UCLA vs. Stanford: Pac-12 title game live coverage

Stanford 27, UCLA 24 (final)

A 51-yard field-goal attempt by Ka’imi Fairbairn fell short and wide left.

The kick was attempted with 39 seconds left in an interesting choice by UCLA Coach Jim Mora.

The Bruins, who were out of timeouts, faced a fourth-and-five situation from the Stanford 34, and they tried the field goal instead of going for a first down and the chance for a few more plays.

Fairbairn, a freshman kicking on a wet field, had one field goal of longer than 35 yards on his college resume -- a 48-yarder against Stanford last Saturday.

UCLA took over at its own 19 with 2:18 on the clock.

The Bruins’ drive was extended when Brett Hundley connected with tight end Joseph Fauria for a 17-yard gain on a fourth-and-seven play.

But two plays later, the Bruins faced another key play –- third and six -- and Hundley’s swing pass in the flat was dropped by Johnathan Franklin.

That brought on Fairbairn.

Stanford 27, UCLA 24 (2:15 left in the fourth quarter)

Stanford had a first down at its own 39-yard line with less than four minutes remaining in the game and UCLA without a timeout.

But UCLA’s defense has given the Bruins a final chance.

Two runs by Stepfan Taylor gained only a yard and a third-down pass by Kevin Hogan fell incomplete.

Stanford was forced to punt and UCLA has the ball at its own 19.

Stanford 27, UCLA 24 (3:31 left in the fourth quarter)

This is like a good boxing match.

One team goes ahead, the other team comes back.

One team moves the ball, the other team’s defense stiffens.

UCLA couldn’t score on its latest possession after Stanford’s go-ahead field goal.

The Bruins’ first three plays went for first downs: Brett Hundley ran for 12 yards, Johnathan Franklin ran for gains of 11 and then 14 yards.

But then came a run for one yard by Jordan James, a sack by linebacker Chase Thomas of Hundley, and a Hundley pass that fell incomplete after it was nearly intercepted.

Stanford now has the ball and just got a first down on a perfectly executed bootleg by quarterback Kevin Hogan that moved the ball near the Cardinal 40-yard line -- and UCLA is out of timeouts.

Stanford 27, UCLA 24 (6:49 left in the fourth quarter)

A 36-yard field goal by Jordan Williamson has left Stanford less than seven minutes from its first trip to the Rose Bowl game in 13 years.

Stanford’s defense –- and a nifty punt return by Drew Terrell –- gave the Cardinal good field position to start the drive.

UCLA was pinned near its own end zone, taking over at the four-yard line, because of a holding penalty on the kickoff return.

And Stanford made sure the Bruins didn’t go anywhere. Two pass completions at the line of scrimmage and a run by Johnathan Franklin netted five yards.

That left Jeff Locke punting from UCLA’s end zone.

He crushed the ball 52 yards, but Terrell avoided a first wave of defenders and gained 18 yards on the return, moving the ball to the UCLA 43.

Then, on Stanford’s first offensive play, Kelsey Young ran for a 23-yard gain.

But UCLA’s defense stiffened after that, thanks in part to a holding penalty by the Cardinal.

UCLA 24, Stanford 24 (11:21 left in the fourth quarter)

Now that’s what you call a key third-down conversion.

Faced with a third-and-15 situation at UCLA’s 26-yard line, Stanford got that yardage and more.

Quarterback Kevin Hogan found Drew Terrell open in the end zone and hit him with a pass to tie the score in the Pac-12 Conference championship game.

Terrell got behind UCLA cornerback Sheldon Price.

Stanford converted on three third downs during the 10-play, 63-yard drive.

Hogan has completed 15 of 19 passes for 144 yards.

--Mike Hiserman

UCLA 24, Stanford 17 (end of the third quarter)

Johnathan Franklin scored on a 20-yard run with 1:04 left in the third quarter to give the Bruins the lead in the Pac-12 Conference championship game at Stanford Stadium.

The play completed a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive highlighted by quarterback Brett Hundley’s clutch plays on third down.

Hundley, taking a snap under center, sneaked for one first down and then scrambled for another to keep alive the drive.

Franklin has rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries.

UCLA 17, Stanford 17 (8:20 left in the third quarter)

Ka’imi Fairbairn pulled the Bruins even in the Pac-12 Conference championship game with a 31-yard field goal.

UCLA stopped Stanford on the first possession of the second half and then drove 60 yards for the field goal.

Senior running back Johnathan Franklin set up the field goal with a 32-yard run on the first play of the eight-play drive.

Franklin has rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries.

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has completed 15 of 19 passes for 114 yards, with an interception.

