Freshman Dante Moore helps spark UCLA to victory in his college debut
🏈 UCLA 27, Coastal Carolina 13 — FINAL
Quarterback Dante Moore threw two touchdown passes in his much-anticipated college debut, leading UCLA to victory over Coastal Carolina in the Bruins’ season opener Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
Moore entered the game behind starting quarterback Ethan Garbers in the second quarter and connected on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Carson Steele. He re-entered the game in the fourth quarter with a one-point lead and found J.Michael Sturdivant on a 62-yard pass to extend the Bruins’ lead.
Moore completed seven of 12 passes for 143 yards. He also threw an end-zone interception in the fourth quarter, but a fumble recovery by UCLA defensive back John Humphrey on the next play.
A fumble recovery by Carl Jones Jr. off a strip sack of Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall sealed the win for the Bruins.
Garbers led UCLA to the end zone on its first possession and finished with 121 yards on 10-of-17 passing. He started the second half, but threw and interception and went three-and-out before Kelly put Moore back in the game.
UCLA running back Carson Steele rushed for 76 yards on 13 carries and had a receiving touchdown. Sturdivant caught five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.
McCall completed 27 of 42 passes for 271 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions.
UCLA extends lead on pair of field goals in fourth quarter
🏈 UCLA 27, Coastal Carolina 13 — 3:26 left in the fourth quarter
RJ Lopez kicked field goals of 31-yards and 47 yards to extend UCLA’s lead late in the fourth quarter.
Coastal Carolina has struggled on offense in the fourth quarter after causing issues for the UCLA defense in the fourth quarter.
John Humphrey comes up with huge pick after Dante Moore interception
🏈 UCLA 21, Coastal Carolina 13 — 8:16 left in the fourth quarter
One play after UCLA quarterback Dante Moore was picked off in the end zone, UCLA defensive back John Humphrey picked off Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall.
Clayton Isbell recorded his third interception of the game for Coastal Carolina when Moore, under pressure, heaved the ball into the end zone.
Dante Moore throws 62-yard touchdown pass to extend UCLA’s lead
🏈 UCLA 21, Coastal Carolina 13 — 14:07 left in the fourth quarter
UCLA freshman quarterback Dante Moore connected on a spectacular, 62-yard touchdown pass to J. Michael Sturdivant on his first play under center in the second half to jolt the Bruins back to life after a dreary third quarter.
Kelly went back Moore after Garbers went three-and-out coming off an interception earlier in the third quarter. After Coastal Carolina’s Liam Gray missed a 55-yard field-goal attempt to keep UCLA in the lead, Moore re-entered and went deep to find Sturdivant, who broke coverage after the catch and sprinted into the end zone.
Ethan Garbers re-enters game, throws interception
🏈 UCLA 14, Coastal Carolina 13 — 6:51 left in the third quarter
Chip Kelly put Ethan Garbers back in at quarterback and it didn’t go well.
After connecting on an 18-yard pass to Logan Loya, Garbers threw his second interception of the game, thwarting the Bruins’ attempts to rebuild their lead. Look for Dante Moore to return to the game on UCLA’s next possession, but will he be working with a lead or trying to mount a comeback?
UCLA has also struggled with penalties tonight — the defense has jumped offsides four times.
Coastal Carolina makes it a one-point game in third quarter
🏈 UCLA 14, Coastal Carolina 13 — 10:08 left in the third quarter
Grayson McCall and Coastal Carolina wasted little time cutting into UCLA’s lead to start the second half.
McCall connected on a nine-yard touchdown pass to Sam Pinckney to make it a one-point game. UCLA’s defense continues to have issues containing the McCall passing game.
How will Ethan Garbers and UCLA respond?
Coastal Carolina cuts into UCLA’s lead just before halftime
🏈 UCLA 14, Coastal Carolina 6 — HALFTIME
Coastal Carolina tried to find the end zone before time expired in the third half, but the UCLA defense had other plans.
Gabriel Murphy and Carl Jones Jr. sacked Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall on the Chanticleers’ final possession of the half, forcing them to settle for a 41-yard field goal from Liam Gray to cut into the Bruins’ lead.
Ethan Garbers started under center for the Bruins and helped guide the Bruins to their first touchdown. On the Bruins’ second possession, he threw an interception in the end zone. UCLA then sputtered out at midfield on its third possession.
Kelly then put in Dante Moore at quarterback and the freshman guided UCLA to the end zone on a six-play, 61-yard drive.
Garbers completed eight of 12 passes for 103 yards. Moore has completed three of four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown, so far.
Running back Carson Steele has 60 yards on eight carries, plus a receiving touchdown.
McCall has completed 12 of 21 passes for 128 yards.
Dante Moore finds end zone in his first collegiate drive
🏈 UCLA 14, Coastal Carolina 3 — 3:57 left in the second quarter
Dante Moore made his UCLA debut with 6:33 left in the second quarter, taking over for Ethan Garbers at quarterback. On the previous possession, it appeared Garbers lost track of downs and got an earful from coach Chip Kelly on the sideline.
Moore made an immediate impact, rolling out under pressure and connecting with receiver J.Michael Sturdivant on a 39-yard pass. Three plays later, Moore found Carson Steele on the opposite side, and Steele charged into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.
Coastal Carolina gets on the scoreboard in second quarter
🏈 UCLA 7, Coastal Carolina 3 — 11:12 left in the second quarter
UCLA’s defense continues to bend, but it isn’t breaking against Coastal Carolina.
Chanticleers quarterback Grayson McCall orchestrated a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ultimately fizzled thanks to the efforts of the UCLA pass rush.
