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Stanford runs wild in 58-34 win over UCLA

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UCLA (2-1, 0-0 in Pac-12 play) will face Stanford (1-2, 0-1) tonight at the Stanford Stadium (7:30 p.m., ESPN). Keep it here for updates throughout the game.

Scoring summary

First quarter

Stanford’s Jet Toner 34-yard field goal: Stanford 3, UCLA 0

UCLA’s JJ Molson 27-yard field goal: Stanford 3, UCLA 3

Stanford’s Jet Tone, 32-yard field goal: Stanford 6, UCLA 3

Second quarter

UCLA’s JJ Molson 45-yard field goal: Stanford 6, UCLA 6

UCLA’s Darren Andrews 12-yard touchdown pass from Josh Rosen: UCLA 13, Stanford 6

Stanford’s Cameron Scarlett 2-yard touchdown run: UCLA 13, Stanford 13

Stanford’s K.J. Costello 9-yard touchdown run: Stanford 20, UCLA 13

Stanford’s Jet Toner 39-yard field goal: Stanford 23, UCLA 13

Third quarter

UCLA’s Soso Jamabo 3-yard touchdown run: Stanford 23, UCLA 20

Stanford’s Trenton Irwin 15-yard touchdown pass from K.J. Costello: Stanford 30, UCLA 20

Stanford’s Cameron Scarlett 1-yard touchdown run: Stanford 37, UCLA 20

UCLA’s Jordan Lasley 39-yard touchdown pass from Josh Rosen: Stanford 37, UCLA 27

Fourth quarter

Stanford’s Dalton Schultz 3-yard touchdown pass from K.J. Costello: Stanford 44, UCLA 27

UCLA’s Eldridge Massington 15-yard touchdown pass from Josh Rosen: Stanford 44, UCLA 34

Stanford’s Bryce Love 69-yard touchdown run: Stanford 51, UCLA 34

Stanford’s Cameron Scarlett 4-yard touchdown run: Stanford 58, UCLA 34

Stanford runs wild in 58-34 win over UCLA

It was more of the same in a series that seems stuck on repeat.

UCLA had some momentum and some hope against Stanford. Then things fell apart in a big way.

Crucial mistakes by Bruins receivers and a badly faltering defense were at the center of the latest implosion, helping the Cardinal run away with a 58-34 victory Saturday night before 48,042 at Stanford Stadium .

Stanford notched a 10th consecutive victory over the Bruins despite shuffling through three quarterbacks after starter Keller Chryst was hurt midway through the first quarter. Somewhat surprisingly, its offense did not solely consist of tailback Bryce Love from the moment Chryst left the game.

Cardinal backup quarterback K.J. Costello, who alternated series with Ryan Burns, completed his first two career touchdown passes and ran for another score. Love also shredded UCLA’s defense for 263 yards in 30 carries, including a 69-yard touchdown that extended the Cardinal’s cushion to 51-34 in the fourth quarter that was part of eight consecutive Stanford drives that ended in scores.

UCLA’s offense continually stumbled over itself. Receiver Theo Howard dropped a potential touchdown and lost a fumble after making a catch. Bruins receiver Christian Pabico also lost a fumble after making what appeared to be a first-down catch.

Those errors hurt quarterback Josh Rosen’s bid to rally the Bruins (2-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12 Conference) after acknowledging earlier in the week that there would be special significance to beating Stanford (2-2, 1-1) given that Bruins coach Jim Mora had never beaten the Cardinal since coming to Westwood.

Rosen completed 40 of 60 passes for 480 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions and the Bruins managed a semblance of a running game with Soso Jamabo’s 100 yards in 12 carries making him the first UCLA tailback to reach triple digits in rushing yards since Paul Perkins in November 2015.

It wasn’t nearly enough to help Mora from falling to 0-7 against the Cardinal after the UCLA defense let Stanford pile up 553 yards of offense, including 405 rushing yards.

Things had unraveled for UCLA in the third quarter when Pabico appeared to have a first down on a third-and-20 play. Pabico caught a pass from Rosen and was surging ahead amid a scrum of players when Stanford cornerback Quenton Meeks stripped the ball and cornerback Alameen Murphy recovered.

UCLA’s defense appeared to hold when Stanford lined up for a 50-yard field goal, but the Cardinal were called for a delay of game. That brought Stanford’s offense back onto the field, facing fourth and sixth, and the Cardinal converted when Costello completed a nine-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz.

