Postgame Notes – UCLA 16, Hawai'i 13
POSTGAME NOTES
UCLA at Hawai’i
August 31, 2024
– UCLA improved to 69-32-5 all-time in season-opening games with the win.
– UCLA’s all-time record against Hawai’i improved to 5-0, including a trio of wins since 2017.
– The Bruins are now 3-1 all-time in games played in Hawaii, including a 2-0 mark at UH and a victory in the 1987 Aloha Bowl.
– UCLA was shutout, 10-0, in the first half and came back to beat the Rainbow Warriors. The last time UCLA was blanked in a first half and still won was at Washington on Sept. 23, 2005.
– Saturday’s game marked the first time that UCLA opened a football season with a road win since 2014 (UCLA defeated then-No. 7 Virginia, 28-20).
– Rico Flores reeled in a 39-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter, capping off a 96-yard scoring drive. It was his second-career touchdown reception, and first as a Bruin.
– Flores added game-long 53-yard reception in the third quarter, helping to set up a Bruins’ field goal. His career-long catch is 60 yards. Flores led the Bruins with 102 receiving yards on Saturday afternoon.
– WR Rico Flores Jr., OL Niki Prongos, OL Reuben Unije, and OL Alani Makihele all made their first starts as Bruins.
– Players to make their debuts in a Bruin uniform included Rico Flores Jr., Kwazi Gilmer, Anthony Frias II, Reuben Unije, Alani Makihele, Bryce Pierre, Bryan Addison, K.J. Wallace, Kaylin Moore, Ramon Henderson, Joseph Vaughn, and Luke Schuermann.
– The contest was UCLA’s first in the month of August since the 2021 season (44-10 win over Hawai’i at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 28, 2021).
– WR Carter Shaw, WR Rico Flores Jr., and TE Bryce Pierre recorded their first-career receptions as Bruins.
– Shaw’s catch, a 27-yard reception in the first quarter, represented UCLA’s largest gain from scrimmage in the opening half.
– Kansas State transfer RB Anthony Frias II recorded his first carry as a Bruin.
– DeShaun Foster became just the fifth Bruin head coach since 1949 to win his debut game (Red Sanders, Terry Donahue, Rick Neuheisel and Jim Mora).
– Redshirt junior defensive tackle Keanu Williams recorded a solo sack with about five minutes remaining in the second quarter. It was the first full sack and tackle for loss (TFL) in his career.
– Redshirt senior safety Ramon Henderson had an eventful final 30 seconds of the first half, picking off a pass at the 30-second mark and then adding a solo tackle with four seconds remaining. The interception was the third of his career and first as a Bruin. The sack was the first full sack of his career, and it was the first time in his career that he had an interception and sack in the same game.
– D.J. Justice picked off a pass in the third quarter, his second-career interception and first since 2022.
– UCLA’s defense had two interceptions on Saturday. The Bruins had four multi-INT performances in 2023.
– Mateen Bhaghani was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts at Hawai’i, including a game-winning 32-yarder with 56 seconds remaining in the contest. He also connected from 22 yards and 37 yards.
– Bhaghani's final successful attempt clinched UCLA's first game-winning drive since the final week of the 2022 regular season at California.
– Prior to today, the last successful game-winning field goal was a 24-yarder by Nicholas Barr-Mira versus South Alabama in 2022.
– Transfers K.J. Wallace (Georgia Tech) and Jacob Busic (Navy) notched their first sacks as Bruins.
– Wallace had a strong debut effort for the Bruins, leading the team in total tackles (7), TFLs (2.0), and pass breakups (4).
UCLA at Hawai’i
August 31, 2024
– UCLA improved to 69-32-5 all-time in season-opening games with the win.
– UCLA’s all-time record against Hawai’i improved to 5-0, including a trio of wins since 2017.
– The Bruins are now 3-1 all-time in games played in Hawaii, including a 2-0 mark at UH and a victory in the 1987 Aloha Bowl.
– UCLA was shutout, 10-0, in the first half and came back to beat the Rainbow Warriors. The last time UCLA was blanked in a first half and still won was at Washington on Sept. 23, 2005.
– Saturday’s game marked the first time that UCLA opened a football season with a road win since 2014 (UCLA defeated then-No. 7 Virginia, 28-20).
– Rico Flores reeled in a 39-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter, capping off a 96-yard scoring drive. It was his second-career touchdown reception, and first as a Bruin.
– Flores added game-long 53-yard reception in the third quarter, helping to set up a Bruins’ field goal. His career-long catch is 60 yards. Flores led the Bruins with 102 receiving yards on Saturday afternoon.
– WR Rico Flores Jr., OL Niki Prongos, OL Reuben Unije, and OL Alani Makihele all made their first starts as Bruins.
– Players to make their debuts in a Bruin uniform included Rico Flores Jr., Kwazi Gilmer, Anthony Frias II, Reuben Unije, Alani Makihele, Bryce Pierre, Bryan Addison, K.J. Wallace, Kaylin Moore, Ramon Henderson, Joseph Vaughn, and Luke Schuermann.
– The contest was UCLA’s first in the month of August since the 2021 season (44-10 win over Hawai’i at the Rose Bowl on Aug. 28, 2021).
– WR Carter Shaw, WR Rico Flores Jr., and TE Bryce Pierre recorded their first-career receptions as Bruins.
– Shaw’s catch, a 27-yard reception in the first quarter, represented UCLA’s largest gain from scrimmage in the opening half.
– Kansas State transfer RB Anthony Frias II recorded his first carry as a Bruin.
– DeShaun Foster became just the fifth Bruin head coach since 1949 to win his debut game (Red Sanders, Terry Donahue, Rick Neuheisel and Jim Mora).
– Redshirt junior defensive tackle Keanu Williams recorded a solo sack with about five minutes remaining in the second quarter. It was the first full sack and tackle for loss (TFL) in his career.
– Redshirt senior safety Ramon Henderson had an eventful final 30 seconds of the first half, picking off a pass at the 30-second mark and then adding a solo tackle with four seconds remaining. The interception was the third of his career and first as a Bruin. The sack was the first full sack of his career, and it was the first time in his career that he had an interception and sack in the same game.
– D.J. Justice picked off a pass in the third quarter, his second-career interception and first since 2022.
– UCLA’s defense had two interceptions on Saturday. The Bruins had four multi-INT performances in 2023.
– Mateen Bhaghani was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts at Hawai’i, including a game-winning 32-yarder with 56 seconds remaining in the contest. He also connected from 22 yards and 37 yards.
– Bhaghani's final successful attempt clinched UCLA's first game-winning drive since the final week of the 2022 regular season at California.
– Prior to today, the last successful game-winning field goal was a 24-yarder by Nicholas Barr-Mira versus South Alabama in 2022.
– Transfers K.J. Wallace (Georgia Tech) and Jacob Busic (Navy) notched their first sacks as Bruins.
– Wallace had a strong debut effort for the Bruins, leading the team in total tackles (7), TFLs (2.0), and pass breakups (4).