Dante Moore sacked seven times by Utah’s relentless defense in UCLA loss
SALT LAKE CITY — Knowing he would face moments like this, Dante Moore prepared himself for the possibility of being whipsawed as best he could.
“Nothing’s going to be great, nothing’s going to be perfect,” the UCLA true freshman said earlier in the week when asked about his biggest challenge as a college quarterback, “so a lot of ups and downs.”
The lows started immediately.
In a metaphor for what was to come Saturday afternoon at a rollicking Rice-Eccles Stadium, Moore threw his first pass into the hands of an opposing linebacker who returned the interception for a touchdown.
Utah seized the lead only 12 seconds into the game and never gave it back, the No. 11 Utes rolling to a 14-7 victory that showed how far Moore and the No. 22 Bruins have to go to contend in the Pac-12 Conference.
Utah outlasts UCLA during defensive brawl
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 7, final
With both offenses relying on inexperienced players, the defenses delivered blow after blow to limit any scoring.
Utah ultimately shut down a UCLA fourth quarter rally, sacking freshman quarterback Dante Moore three times to seal the victory.
Dante Moore sacked three times as time runs out on Bruins
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 1:49 left in the fourth quarter
UCLA’s defense delivered the stop the Bruins needed to continue their rally, but the Utes’ formidable punter pinned Dante Moore at the UCLA 18-yard line.
Moore was sacked twice, connected on one short throw and got sacked one more time on fourth down.
The Utah home crowd roared as the Utes took over on the UCLA seven-yard line.
Dante Moore leads his first touchdown drive
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 7, 3:39 left in the fourth quarter
Utah picked up a penalty to extend UCLA’s drive. Dante Moore struggled through sacks and collapsing pressure, but he kept his head up and connected on a big 45-yard pass to Carsen Ryan fourth-and-seven at the UCLA 22-yard line.
Moore followed it with passes to Ryan and Carson Steele before finally throwing a touchdown pass to Josiah Norwood with 3:39 left in the fourth quarter.
Punt, punt, punt
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 8:08 left in the fourth quarter
Today was brought to you by the letter ‘D,’ for defense.
Between UCLA starting a freshman quarterback and Utah playing without seven regular starters, including quarterback Cam Rising, the defenses have dominated.
UCLA, despite what must be considerable fatigue given how much time the Bruins have spent on the field, forced the Utes to go three-and-out.
UCLA’s latest push for a rally fizzles
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 10:26 left in the fourth quarter
UCLA took over its next drive at its 12-yard line.
Dante Moore scrambled for one yard, T.J. Harden rushed for three and Moore tossed an incomplete pass — all under heavy pressure — and the Bruins had to punt as time starts to run for UCLA
Dante Moore shows progress but can’t find the end zone
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 0, 13:19 left in the fourth quarter
Dante Moore continues to improve, but he has struggle to make the right decisions during crunch time. Facing third-and-four at Utah 36, Moore forced a tough thrown after evading a sack and missed an open receiver in the end zone. The Bruins went for it on fourth down with little time left to erase a 14-0 deficit. Moore passed the ball, but his received fell and the ball fell to the turf.
Utah takes over the UCLA defense needs to once again come up with a stop.
UCLA’s defense frustrates Utah
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, end of the third quarter
UCLA’s defense shows no signs of letting up and nearly recorded a safety, forcing second-and-18 at the Utah 1-yard line.
Jaylon Glover rushed for 17 yards during the next two carries, setting up fourth-and-one at the Utah 18 as the third quarter expired.
Dante Moore sparks strong drive before turning the ball over
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 1:38 left in the third quarter
Whatever adjustments Chip Kelly and Dante Moore made at halftime, it led to signs of life for the UCLA offense.
Moore completed a pair of long passes before third-and-11 at the Utah 31-yard line.
Under a pressure, Moore stepped into throw across the middle and it fell incomplete, but Utah’s Aliki Vimahi was called for targeting as he hit Moore. It was a 15-yard penalty and a first down at the Utah 19.
Carson Steele rushed for six yards and a loss of one before Moore decided to scramble forward on third-and-five at the Utah 11. Moore was crushed by the Utah defense and fumbled the ball, with the Utes recovering at 9-yard line.
It was a crushing finish to UCLA’s best offensive drive of the game.
UCLA defense continues remarkable play
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA with 5:59 left in the third quarter
While Utah looks content to try to milk clock as it leads with at least seven traditional starters sideline, the UCLA defense applied a lot of pressure. The Bruins forced a fumble that the Utes recovered. Facing fourth-and-14 at the Utah 47, the Utes punted.