After a few big runs by Love, fellow running back Cameron Scarlett plunged into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown that gave the Cardinal a 37-20 lead. It was pretty much the ballgame.

UCLA was hoping that its run game could take another step toward respectability while making its offense more dynamic. Power run games had helped USC and San Diego State control the game during victories over Stanford in recent weeks.

There was some significant progress for the Bruins late in the first quarter. Jamabo, playing for the first time since the season opener, cut outside for a 49-yard run that was longer than any UCLA had managed last season. Jamabo added a three-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter that pulled the Bruins to within 23-20.

The Bruins’ uphill slog to nowhere started before halftime.

Howard made a catch but fumbled in the second quarter after he had the ball stripped by Stanford cornerback Alijah Holder and Cardinal linebacker Kevin Palma recovered at the Bruins’ 30-yard line. Stanford kicker Jet Toner’s third field goal of the game, a 39-yarder on the final play of the first half, gave the Cardinal a 23-13 lead.

The Bruins had largely contained Love before letting him loose late in the second quarter. Love generated runs of 32 and 27 yards before Scarlett dove into the end zone on a two-yard touchdown run that tied the score at 13-13.

Rosen brushed off a shaky first quarter to lead the Bruins 71 yards for a score in only five plays early in the second quarter. Rosen connected with receiver Jordan Lasley over the middle for a 48-yard gain before finding Darren Andrews open in the back of the end zone two plays later for a 12-yard touchdown that nudged the Bruins ahead 13-6.

UCLA squandered a chance to extend that lead on its next drive when it reached the Cardinal three-yard line before Howard dropped a pass at the goal line on third down and kicker J.J. Molson’s chip-shot field goal was blocked by defensive tackle Harrison Phillips.

UCLA lost safety Adarius Pickett in the first half when he was called for targeting and ejected after delivering a hit on Schultz. Pickett commented on the play on social media only minutes later, tweeting, “I get kicked out the game because I’m hitting to hard against a guy that is 6’6 are you kidding me. Tell me how I’m suppose to play please.”

Stanford lost Holder in the third quarter after he was called for targeting on a hit on UCLA receiver Eldridge Massington. Chryst went down midway through the first quarter when he was sandwiched by UCLA defensive end Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and Pickett.

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And we have a dagger; Stanford scores again after turnover

Cameron Scarlett is having a memorable game for Stanford.

He’s scored three touchdowns.

And for that he can thank fellow Cardinal running back Bryce Love. Oh, and UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.

Earlier in the game, Love’s running set up Scarlett for two short touchdown runs.

Scarlett just got his third, from four yards out, after Rosen threw his worst pass of the game.

Rosen had just hooked up with Soso Jamabo for a 32-yard pass play that gave UCLA a first down at the Stanford 38.

On the next play, Rosen stepped back and again heaved the ball ... toward no one in particular. At least not anyone wearing UCLA colors.

The pass was picked off by Ben Edwards, who returned the ball 10 yards to the Stanford 28.

Scarlett took it from there, with four consecutive runs -- including one for a 62-yard gain.

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All Stanford needs is Love

Josh Rosen keeps trying to pull UCLA back in the game.

Bryce Love keeps forging the Cardinal right back out front.

Love broke loose on a 69-yard touchdown sprint on the second play from scrimmage after Rosen pulled UCLA back within 10 points.

Love has rushed for 263 yards in 30 carries, but this was his first touchdown. He’s been pulling the Cardinal within scoring position all night but other people have been getting most of the carries inside the 10-yard line.

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Rosen’s run sets up his scoring pass

UCLA isn’t quite out of it yet, because Josh Rosen is still passing. And, when he has to, running.

Rosen connected with Eldridge Massington on a 15-yard scoring pass at the end of a 10-play, 75-yard drive that lasted less than two minutes.

The big play on the drive was a 13-yard run by Rosen for a first down on fourth and five from the UCLA 45.

Rosen has completed 31 of 47 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns with an interception.

Soso Jamabo has run for 100 yards in 12 carries for UCLA. He and Rosen are the only Bruins with carries.

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Stanford overcomes mistakes to pull away again on great catch

Stanford tried very hard not to score just now against UCLA.

But it did anyway.

First, Bryce Love broke loose for what appeared to be a 52-yard touchdown run.

It was called back because of a holding penalty.

That happened with 12 minutes 22 seconds left in the game.

And the Cardinal actually used that play to its advantage to make about three and a half more minutes off the clock before it got a touchdown anyway.

