Saturday, October 7
Pasadena, CA
12:00 PM
UCLA
4-1 , 1-1
25
vs
17
Washington State
4-1 , 1-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Washington St.
3
7
7
0
17
UCLA
0
9
3
13
25
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
Staunch Defense Thwarts No. 13 Washington State, 25-17
October 07, 2023 | Football
PASADENA, Calif. – UCLA football claimed its first conference win of the season Saturday, downing No. 13 Washington State 25-17 inside Rose Bowl Stadium.
The Bruins forced four turnovers (two fumbles and two interceptions) in the game and converted three of those into scoring opportunities. UCLA scored 16 points off Washington State turnovers. The Bruin defense made a final stand late in the fourth quarter, stopping the Cougars on a fourth-and-one play.
UCLA's run game overshadowed Washington State's, totaling 181 rushing yards to the Cougars' 12. Junior Carson Steele finished as UCLA's leading rusher, compiling 141 yards on 30 attempts. Senior Keegan Jones made his presence felt late in the game, rushing for two touchdowns on consecutive drives in the fourth quarter. Jones finished with 45 yards on just three rushing attempts.
Freshman quarterback Dante Moore played every snap for the Bruins. Moore threw for a touchdown on the first drive of the second quarter but also recorded two first-half interceptions. The rookie finished with 290 yards, completing 22 of his 44 attempts.
UCLA outpaced Washington State 97-59 in total plays, a credit to the Bruin defense. Nine Cougar drives ended in punts, and eight of those came on the first set of downs for Washington State. The Bruins also led the matchup in time of possession, keeping hold of the pigskin for 16:04 more than the Cougars.
It was a slow start for the Bruin offense, but defense kept them close the Cougars. Both teams put up nearly identical yardage (UCLA: 72, WSU: 73) and pass completion statistics (UCLA: 8-for-12, WSU: 7-for-12) through the first quarter. Moore threw an interception on UCLA's half of the field during the first, but the Bruin defense held Washington State to a field goal despite its start deep in the UCLA backfield. The Bruins evened up the turnover battle when Laiatu Latu forced a fumble with 4:14 left on the clock. Latu's stop came at UCLA's eight-yard line, halting Washington State in the red zone. The quarter ended with the Cougars up three.
UCLA got off on a better foot in the second quarter. Redshirt-senior defensive back Jordan Anderson forced a Cougar fumble on the second play of the period, and UCLA's Choé Bryant-Strother picked up the loose ball. UCLA's offense started to move down field after the fumble recovery; Moore threw for a 27-yard completion to sophomore Carsen Ryan, and the successful third down conversion brought the Bruins to the Washington State 29-yard line. Moore lobbed a ball into the corner of the endzone, finding Logan Loya for a touchdown. UCLA captured its first lead of the game, 6-3, with 11:31 left in the quarter.
The Bruins and Cougars traded stops and punted on four-consecutive drives before UCLA forced another turnover. Redshirt-senior Alex Johnson reeled in his third interception of the year when he reached up to snag a ball with 5:05 on the clock. Steele bulldozed his way through the whole on fourth down; the running back only needed two yards but trucked his way to a 12-yard gain. The drive ended with an R.J. Lopez field goal, and UCLA went up 9-3.
The Bruin defense came up with another stop and forced a Washington State UCLA began what appeared to be a promising attack by air with 1:05 left on the clock. Moore connected with senior tight end Hudson Habermehl for a 43-yard reception. The freshman gunslinger then found Loya for a 17-yard reception; the wide receiver was brought down at the Washington State five-yard line to get a first and goal opportunity. Moore threw two incompletions before a Washington State defender jumped into the quarterback's passing lane. The Cougars took the interception back 95 yards to the endzone, and the Bruins headed into the half trailing 10-9.
Four-straight punts on the first four drives for the conference foes. Loya returned the last of those for a 16-yard gain, passing half field to set UCLA up in Cougar territory. The Bruins moved the chains on a 27-yard reception by redshirt sophomore Moliki Matavao. Moore appeared to connect with J. Michael Sturdivant in the back of the endzone, but the throw was called incomplete after an official replay review. The Bruins settled for a field goal, taking a 12-10 advantage. Washington State answered with a touchdown on its next drive.