UCLA offense still stuck in the mud
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 9:26 left in the third quarter
UCLA started its first drive of the third quarter pinned on its 9-yard line.
Carson Steele rushed for six yards and then rumbled for a first down.
Dante Moore tried to pass the ball after a fake handoff, but the Utes’ defense knocked it down.
T.J. Harden rushed for five yards, setting up third-and-five at the UCLA 32-yard line.
And Moore was flushed out of the pocket to close out the series and had to throw the ball away as he scrambled to the sideline.
Will Powers continued to help the UCLA defense, booting a long punt. Utah will start at its 33-yard line.
UCLA opens third quarter with a stop
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 11:03 left in the third quarter
And we’re back to start the third quarter.
UCLA’s defense once again gave up a few chunk plays before picking up the pressure and forcing Utah to punt.
The Bruins’ defense continues to make big plays under pressure.
Can UCLA fix this at halftime?
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0 at halftime
UCLA’s offense continued to sputter late in the second quarter, with Utah sacking Dante Moore and the Bruins going three-and-out.
It appeared Utah might be able to tack more back-breaking points late in the second quarter, but the UCLA defense picked up one key stop to run out the clock.
UCLA has just 49 yards of offense, while Utah has 153.
Can Chip Kelly fix this at halftime?
Utah’s offense finally roars to life
No. 11 Utah 14, No. 22 UCLA 0, 1:01 left in the second quarter
Nate Johnson strung together a series of big plays after the Bruins gave the Utes ball essentially at midfield. The UCLA defense put up a fight, but Johnson ultimately completed a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the Utes’ lead.
It’s not an especially big advantage, but it’s a formidable one when you consider how much UCLA has struggled to earn first downs this game.
UCLA offense continues to struggle
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 5:13 left in the second quarter
The UCLA defense hasn’t lost its edge despite the offense’s failure to move the ball and give the Bruins’ defense any rest.
UCLA gave up one first down and then forced the Utes to punt from its 46-yard line.
The Bruins started on their 15-yard line and could earn a single yard before punting.
Will Powers booted the ball to the Utah 46-yard line and the Utes returned it three yards.
Personal foul penalty thwarts Bruins’ drive
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 10:13 left in the second quarter
J.Michael Sturdivant picked up a personal foul penalty for a loss of 15 yards on the first play the UCLA series and it crushed any chance the Bruins had for a long drive.
Dante Moore tossed a 14-yard pass during the series, but the Bruins were forced to punt on fourth-and-eight on the UCLA 34-yard line.
Utah started the next drive at its 26 yard line after a Will Powers 46-yard punt.
Offenses continue to sputter
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 11:47 left in the second quarter
UCLA quarterback Dante Moore tossed an incomplete pass and the Bruins punted to start the second quarter.
Utah continued a pattern of gaining one first down before being forced to punt to the Bruins’ 32-yard line. UCLA took a fair catch on the play and will try to get its offense back on track.
Defenses steal the show in first quarter
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA, end of first quarter
The first quarter closed with UCLA losing five yards on a rushing play, settting up third-and-10 at the 45-yard line to open the second quarter.
It was a brutal first quarter for both offenses, but more costly for the Bruins after tossing a pick six on the Bruins’ first snap.
UCLA defense shuts down Utah again
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA with 1:01 left in the first quarter
Utah and UCLA clearly boast top 25 defenses.
Both teams’ offenses, however, are struggling.
After giving up one 16-yard run, UCLA’s defense stepped up its pressure, recorded a sack when Utah tried to go for it on fourth-and-four at the UCLA 43-yard line.
UCLA can’t convert on fourth down
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 3:45 left in the first quarter
UCLA quarterback Dante Moore led his strongest series of the game after the Bruins’ defense recovered a fumble.
The Bruins used a series of runs to notch a first down, then Moore settled in to complete two passes for a total gain of 25 yards.
However, the offense stalled while facing fourth-and-seven at the Utah 29-yard line. The offense lined up to go for it before Chip Kelly called timeout. When play resumed, Moore tossed an incomplete pass that landed behind Logan Loya as he crossed the field and the Bruins turned the ball over on downs.
All defense, all the time
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 7:12 left in the first quarter
UCLA’s offense continued to struggle against Utah’s formidable defense, with the Bruins nearly giving up another turnover and narrowly recovered a fumble at the UCLA 10-yard line.
After the punt, UCLA’s defense gave the team a boost by forcing and recovering at Utah’s 27-yard line.
