal attempt, which Christian Zendejas missed, leaving the game scoreless with 1:48 left in the first quarter.
After a slow opening quarter, Thompson-Robinson got going, leading the Bruins on a nine-play, 73-yard drive culminating with his nine-yard touchdown pass to Hurt for a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After the Bruins did another good job keeping the Sun Devils out of the end zone, the Bruins took over and Brown found a seam and nearly took it to the house, but he was chased down after a 64-yard run to the Sun Devils’ 23.
The Bruins couldn’t cash it in for a touchdown, but they did settle for Nicholas Barr-Mira’s 44-yard field goal and 10-0 lead with 5:30 to go until half.
Thompson-Robinson capped a perfect first half leading the Bruins on 8 play, 91 yard drive that included a 27-yard run, and 11 yard touchdown run with 30 seconds left to give the Bruins a 17-0 lead.
However, the Sun Devils avoided a first half shutout after Jack Luckhurst nailed a 49 yard field goal as time expired to make it 17-3 at the break.
The Sun Devils used that momentum to get a quick stop to open the second half, and after a trick play resulted in a 51-yard run by Rachaad White, the Sun Devils cashed it in a few plays later with Daniels’ 10-yard touchdown pass to Frank Darby to trim the Bruins’ lead to 17-10.
The Sun Devils looked to tie it with first and goal at the one, but Daniels couldn’t grab the snap from center and the Bruins’ Caleb Johnson recovered the fumble to keep the Bruins’ seven-point lead.
But the Bruins couldn’t take advantage after Thompson-Robinson was called for intentional grounding and safety trying to throw the ball away on a third down deep in his end zone, allowing the Sun Devils to creep even closer, making it 17-12.
With the Sun Devils looking to take the lead, Jay Shaw came up with an interception in the end zone for the Bruins, and returned it to their own 21, allowing the Bruins to take their five-point lead to the fourth quarter. It was Daniels’ first interception after 202 consecutive passes without one.