One key play among many was a smart play by quarterback K.J. Costello, who, on third and six, found tight end Colby Parkinson one on one with UCLA defensive back Darnay Holmes.

Both players are freshmen. The difference: Parkinson is 6 feet 7. Holmes is 5-10. Holmes had no choice by to hold the much bigger player as Costello’s pass floated down the left sideline.

The penalty gave Stanford a first down, and after a false start penalty moved the ball back five yards, running back Love took off again, this time for a 30-yard gain to the UCLA 4.

Another false start penalty -- I told you it looked like Stanford was trying not to score -- moved the ball back to the 9. Love gained four yards on the next play.

Then Dalton Schultz made the catch of the game. Spotting Schultz wide open in the end zone, quarterback Costello short armed a terrible pass short and behind his receiver.

But Schultz somehow jackknifed his body and got a hand under the ball just before it hit the turf. The play was initially ruled an incomplete pass, but a review revealed that Schultz made a spectacular play to secure a three-yard scoring pass.

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Does UCLA’s Rosen have another fourth-quarter comeback in him?

UCLA isn’t dead yet.

Josh Rosen found Jordan Lasley facing single coverage as the receiver lined up wide left. Lasley made a quick break toward the center of the field, caught the ball at the Stanford 28 and raced in from there to complete a 39-yard scoring play.

Rosen has completed 27 of 40 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Lasley has six receptions for 121 yards.

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Slide show: Photos from the UCLA-Stanford game

UCLA wide receiver Darren Andrews catches a touchdown pass during the first half. To see more images from the game, click on the photo above.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
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Stanford converts on big fourth down, and scores again

Another UCLA turnover, another Stanford touchdown.

After a big fourth-down call and play.

The turnover came when UCLA receiver Christian Pabico was stripped of the ball after he made a 27-yard gain on the reception of a Josh Rosen pass.

Stanford took over at the UCLA 42 but didn’t go anywhere fast. The Cardinal faced a fourth-and-one, then took a delay of game penalty to make it fourth and five.

Time to punt, right?

Wrong.

K.J. Costello hit Dalton Schultz with a nine-yard pass to keep the drive going. After that it was Bryce Love for runs of 14, nine and five yards to move the ball to the UCLA 1.

Cameron Scarlett vaulted into the end zone from there.

Love has rushed for 147 yards in 21 carries.

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Not bad for a third-stringer; Costello strikes again for Stanford

K.J. Costello isn’t bad for a third stringer. Isn’t bad period.

The redshirt freshman out of Santa Margarita High pushed Stanford’s lead back to 10 points with his first college touchdown pass.

Costello connected with Trenton Irwin on a nice touch pass in the end zone over the outstretched arms of UCLA defensive back Denzel Fisher.

The play completed a drive that covered 92 yards in six plays.

A big one was a 43-yard run on a reverse by Connor Wedington.

Costello has completed nine of 14 passes for 93 yards and earlier scored on a nine-yard run.

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Rosen leads UCLA to quick score

Josh Rosen completed all five of his passes for 48 yards as UCLA came out of halftime and marched 75 yards in eight plays.

Soso Jamabo, still the only Bruin to run the ball tonight, scored from three yards out.

But credit right tackle Andre James for an assist -- not for a block, but for sure hands.

James was in the right place at the right time to recover a fumble when Jamabo coughed up the ball at the 7-yard line two plays before the touchdown.

Rosen has passed for 224 yards. Jamabo has 73 yards rushing in nine carries.

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Stanford rolls up the yardage late in first half

With about six and a half minutes left before halftime, UCLA held a lead over Stanford in total yardage, 224-61.

By the break, that advantage was 237-200.

The Cardinal hold a 119-61 lead in rushing yardage, largely because of Bryce Love, who has 106 yards in 14 carries.

Soso Jamabo has all 61 of UCLA’s yards rushing, in six carries.

Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen has completed 16 of 28 passes for 176 yards and one touchdown with one interception.

K.J. Costello, Stanford’s third quarterback of the game, has completed seven of 12 passes for 56 yards and has a nine-yard touchdown run.

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Stanford scores after another UCLA turnover just before halftime

UCLA receivers have a reputation for dropping the ball.

Usually, it’s before they can latch onto it in the first place.

This time, it was after the catch, and it cost the Bruins three points just before halftime.

Theo Howard fumbled after making a reception, giving Stanford the ball at the UCLA 30.

