PASADENA, Calif. — The Arizona Wildcats started slow again.
This time, there was no second-half scramble to get them back in the game.
UCLA scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, held the UA quarterback Anu Solomon and the Wildcats' offense scoreless in the second half and prevailed 17-7 tonight at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Pac-12 Conference; the UA drops to 6-2 and 3-2.
Leading 7-3 at halftime, the UA saw its offense sputter some more in the third quarter and a tired defense start to get picked on by UCLA’s defense.
Bruins running back Paul Perkins scored from five yards out with 5:34 to play in the quarter to give UCLA its first lead of the game at 10-7.
After Arizona went three-and-out, UCLA needed just one play to strike again. Quarterback Brett Hundley found Jordan Payton for a 70-yard touchdown. Payton beat freshman Cam Denson down the field and hauled in the pass after Hundley had plenty of time to throw.
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Arizona’s offense tried to answer, but Casey Skowron missed a 39-yard field goal. He missed another one in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats forced a Bruins punt at the end of the quarter and will open the fourth with the ball.
The first half was marred by penalties, sloppy offensive play and other miscues. The Bruins were penalized nine times for 98 yards in the half. The UA had just 99 yards of total offense in the first half, but was aided by UCLA’s penalties.
The UA had just one penalty for 10 yards, until Jourdon Grandon changed that late in the half. The UA’s senior free safety was flagged for targeting and was ejected.
The result of all these penalties? Not a lot of offense and a game that lacked much pace.
Solomon found Cayleb Jones for a 14-yard touchdown on the UA’s first drive. Twice, the Wildcats were stopped on third down, but the drive was kept alive on two UCLA penalties.
That would be the only touchdown of the half.
UCLA and Brett Hundley gained 224 yards of offense, and had a bit more going than the UA, but missed a field goal, and had to settle for another when Arizona stopped the Bruins on the goal line.
Read more in Sunday's Arizona Daily Star