Stanford 17, UCLA 14 (halftime)

Jordan Williamson kicked a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter to give the Cardinal their first lead in the Pac-12 Conference championship game tonight at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto.

Williamson’s kick capped a 63-yard drive expertly engineered by quarterback Kevin Hogan.

Hogan, a redshirt freshman making his fourth start, has completed 10 of 12 passes for 95 yards. He also has rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown in eight carries.

Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor has rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries. He also broke Darrin Nelson’s career rushing record of 4,169 yards that stood since 1981. UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin has rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries and broke Karim Abdul-Jabbar’s single-season rushing record.

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has completed 12 of 16 passes for 95 yards, but he had a pass intercepted, which set up a Cardinal touchdown. He has rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.

UCLA 14, Stanford 14 (12:57 left in the second quarter)

Stanford safety Ed Reynolds intercepted a pass by Brett Hundley and returned it 80 yards, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by Stepfan Taylor to tie the score.

Hundley was looking for tight end Joseph Fauria, but Reynolds picked off the pass and then broke multiple tackles as he cut back across the field toward the goal line.

Hundley dragged him down just short of the goal line.

The Bruins have outgained the Cardinal, 224 yards to 87.

Hundley has completed six of eight passes for 57 yards.

Taylor has rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown in four carries.

UCLA 14, Stanford 7 (end of the first quarter)

UCLA has the lead -- and the ball-- to start the second quarter.

Stanford has not given up more than 198 yards rushing in a game this season.

But the Bruins, behind running back Johnathan Franklin and quarterback Brett Hundley, rushed for 135 yards in the first two series. Franklin has rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown in five carries.

UCLA 14, Stanford 7 (3:40 left in the first quarter)

Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley is not holding anything back.

After rushing the ball only once for 38 yards in last week’s loss to the Cardinal, Hundley made two huge plays during a drive that put the Bruins back in the lead of the Pac-12 Conference Championship game tonight in Palo Alto.

On a first down at the Bruins’ 28-yard line, Hundley ran a quarterback draw, going up the middle and then breaking to the left sideline on his way to a 48-yard gain.

Johnathan Franklin’s 19-yard run gave the Bruins a first down at the Stanford five.

Hundley’s pass to tight end Joseph Fauria fell incomplete, but on the next play Hundley once again ran to left side and scored his ninth rushing touchdown of the season.

Hundley has completed five of six passes for 40 yards. He has rushed for 75 yards in five carries.

Franklin has gained 75 yards in five carries. He has 1,585 yards, breaking the UCLA’s single-season record of 1,571 set by Karim Abdul-Jabbar in 1995.

UCLA 7, Stanford 7 (6:07 left in the first quarter)

Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan made a great fake and then bootlegged around left end for a one-yard touchdown that completed a 69-yard, 11-play drive.

Hogan, a redshirt freshman, completed all three of his passes for 44 yards and also rushed twice for 14 yards.

Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor had the key play of the drive, catching a short pass from Hogan and breaking four tackles en route to a 33-yard gain to set up Hogan’s touchdown.

UCLA 7, Stanford 0 (11:35 left in the first quarter)

UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin rushed for only 65 yards last week in a loss to Stanford.

He already has amassed 56 in the Pac-12 Conference championship game tonight in Palo Alto, including a 51-yard touchdown.

Franklin touched the ball six times during an eight-play, 85-yard scoring drive. He rushed the ball four times and caught two passes for 15 yards.

Franklin is six yards shy of breaking UCLA’s single-season rushing record of 1,571 yards set by Karim Abdul-Jabbar in 1995.

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has completed all four of his passes for 29 yards.

Pregame

We’re about 25 minutes from kickoff of the Pac-12 Conference championship game at Stanford Stadium.

The rain that fell continuously throughout the day has subsided. More, however, could be on the way.

The field was covered during the storm, but if the rain returns and the field turns soggy, that could favor No. 8 Stanford against No. 17 UCLA.

Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor, who rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns in the Cardinal’s 35-17 victory over the Bruins last week, needs 36 yards to become Stanford’s all-time leading rusher.

We’ll see how much running UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley does tonight.

The usually elusive Hundley was sacked seven times last week. He ran the ball only once for 38 yards.

Bruins running back Johnathan Franklin also needs to be more productive after gaining only 65 yards in 21 carries

--Gary Klein

UCLA’s Dalton Hilliard will not play tonight against Stanford because of shoulder injury.

Hilliard’s absence robs the Bruins of a key reserve. He plays a hybrid linebacker-safety position.

Stan McKay will fill that role tonight against the Cardinal in the Pac-12 championship game.

Rain is expected at 5 p.m., the scheduled kickoff time.

--Chris Foster

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