UCLA
5-7 , 3-6
Fresno State
6-6 , 4-3
UCLA Football Outlasts Fresno State, 20-13
November 30, 2024 | Football
PASADENA, Calif. – The UCLA football team earned a 20-13 victory in the Bruins' final game of the 2024 season, a non-conference showdown, on Saturday afternoon under sunny skies at the Rose Bowl.
Leading 13-10 through the majority of the second half, the Bruins (5-7) added a touchdown with 1:38 to play in the fourth quarter and secured a 10-point advantage against Fresno State (6-6).
Fresno State added a 41-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the final quarter. The Bulldogs' ensuing onside kick was kicked out of bounds on UCLA's 48-yard line, and Bruins' quarterback Ethan Garbers kneeled out the clock to seal the win for UCLA.
"This game went very similar to how our season went," UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster said. "We had a few ups and downs, but my guys are very resilient. They've continued to play hard. They don't let things affect them. I'm just blessed that I had the type of team that just continues to fight. We came out of the half and scored some points and got it going."
Garbers completed 26 of 40 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown in his final collegiate game. The redshirt senior quarterback from Newport Beach, Calif., helped the Bruins snap a four-game losing skid to Fresno State and record their first win over the Bulldogs since a 24-21 victory at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 9, 2000.
Bruins' tight end Moliki Matavao had eight receptions and a team-leading 120 reception yards to lead the team's receiving corps.
Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene finished Saturday's game having completed 30 of 43 pass attempts for 219 yards and one touchdown.
UCLA outgained Fresno State in total offensive yards by a 363 to 281 margin, as the Bruins registered 289 total passing yards. The Bruins' defense held Fresno State to a late field goal in the second half.
Leading by a 13-10 margin, the Bruins converted on a key third-and-3 situation with 3:36 to play in regulation. Garbers kept the ball on a play-action call and ran around the corner for seven yards and the ensuing first down (at the Fresno State 22-yard line). Six plays later, UCLA found the end zone with a two-yard touchdown pass over the middle from Garbers to wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant.
Bruins' linebacker Carson Schwesinger finished with 15 tackles, marking his ninth game this season with at least 10 tackles – the highest single-season total with 10+ tackles since Eric Kendricks had 11 during the 2014 season.
Prior to kickoff of the Bruins' final regular-season contest, UCLA honored 42 senior student-athletes as the Bruins hosted their final home game.
UCLA took a 13-10 lead in the first four minutes of the third quarter, racing down the field in four plays. The Bruins' capped a 56-yard scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown rush up the middle by T.J. Harden. UCLA's touchdown drive included a 35-yard pass play from Garbers to Matavao that put the Bruins on Fresno State's five-yard line.
The Bruins kicked a pair of field goals in the opening two quarters to secure an early 6-0 lead. Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 23-yard field goal at the 4:36 mark in the first quarter, and the Bruins' sophomore kicker converted on a 40-yard field goal attempt with 12:51 left in the second quarter.
Fresno State took a 7-6 lead and extended its first-half advantage to 10-6 by the game's intermission. The visiting Bulldogs used a 14-play, 76-yard drive to score the game's first touchdown – a seven-yard pass from Keene to wide receiver Raylen Sharpe with 7:29 left in the first half.
Fresno State's Dylan Lynch kicked through a 48-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to push the Bulldogs' margin to 10-6 against UCLA.
Saturday's victory helped the Bruins close their 2024 campaign with four wins in the team's final six games.
Team Stats
FSU 0, UCL 3
UCL - Bhaghani,Mateen 23 yd field goal 10 plays, 58 yards, TOP 03:30
FSU 0, UCL 6
UCL - Bhaghani,Mateen 40 yd field goal 4 plays, -10 yards, TOP 01:11
FSU 7, UCL 6
FSU - Sharpe,Raylen 7 yd pass from Keene,Mikey (Lynch,Dylan kick) 14 plays, 76 yards, TOP 05:17
FSU 10, UCL 6
FSU - Lynch,Dylan 48 yd field goal 10 plays, 60 yards, TOP 01:18
FSU 10, UCL 13
UCL - Harden,T.J. 5 yd run (Bhaghani,Mateen kick), 4 plays, 56 yards, TOP 01:56
FSU 10, UCL 20
UCL - Sturdivant,J.Michael 2 yd pass from Garbers,Ethan (Bhaghani,Mateen kick) 15 plays, 78 yards, TOP 06:14
FSU 13, UCL 20
FSU - Lynch,Dylan 42 yd field goal 7 plays, 51 yards, TOP 01:07