The turnover enabled Jet Toner to hit a 39-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

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Rosen turns to old faithful; UCLA takes the lead, 13-6

Earlier this week, Ben Bolch, The Times’ UCLA beat reporter, wrote a nice feature on wide receiver Darren Andrews, noting that Andrews and quarterback Josh Rosen had formed a special connection.

That connection just led to a 12-yard touchdown connection to put the Bruins up 13-6.

Andrews has two receptions for 18 yards. Rosen has completed 10 of 17 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown and an interception.

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Another field goal for Molson ties score for UCLA, 6-6

A 45-yard field goal by UCLA’s JJ Molson has tied the score again, 6-6.

The kick was set up by a 49-yard run by Soso Jamabo, who made his first start of the season at tailback for the Bruins.

Jamabo is the only player who has run the ball for UCLA. He has 56 yards in five carries. Josh Rosen has completed six of 12 passes for 44 yards.

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Stanford takes 6-3 lead thanks to UCLA turnover

Jet Toner’s second field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards out, has put Stanford in the lead, 6-3.

The kick was set up by an interception by Justin Reid, who grabbed a Josh Rosen pass that deflected off UCLA tight end Caleb Wilson.

The Cardinal used their third quarterback of the game after taking over at the UCLA 18. K.J. Costello, a redshirt freshman from Santa Margarita High, replaced Ryan Burns, who had taken over after starter Keller Chryst got his bell rung with what looked like a helmet-to-helmet hit from UCLA’s Adarius Pickett.

Pickett was not called for targeting on that play, but he was after Costello’s first pass was caught by Dalton Schultz.

Pickett was ejected from the game, prompting UCLA coach Jim Mora to go ballistic on the Bruins’ sideline.

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Chryst to locker room, Burns in at quarterback for Stanford

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Turnover leads to UCLA field goal that ties score

UCLA tied the score on a 27-yard field goal by JJ Molson, and Stanford is lucky.

The score was set up when UCLA’s Johnny Den Bleyker pounced on a punt that was muffed by Stanford’s Jay Tyler.

Tyler signaled for a fair catch, but the ball -- which had been punted just 24 yards -- slid right through his hands.

From there, UCLA went next to nowhere.

Soso Jamabo, making his first start of the season at tailback, was stuffed for no gain. That was followed by an incomplete pass, a five-yard offside penalty against Stanford, and another incomplete pass, before the kick.

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UCLA defense fortified by return of Young, Wadood

UCLA’s defense looks like it will get two of its top players back against Stanford after linebacker Kenny Young and safety Jaleel Wadood participated in warmups after sitting out last week against Memphis because of head trauma suffered the previous week.

Tailback Soso Jamabo appears ready to play for the first time since the Bruins’ season opener after being sidelined by an undisclosed injury the last two weeks.

But UCLA is missing defensive end Jaelan Phillips (ankle) and linebacker Breland Brandt (concussion). The Bruins also played the first half without defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, who had to sit out as punishment for a targeting penalty in the fourth quarter last week against Memphis.

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UCLA’s Josh Rosen still has something to learn about quick decisions

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen attempts a pass as he is hit by Memphis defensive lineman Christian Johnson during the second half Saturday.
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen attempts a pass as he is hit by Memphis defensive lineman Christian Johnson during the second half Saturday.
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

A lot of it is just playing within the system.

— UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen

Some of the game footage that UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen studies is about acceptable failure.

A quarterback taking a sack. A scramble that goes for only a few yards. A pass completed short of the first-down marker.

They’re all outcomes that are preferable to forcing passes that lead to interceptions. They allow an offense to either keep the ball for another play or punt it away while managing field position.

Rosen knows they’re the kinds of plays he needs to make even if they might seem like momentary setbacks.

“A lot of it is just playing within the system,” Rosen said Wednesday. “A lot of the guys that play for so many years in the NFL do it because they make really quick, fast, deliberate decisions that all work within the system and have very few incredible insane scramble highlights because that’s not what the system was built for.

“That’s why you see a lot of these guys, particularly the pocket passers that last so long in the NFL, because they’re very smart, very efficient, very quick, and that’s what I’m trying to get closer and closer to every single day in perfecting the system.”

Most of Rosen’s decisions this season have been sound. He leads the nation with 13 passing touchdowns and ranks second with 427.7 passing yards per game. But a handful of plays in the second half of the Bruins’ 48-45 loss to Memphis illustrated that there’s still significant room for growth.

