PASADENA, Calif. – The only things pretty about Arizona’s loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl Saturday night was the backdrop against the San Gabriel Mountains, and UCLA’s “L.A. Night” dark blue alternate uniforms.
In a game that was seemingly over before it started, No. 24 Arizona was trampled by No. 25 UCLA, 66-10.
“I’m embarrassed how we played,” Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I thought we were ready to play. Obviously we weren’t.”
Before most of the 81,673 Bruin fans made it to their seats, Arizona already trailed 7-0, thanks to a 2-minute, 33-second touchdown drive by the Bruins that set the tone for the entire game. UCLA (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) only needed nine plays to travel 75 yards, 47 of which were picked up by UCLA tailback Johnathan Franklin.
UCLA scored again on their next drive, which started at the Arizona 34-yard line because UA punter Kyle Dugandzic shanked a 19-yard punt. Seven plays later, Arizona was down 14-0 on a six-yard run by UCLA redshirt freshman quarterback Brett Hundley.
“This is what happens in the Pac-12 when you don’t come to play,” junior linebacker Jake Fischer said. “You feel like absolute crap.”
In their first two drives, the Wildcats (5-4, 2-4, Pac-12) gained a total of four yards and were on the ropes just 2 minutes, 52 seconds into the game. Arizona is no stranger to double-digit leads, trailing USC by 15 a week ago before running off 26 straight points to crawl its way back into the game.
Against the UCLA defense, there was no crawling back into anything.
The Bruins held the Arizona offense, one that averages 553.63 yards per game, to 98 total yards in the first half. Arizona punted four times and fumbled the ball, while UCLA raced out to a 42-3 halftime lead.
Franklin and the UCLA offense had 371 yards of total offense and four rushing touchdowns, to Arizona’s 24 yards and 59 passing yards.
Arizona’s ineptitude in all phases of the game may be summed up by the gaping difference in first downs for both teams. At the half, the Wildcats had six first downs, the UCLA’s 22, 13 of which came in the first quarter. At the end of the game, UCLA had 36 first downs, while the UA could only muster 18.
“This one night does not define us as a team,” senior center Kyle Quinn said. “We’re going to keep fighting, keep clawing.”
On the road this season, the Wildcats have largely been uncompetitive, save for the shootout against Stanford. In losses to UCLA and Oregon, Arizona has been outscored 115-10.
Wildcat quarterback Matt Scott took a hit against USC a week ago and did not return to the game after finishing off the drive with a touchdown. Scott took another hit dropping back to pass in the end zone and lay on the ground until UA trainers walked him off the field.
“Matt hit his head on his knee or thigh,” Rodriguez said. “He was dizzy. He’s upset because of how we played.”
Scott headed to the locker room shortly thereafter, but did not return. Scott threw for 124 yards on 15 completions and was sacked once.
UA linebacker Hank Hobson, who has only played in five games because of a injury he sustained in summer practice, collapsed on the field early in the fourth quarter and had to be taken out of the stadium on a stretcher on the back of a golf cart.
“Hank had all movements,” Rodriguez said. “He was taken to the hospital to check him out. We’ll see if they need to keep him overnight.”
The 66 points UCLA scored on the UA defense were the most the Bruins have scored since the early 1990s. The Bruins ended the game with 611 total yards, 308 on the ground and 303 through the air.