The Bruins made strong progress down field on its final drive of the third, gaining three straight first downs before the end of the period. Trailing 17-12 to start the fourth, the Bruins began the final frame on the Washington State 31-yard line. On the next set of downs, UCLA found itself in a fourth-and-six situation but kept its field goal crew off the field; Moore zipped a pass down the left sideline to senior Kam Brown for a 12-yard gain. Senior Keegan Jones got a handoff and rushed 13 yards for a touchdown, but the Bruins failed their two-point conversion attempt on the drive. UCLA led 18-17 with 13:28 to go.
On the first play of the next drive, the Bruins forced another Washington State turnover. Junior Oluwafemi Oladejo stayed in front of a scrambling Cougar QB and picked off the pass attempt on the Washington State 36-yard line. UCLA stuck to what it knew on offense and handed the ball again to Jones, who rushed 22 yards to the left to find the endzone. Lopez nailed the extra point attempt and the Bruins jumped out to an eight-point lead with 11:45 left in the game.
UCLA's defense stood its ground and forced consecutive three-and-outs after scoring those back-to-back touchdowns. It then stuffed Washington State on its fourth-and-one attempt with 1:33 left on the clock, forcing a turnover on downs and thwarting a late-game Cougar comeback attempt. UCLA kneeled until the clock ran out. The Bruins successfully prevented the Cougars from gaining a first down on three of Washington State's four fourth-quarter drives.
UP NEXT: at No. 15 Oregon State (Oct. 14)
UCLA Football is on the road, taking on No. 15 Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., next Saturday, Oct. 14. The game will be broadcast on Fox with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. PT.
The Bruins forced four turnovers (two fumbles and two interceptions) in the game and converted three of those into scoring opportunities. UCLA scored 16 points off Washington State turnovers. The Bruin defense made a final stand late in the fourth quarter, stopping the Cougars on a fourth-and-one play.
UCLA's run game overshadowed Washington State's, totaling 181 rushing yards to the Cougars' 12. Junior Carson Steele finished as UCLA's leading rusher, compiling 141 yards on 30 attempts. Senior Keegan Jones made his presence felt late in the game, rushing for two touchdowns on consecutive drives in the fourth quarter. Jones finished with 45 yards on just three rushing attempts.
Freshman quarterback Dante Moore played every snap for the Bruins. Moore threw for a touchdown on the first drive of the second quarter but also recorded two first-half interceptions. The rookie finished with 290 yards, completing 22 of his 44 attempts.
UCLA outpaced Washington State 97-59 in total plays, a credit to the Bruin defense. Nine Cougar drives ended in punts, and eight of those came on the first set of downs for Washington State. The Bruins also led the matchup in time of possession, keeping hold of the pigskin for 16:04 more than the Cougars.
It was a slow start for the Bruin offense, but defense kept them close the Cougars. Both teams put up nearly identical yardage (UCLA: 72, WSU: 73) and pass completion statistics (UCLA: 8-for-12, WSU: 7-for-12) through the first quarter. Moore threw an interception on UCLA's half of the field during the first, but the Bruin defense held Washington State to a field goal despite its start deep in the UCLA backfield. The Bruins evened up the turnover battle when Laiatu Latu forced a fumble with 4:14 left on the clock. Latu's stop came at UCLA's eight-yard line, halting Washington State in the red zone. The quarter ended with the Cougars up three.
UCLA got off on a better foot in the second quarter. Redshirt-senior defensive back Jordan Anderson forced a Cougar fumble on the second play of the period, and UCLA's Choé Bryant-Strother picked up the loose ball. UCLA's offense started to move down field after the fumble recovery; Moore threw for a 27-yard completion to sophomore Carsen Ryan, and the successful third down conversion brought the Bruins to the Washington State 29-yard line. Moore lobbed a ball into the corner of the endzone, finding Logan Loya for a touchdown. UCLA captured its first lead of the game, 6-3, with 11:31 left in the quarter.
The Bruins and Cougars traded stops and punted on four-consecutive drives before UCLA forced another turnover. Redshirt-senior Alex Johnson reeled in his third interception of the year when he reached up to snag a ball with 5:05 on the clock. Steele bulldozed his way through the whole on fourth down; the running back only needed two yards but trucked his way to a 12-yard gain. The drive ended with an R.J. Lopez field goal, and UCLA went up 9-3.
TURNOVER NO. 3????
