Pasadena, CA – Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns as the Ducks downed UCLA in a Big Ten after-dark game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.
UCLA’s defense gave up 28 points in the first half en route to a 34-13 loss, where the Bruins offense failed to score a touchdown. UCLA head coach Deshaun Foster tried to remain optimistic about the offense’s performance after the game.
“The game didn’t go the way that we wanted it to go. But there were a couple bright spots. We were able to run the ball a little bit better in the second half…we just didn’t really execute the way that we wanted to, offensively, to try to help our defense out.”
Aside from the 12-play, opening drive by the Bruins offense, which resulted in a field goal, UCLA’s offense was dormant for the majority of the first half.
Oregon’s rush defense dominated against UCLA, holding them to an astonishing -7 yards in the first half. However, the Bruins would find more success in the second half running the ball. TJ Harden would finish with season-highs as he ran for 53 yards on 13 carries. UCLA would go on to finish with 47 yards as a team. .
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers would have his worst game of the season. He threw for only 118 yards and two interceptions. Garbers would also get banged up during the game and required his right ankle to get taped up mid-game.
Foster said that despite Garbers’ rough start to the season, which includes a touchdown to interception ratio of three to six, he still has supreme confidence in his starting quarterback.
“He’s a tough kid. He’s trying to find ways to make plays. It’s just unfortunate with what’s happening but I am riding with Ethan no matter what.”
Kwazi Gilmer made a surprising start for the Bruins as a true freshman wide receiver. He played admirably, leading UCLA in receptions and yards with four catches for 31 yards. In another surprising twist, J. Michael Sturdivant didn’t record a single catch.
The Bruins kept it competitive for the first quarter, as they were only down 7-3 going into the second quarter. However, Oregon’s offense turned it up a notch and scored 21 points as Gabriel threw for 139 yards in the quarter as the Ducks dissected the UCLA secondary.
The Ducks were on the verge of making it 35-3 before halftime, when Bryan Addison intercepted Gabriel’s pass and took it 96-yards for a pick-six with four seconds left in the half.
UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger said the turnover gave the defense momentum and took it with them going into the break.
“It gives us a lot of momentum going into half, you’ve got to be able to keep it as a defense for the rest of that second half and be able to get stops. But, yeah, going into half, definitely a lot of momentum.”
Defensively, the Bruins played significantly better in the second half. They shutout the Ducks in the third quarter and allowed a garbage time touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Schwesinger said the defense has to play more consistently if they want to have sustained success.
“I think we just came out in that third quarter and we were doing what we wanted to do…we were able to do it for one quarter, but we’ve got to string it together for all four.”
UCLA doesn’t have it any easier next week as they travel to No. 9 Penn State for a 9 a.m. kickoff.