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UCLA’s Jim Mora thinks the key to beating Stanford might be as simple as effort

Jim Mora
Jim Mora
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

That maniacal effort is what won it for those teams.

— UCLA coach Jim Mora

What struck UCLA coach Jim Mora most when he watched recent tutorials on stopping Stanford wasn’t so much intense defensive pressure or inventive schemes.

It was old-fashioned effort.

“I mean, maybe not perfect all the time,” Mora said of the effort by USC and San Diego State in victories over the Cardinal, “but a maniacal attitude to get to the ball. … That maniacal effort is what won it for those teams.”

It’s the kind of effort that Mora said had been missing at times from the Bruins’ defense last weekend during a 48-45 loss to Memphis. It was absent on a screen pass that went for a 42-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The defenders couldn’t catch receiver Tony Pollard, which served as an unintended metaphor for the Bruins’ failed comeback later in the game.

One issue facing UCLA’s defense was the hesitancy created by players either making their first career starts or slotted into new positions as a result of teammates’ absences. Defensive tackle Chigozie Nnoruka, hybrid defensive end-linebacker Keisean Lucier-South, linebacker Krys Barnes and defensive back Will Lockett were all first-time starters.

“When you lack experience and you’re seeing things for the first time and it’s happening real fast,” Mora said, “those instincts don’t kick in because you’re thinking so much.”

The Bruins allowed nine explosive plays, which Mora defines as runs that go for at least 12 yards or passes that gain 20 yards or more. Their pressure was also largely lacking, generating only two sacks of quarterback Riley Ferguson.

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Jim Mora needs a signature win against Stanford to give UCLA a sigh of relief

Stanford running back Bryce Love runs for a touchdown during the first half of a game against San Diego State on Saturday.
Stanford running back Bryce Love runs for a touchdown during the first half of a game against San Diego State on Saturday.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

You always keep it in the memory bank.

— UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen

Only in classic literature can you find the torment UCLA found at the end of its ninth consecutive loss to Stanford.

The Bruins’ journey into despair involved a twisting, leaping catch by Cardinal receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside on the edge of the end zone for the go-ahead score with 24 seconds left. It was followed by a hit on UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen that resulted in a fumble returned for another Stanford touchdown on the game’s final play.

In a matter of moments, the Bruins had gone from scrubbing away their biggest nightmare to doubling down on a terrible fate during the 24-13 loss at the Rose Bowl.

“You always keep it in the memory bank,” Rosen said this week of a defeat that extended the longest streak by either team in a series that dates back to 1925.

UCLA coach Jim Mora didn’t even try to pretend that going 0-6 against Stanford since his arrival on campus in late 2011 wasn’t weighing on him. Mora twice interrupted a reporter asking about past disappointments heading into Saturday night’s meeting between the Bruins (2-1 overall, 0-0 Pac-12 Conference) and the Cardinal (1-2, 0-1) at Stanford Stadium.

Reporter: “I know you’ve said that history doesn’t … ”

Mora: “I know where you’re going with this. Go ahead. I know where you’re going.”

Reporter: “Does it have any impact at all, just … ? ”

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UCLA vs. Stanford: How they match up

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen warms up before playing against Memphis on Sept. 16.
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

UCLA (2-1, 0-0) at Stanford (1-2, 0-1)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Stanford Stadium, TV: ESPN. Radio: 570.

Marquee matchup

UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen vs. the Stanford secondary. The Bruins probably won’t be able to produce the kind of clock-burning run game that helped USC and San Diego State engineer victories over the Cardinal, putting the burden on Rosen to be almost perfect. That means no throwing across his body or forcing passes into coverage, which were issues toward the end of UCLA’s loss to Memphis. But it’s hard to find much fault with someone who has logged 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions in three games.

Getting offensive

UCLA (564 ypg/48.7 ppg): The Bruins hope the strides they’ve made in the run game continue after going from 63 yards against Texas A&M to 132 yards against Hawaii to 170 yards against Memphis. A capable run game would make an offense that ranks seventh nationally in yards per game and eighth in scoring — thanks largely to Rosen — all the more dynamic.

Stanford (412 ypg/34.3 ppg): All you need is Love? It certainly seems that way for the Cardinal offense, which has relied heavily on tailback Bryce Love amid inconsistency from quarterback Keller Chryst. Last week against San Diego State, Chryst had two interceptions and lost a fumble while completing only eight of 19 passes. Meanwhile, Love has averaged 174.7 yards rushing per game.

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