UCLA’s quest to claw its way to a bowl berth after a slow start to the season continues.
In front of a Rose Bowl crowd split 60-40 between UCLA blue and Iowa black during homecoming, the Bruins left the Hawkeyes black and blue thanks to a potent run game and strong defensive effort.
UCLA (4-5 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) extended its three-game win streak against conference opponents and moved closer to bowl eligibility, beating Iowa 20-17 in Pasadena. DeShaun Foster celebrated his first Rose Bowl victory as coach of the Bruins.
“Our season turned around after the Minnesota loss; that was the kind of loss that the players suffered from and were able to channel,” Foster said. “I always knew we had the talent, but it was small steps. This is where we are now.”
Running back TJ Harden, who played a crucial role in UCLA’s victory, was excited about the Bruins’ chance to earn a bowl bid after a rough start.
“It’s great, especially because we know what it takes to win,” Harden said. “We have to put it together every week. … We are moving in the right direction.”
UCLA had to fight for its last victory.
With 4:59 left in the game, Mateen Bhaghani’s 27-yard field goal gave the Bruins a lead they did not surrender.
The Bruins’ defense sealed the victory with a crucial third-down stop, forcing Iowa quarterback Jackson Stratton to throw an incomplete pass under pressure with 4:04 remaining. Iowa (6-4, 4-3) punted and UCLA picked up two first downs before the clock ran out.
Plagued again by penalties, UCLA’s mistakes allowed Iowa to stay in the game.
Iowa’s Drew Stevens hit a 57-yard field goal late in the third quarter, but UCLA’s Bryan Addison was called for a penalty for stepping on a Hawkeyes player while trying to block the kick. The play would have given the Bruins a four-point lead, but Iowa accepted the penalty and continued its march toward the end zone.
Iowa starting quarterback Brendan Sullivan took repeated hits and was replaced in the lineup during the Hawkeyes drive that stretched into the fourth quarter.
Stratton, the fifth-string quarterback who made the scout team last week but was promoted due to injuries, converted twice on third-down passes and Kamari Moulton ran for a one-yard touchdown that tied the score at 11: 27 left in the match. fourth quarter.
Already one of the most penalized teams in the country, UCLA exceeded its season averages for penalties (eight) and penalty yards (70.1 yards per game) and finished with nine penalties for 84 yards.
However, UCLA’s defense and ground game helped mask a series of mistakes during the game.
Iowa entered the game with the Big Ten’s best rushing attack, while UCLA finished last in the conference. But the tables were turned on Friday night, as UCLA thrived by feeding the running back trio of Harden, Jalen Berger and Keegan Jones.
While all eyes were on Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, the nation’s second-best rusher and a midseason All-American, UCLA’s answer came from the backfield.
Read more: From zero stars to Big Ten leading tackles: the rise of UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger
The trio stole the show, with Harden rushing for 125 yards in 20 carries, Jones contributing 38 yards and Berger adding 30 yards.
“I knew I had to play a game like this,” Harden said.
Overall, UCLA ran the ball more effectively than Iowa, finishing with 211 rushing yards.
“It’s getting better every week,” Foster said of the run game. “We were excited about the challenge, against the No. 2 rusher in the country. They took pride in wanting to run past them, and we did that.”
The Bruins’ defense, ranked No. 11 in the country, shut down Johnson. UCLA limited him to 49 yards in 18 attempts — well below his 142.1-yard average. Johnson scored on a two-yard run in the first quarter, giving him the Iowa record for touchdowns in a season.
“That’s a credit to the entire defense and coaching staff who put together a great game plan,” said UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. “We went into this week knowing it was a challenge, and we were ready for it.”
UCLA’s defense kept pressure on Iowa all game, with Schwesinger grabbing two interceptions – the first of his career – and Kain Medrano ripping the ball away to force another turnover.
“We just have to make sure that when we go out there, we stay disciplined and stay on track,” Schwesinger said. “We had to make sure we didn’t get out of hand and stick to what we knew and keep doing it.”
At halftime, UCLA held a seven-point lead despite three turnovers and numerous penalties.
Ethan Garbers threw two interceptions to start the game: one on third down while scrambling from the Hawkeyes’ pass rush and the other with defenders in his face near the goal line.
Later he fumbled in the red zone.
Trailing 10-0, UCLA turned things around in the second quarter, outscoring Iowa 17-0.
Bhaghani hit a 57-yard field goal – the second-longest in school history – to put the Bruins on the board. Garbers then added two touchdown passes: a two-yard pass to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala to tie the score, followed by a 29-yard strike to Logan Loya to take the lead.
Garbers finished 21 for 34 for 204 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