Utah misses a field goal
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 22 UCLA 0, 4:45 left in the first quarter
With Utah star quarterback Cam Rising still recovering from an injury, Nate Johnson took over leading the offense and helped move the ball efficiently into UCLA territory.
The Bruins’ defense picked up some key stops and forced fourth-and-nine on the UCLA 29. Joey Cheek missed a 47-yard field goal.
Dante Moore sputters
No. 11 Utah 7, No. 21 UCLA 0, 13:33 left in the first quarter
The Bruins didn’t get far during their second possession, with a Carson Steele rushing for two yards, a Dante Moore pass for a loss of two yards and a Moore incomplete pass.
The Utes’ defense celebrated as Kelly chatted on the sideline with Moore ahead of the Bruins’ inevitable punt.
Dante Moore tosses pick six
No. 11 Utah 7, No 22 UCLA 0, with 14:48 left in the first quarter
Freshman Dante Moore immediately tossed a pick six on the Bruins’ first snap.
Karene Reid was poised to rush the passer, stretched out his arms and grabbed Moore’s pass, returning it for a 21-yard touchdown. The Utes hit the extra point and were quickly fired up.
Utah finally confirms Cam Rising is out and kicks off
And we’re off ...
UCLA lost the coin toss and Utah elected to have the Bruins receive the opening kickoff.
And Fox Sports’ crew finally confirmed that Utah star quarterback Cam Rising will miss the game.
Who’s playing quarterback? UCLA gets to ask the question, not answer it against Utah
Chip Kelly freely spoke about a starting quarterback dilemma. It probably helped that it wasn’t his.
Unlike UCLA, which has found its guy in Dante Moore, Utah faces uncertainty heading into a showdown of unbeaten teams Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in the Pac-12 opener for the No. 22 Bruins (3-0) and No. 11 Utes (3-0).
Is this the week that Cam Rising returns from the torn knee ligament that has sidelined him since the Rose Bowl? Or will the Utes continue to go with redshirt freshman Nate Johnson, who replaced season-opening starter Bryson Barnes to rally his team against Baylor earlier this month?
Top five UCLA games versus Utah: Things rarely go according to script
With USC and UCLA playing their final season in the Pac-12, The Times is revisiting the top five games in the history of each series. This week: UCLA versus Utah.
Oct. 4, 2014: Utah 30, No. 8 UCLA 28
Revisionists might see this as the beginning of the end of the hubbub surrounding the early Jim Mora years. The Bruins were widely considered national championship contenders going into quarterback Brett Hundley’s final season.
Victories over Virginia, Memphis, Texas — in the famed “Jerry’s World” game in which backup quarterback Jerry Neuheisel came off the bench to rally the Bruins — and Arizona State had vaulted UCLA to No. 8 in the national rankings.
Utah was coming off a crushing, 28-27 loss to Washington State in which the Utes coughed up a 21-0 lead. But the Utes held firm against Hundley and the Bruins, sacking the quarterback 10 times while rushing for 242 yards.
Utah made a short field goal with 34 seconds left to go ahead, and UCLA’s Ka’imi Fairburn missed his 50-yard attempt wide right on the final play. So much for those national title hopes.
Dante Moore’s poise under pressure is among five things to watch for UCLA vs. Utah
Dante Moore is doing special things early in his UCLA career.
This would be the topper.
He has a chance to become the first true freshman quarterback to beat Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium since Oregon’s Justin Herbert in 2016 when the No. 22 Bruins (3-0) face the No. 11 Utes (3-0) on Saturday afternoon.
It’s a much bigger challenge than beating San Diego State and North Carolina Central. The two-time defending Pac-12 champion Utes have won 16 consecutive home games, dating to 2020, and have not lost to UCLA in Salt Lake City since 2015.
“That’s one special team, so it’s going to be a great battle,” Moore said this week, adding that he had looked up the capacity of 54,000 at Utah’s stadium and expected that number to fill the place for both teams’ conference opener.
Freshman quarterback Dante Moore is working to make UCLA a national power
Dante Moore saw the family mantra more than he heard it.
His father heading out the door for long days at the Ford plant where he worked as an engineer. Bartending at Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers games. Mowing lawns as part of another side job. Somehow still finding time to coach youth teams and make every one of Dante’s games.
On the move from sunrise to nightfall, and often beyond, Otha Moore Sr. didn’t have to say it for his son to feel it.
Hard work is undefeated.
Dante lived that motto himself, the quarterback running extra laps after youth football games while observers laughed. As a high school freshman, he met with a quarterback guru the mornings before games. The next morning, he’d rise early for another workout. His coach told him he had to slow down or he’d wear out his arm.