Coastal Carolina didn’t come away totally empty-handed — Liam Gray kicked a 22-yard field goal to get it on the scoreboard.
Ethan Garbers throws interception in the end zone
🏈 UCLA 7, Coastal Carolina 0 — 2:45 left in the first quarter
Coastal Carolina safety Clayton Isbell picked off UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers in the end zone, ending what was a decent-looking, 12-play drive for the Bruins that had marched 72 yards to the Chanticleers’ 8-yard line.
Former USC wide receiver Kyle Ford helped fuel the drive, picking up 39 yards on a pair of catches. A couple of false starts slowed the Bruins, but they seemed set to reach the end zone until Isbell’s pick.
Coastal Carolina pieced a nine-play, 49-yard drive on its first possession before it stalled at the UCLA 16. Liam Gray then missed a 33-yard field-goal attempt.
UCLA strikes fast to take early lead over Coastal Carolina
🏈 UCLA 7, Coastal Carolina 0 — 13:02 left in the first quarter
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Carsen Ryan to quickly get the Bruins on the scoreboard.
The touchdown capped a good-looking, seven-play, 78-yard drive that featured running back Carson Steele churning out 41 yards on three carries.
Forged in football alongside his father, D’Anton Lynn aims to revive UCLA’s defense
The kid took his finger and drew a play in the dirt. The coach who also happened to be his father eyed the play, then his son, and told him to stop it.
You don’t like my plays? I think my plays are pretty good.
To that point, D’Anton Lynn and his father had always been in lockstep when it came to the boy’s football roles. Mascot. Cheerleader. Ball boy. Peewee quarterback. That was the logical progression when your dad plays the game and his former high school sweetheart has an unplanned pregnancy his redshirt junior season at Texas Tech.
The boy followed Anthony Lynn everywhere, weaned on sidelines and in locker rooms. The biggest boosters couldn’t pay for the kind of access little D’Anton enjoyed inside Jones Stadium. His dad’s teammates pitched in, babysitting whenever the star running back who became a three-time team captain went on a date.
Curiosity about the sport came naturally as the boy grew and his father transitioned into coaching. D’Anton would flip through his father’s thick playbook, mesmerized by the Xs and Os going this way and the other. The boy drew up his own plays, scrawling one in the dirt during his first season playing the game.
Pac-12, the ‘Conference of Champions,’ dies at 108
It was the early days of college football’s great shake-up, with schools jumping from one conference to another, everyone looking for more money. The Pac-12 had a chance to not just survive, but thrive.
Conference officials fielded interest in absorbing eight teams from the rival Big 12. They could have become a behemoth, a powerhouse, the Pac-20.
The deal never materialized and now, a few years later, the Pac-12 — known to sports fans as the “Conference of Champions” — has died. It was 108.
There’s a big difference with UCLA football coach Chip Kelly, and everyone notices it
The coach who likes to parse questions no longer is giving anyone a hard time.
The coach who often interrupts is patiently waiting for everyone to finish.
The coach who usually engages only on football topics is open to discussing anything.
His dog’s torn knee ligament. His player’s pet alligator. His own attention deficit disorder.
It was only about two weeks ago that a reporter who has long sparred with the coach, once calling for his job, suggested to Chip Kelly that maybe he could employ a former UCLA kicker and beer magnate descendant to help with a name, image and likeness venture selling alcoholic beverages at the Rose Bowl.
Ultimate SoCal college football sports bar guide: Find out where to watch your team
It’s easy to find USC and UCLA fans in Southern California, but where can proud Georgia, Michigan, Florida or Alabama fans go to watch games in the Los Angeles area with like-minded sports expats?
Look no further than the Los Angeles Times’ ultimate SoCal college football sports bar guide.
If you’re an alum or fan of teams from the Power Five conferences — the ACC and ally Notre Dame, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC — this guide will lead you to your tribe. No longer will you be the only person cheering and clapping at the bar when Alabama scores a touchdown or walk into a bar wearing Michigan blue and only seeing others decked out in Ohio State gear.
12 things UCLA must do to win the Pac-12 in its farewell season
Goodbye, good riddance and … good to see you again?
That would be UCLA’s preferred farewell to the Pac-12, the Bruins winning the conference title that has eluded them since 1998 and snagging another trophy on their way to the Big Ten.
It won’t be easy. A new starting quarterback, however talented, can’t stumble. The defense can’t resemble any of those that came before it under coach Chip Kelly. The fans can’t keep making excuses not to show up at the Rose Bowl, no matter how hot it gets or how late the opening kickoff comes.
Crikey! Meet Crocky-J, the pet alligator that makes UCLA’s Carson Steele a rare breed
The slippery beast didn’t come with an instruction manual, only trial and terror. Its kid owner quickly developed a routine for getting a hold of the thing.
Carson Steele would start by grabbing the tail and tucking it under his arm. Next, he’d put a hand on the belly to get a firm grip and prevent it from snapping one way or the other.
The worst thing that could happen is to have any piece of flesh you wanted to preserve on either side of its head. That’s just inviting it to spin around and chomp you in an awful instant.
Five things to watch when UCLA faces Coastal Carolina
The Three Amigos. A modern triumvirate. A three-headed monster.
Call it whatever you want, but what’s been described as a friendly competition is about to take a dramatic turn. Starting Saturday night, UCLA’s top three quarterbacks no longer will battle it out exclusively in the comfort of closed practices.
A Rose Bowl crowd and a national television audience will evaluate the trio that’s trying to evolve into a solo act. Ethan Garbers, Dante Moore and Collin Schlee will all play against Coastal Carolina in the Bruins’ season opener,. What will coach Chip Kelly be looking for in his evaluation?