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) October 7, 2023
UCLA 6, Washington State 3
5:05 – 2nd quarter
??: Pac-12 Networks
??: https://t.co/v42BPkE478#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/cXUtVn6nGb
The Bruin defense came up with another stop and forced a Washington State UCLA began what appeared to be a promising attack by air with 1:05 left on the clock. Moore connected with senior tight end Hudson Habermehl for a 43-yard reception. The freshman gunslinger then found Loya for a 17-yard reception; the wide receiver was brought down at the Washington State five-yard line to get a first and goal opportunity. Moore threw two incompletions before a Washington State defender jumped into the quarterback's passing lane. The Cougars took the interception back 95 yards to the endzone, and the Bruins headed into the half trailing 10-9.
Four-straight punts on the first four drives for the conference foes. Loya returned the last of those for a 16-yard gain, passing half field to set UCLA up in Cougar territory. The Bruins moved the chains on a 27-yard reception by redshirt sophomore Moliki Matavao. Moore appeared to connect with J. Michael Sturdivant in the back of the endzone, but the throw was called incomplete after an official replay review. The Bruins settled for a field goal, taking a 12-10 advantage. Washington State answered with a touchdown on its next drive.
The Bruins made strong progress down field on its final drive of the third, gaining three straight first downs before the end of the period. Trailing 17-12 to start the fourth, the Bruins began the final frame on the Washington State 31-yard line. On the next set of downs, UCLA found itself in a fourth-and-six situation but kept its field goal crew off the field; Moore zipped a pass down the left sideline to senior Kam Brown for a 12-yard gain. Senior Keegan Jones got a handoff and rushed 13 yards for a touchdown, but the Bruins failed their two-point conversion attempt on the drive. UCLA led 18-17 with 13:28 to go.
Keegan Jones ... ??????????????????! ??
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) October 7, 2023
UCLA 18, Washington State 17
13:28 – 4th quarter
??: Pac-12 Networks
??: https://t.co/v42BPkE478#GoBruins | @Chance202 pic.twitter.com/WCRwxT2sJS
On the first play of the next drive, the Bruins forced another Washington State turnover. Junior Oluwafemi Oladejo stayed in front of a scrambling Cougar QB and picked off the pass attempt on the Washington State 36-yard line. UCLA stuck to what it knew on offense and handed the ball again to Jones, who rushed 22 yards to the left to find the endzone. Lopez nailed the extra point attempt and the Bruins jumped out to an eight-point lead with 11:45 left in the game.
UCLA's defense stood its ground and forced consecutive three-and-outs after scoring those back-to-back touchdowns. It then stuffed Washington State on its fourth-and-one attempt with 1:33 left on the clock, forcing a turnover on downs and thwarting a late-game Cougar comeback attempt. UCLA kneeled until the clock ran out. The Bruins successfully prevented the Cougars from gaining a first down on three of Washington State's four fourth-quarter drives.
UP NEXT: at No. 15 Oregon State (Oct. 14)
UCLA Football is on the road, taking on No. 15 Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore., next Saturday, Oct. 14. The game will be broadcast on Fox with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. PT.
Team Stats
WSU
UCL
Total Yards
216
471
Pass Yards
204
290
Rushing Yards
12
181
Penalty Yards
20
60
1st Downs
11
24
3rd Downs
2
8
4th Downs
0
3
TOP
21:38
38:22
1st Quarter
WSU 3, UCL 0
WSU - Janikowski,Dean 32 yd field goal 4 plays, 4 yards, TOP 01:03
2nd Quarter
WSU 3, UCL 6
UCL - Loya,Logan 11 yd pass from Moore,Dante () 9 plays, 63 yards, TOP 03:09
WSU 3, UCL 9
UCL - Lopez,R.J. 37 yd field goal 9 plays, 46 yards, TOP 03:25
WSU 10, UCL 9
WSU - Gushiken,Kapena 88 yd interception (Janikowski,Dean kick)
3rd Quarter
WSU 10, UCL 12
UCL - Lopez,R.J. 32 yd field goal 5 plays, 29 yards, TOP 01:19
WSU 17, UCL 12
WSU - Watson,Nakia 9 yd pass from Ward,Cameron (Janikowski,Dean kick) 4 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:02
4th Quarter
WSU 17, UCL 18
UCL - Jones,Keegan 13 yd run (), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:07
WSU 17, UCL 25
UCL - Jones,Keegan 22 yd run (Lopez,R.J. kick), 4 plays, 36 yards, TOP 01:35
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
22
TD
1
YDS
290
INT
2
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
K
/ Football
WR
/ Football
TE
/ FootballQB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
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