UCLA defense shows it’s for real in Bruins’ stunning comeback over Washington State
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1. UCLA defensive lineman Gary Smith III celebrates after the Bruins stop Washington State on a fourth-and-one in the second quarter. 2. UCLA running back Carson Steele breaks free for a first down the third quarter. 3. UCLA linebacker Gabriel Murphy closes in to sack Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward in the third quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
One yard. One measly yard.
That was all Washington State needed to sustain a drive and its comeback hopes against a UCLA defense that hadn’t given it much of anything all afternoon.
Cougars quarterback Cameron Ward took the snap and hesitated for a moment on the fourth-down play, searching for an opening. He burst toward the line of scrimmage, running into a wall of blue and gold.
Once again, there was nothing there.
Dragged down for no gain as the decibel level soared inside the Rose Bowl, Ward rose slowly as Bruins defensive lineman Gary Smith III and linebacker Kain Medrano excitedly pumped their arms.
The only thing left for the UCLA defense to do Saturday was celebrate its role in a stunning 25-17 comeback victory over the No. 13 Cougars. The cheers were a much more pleasant soundtrack than the boos that had filled the place after the Bruins failed to gain a first down on their first two drives of the second half.
UCLA offense runs out the clock on Bruins’ upset of Cougars
UCLA 25, Washington State 17 — FINAL
Carson Steele ran for 13 yards and UCLA took a knee multiple times to run out the clock, closing out an upset of Washington State.
While Dante Moore was resilient after his memorable pick-six to close the second quarter, the Bruins won because of an inspired effort by the UCLA defense.
The Bruins were constantly in Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward’s face, delivered blanket coverage in the secondary and pushed to poke the ball out frequently while still delivering fundamentally sound tackling. UCLA forced four turnovers and never seemed window despite multiple short drives by the Bruins’ offense.
The Cougars tried to put the same pressure on Moore, and succeeded during some stretches, but he led a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to help UCLA close out a win.
UCLA defense shuts down Washington State rally
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17, 1:33 left in the fourth quarter
The UCLA defense effectively needed one more stop to close the door on Washington State.
Washington State started the drive at its 27-yard line. After forcing Cameron Ward to toss an incomplete pass under pressure, Ward completed a pass to Cooper Mathers for a 12-yard gain.
Ward completed a five-yard pass and ran for four more before Nakia Watson ran to the UCLA 49 for a first down.
Darius Muasau delivered a big sack of Ward for a loss of nine yards on the next play. Ward tossed two passes for a combined gain of 18 yards.
That brough up fourth-and-one at the UCLA 44. Washington State called timeout with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter.
UCLA’s defense completed its dominant performance by stuffing Ward on the run for a loss of one yard and forcing the turnover on downs.
Bruins burn some clock before punting
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17, 4:18 left in the fourth quarter
UCLA opened with the ball on its 12-yard line.
After a pair of short gains, UCLA faced third-and-three. Dante Moore rolled out and tossed the ball to Logan Loya for a first down before getting hit.
Following a timeout, UCLA ran the ball for a one-yard gain. Moore handed off to Carson Steele again and he lost two yards on the play. Moore tried to push forward under pressure on third down and was immediately wrapped up.
The Bruins ran some time off the clock but were forced to punt.
UCLA defense gets another stop
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17, 8:09 left in the fourth quarter
Washington State started at its 36-yard line and could do no better than the Bruins’ offense did on the previous series.
The Cougars went three-and-out after a Cameron Ward pass under pressure along the sideline was hauled in after the receiver was out of bounds
UCLA’s offense stalls
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17, 9:51 left in the fourth quarter
Washington State has been matching the UCLA defense’s intensity and tightened up pressure on the Bruins after giving up a pair of touchdowns.
T.J. Harden rushed for five yards combined during two carries and Dante Moore tossed an incomplete pass into coverage on third-and-five at the Bruins’ 23-yard line. UCLA punted.
UCLA defense stays in beast mode
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington State 17, 11:09 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Ward may have nightmares about this UCLA defense.
The Cougars rushed for one yard and Ward tossed two incomplete passes under pressure, setting up a Washington State punt.
UCLA defense is the Bruins’ MVP
UCLA 25, No. 13 Washington 17, 11:45 left in the fourth quarter
UCLA’s defense is having an incredible game.
Oluwafemi Oladejo intercepted Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward’s first pass of the drive and the Bruins took over at the Washington State 36.
It was the fourth turnover UCLA’s defense forced.
Carson Steele rushed for four yards, Dante Moore tossed an incomplete pass, Moore rushed for 10 yards and and Keegan Jones scored again, this time rumbling for a 22-yard touchdown. R.J. Lopez hit the extra point to extend UCLA’s lead.
Bruins score a touchdown, but two-point conversion fails
UCLA 18, No. 13 Washington State 17, 13:34 left in the fourth quarter
A short Carson Steele run sandwiched two Dante Moore incomplete passes.
UCLA opted to go for it on fourth-and-six on its 28-yard line and Moore delivered a 12-yard pass that moved the ball to the Bruins’ 15.
Two plays later, Moore handed off to Keegan Jones for a 13-yard touchdown run.
UCLA went for two and Moore was hit hard as he tried to run to the end zone. Flags flew as Moore’s head turned an awkward direction and the ball popped out. Moore didn’t appear to be injured on the play and UCLA was called for holding.
Despite the awkward sequence, UCLA reclaimed a slim lead during the drive.
UCLA closes third quarter with promising drive and replay win
No. 13 Washington State 17, UCLA 12, end of third quarter
UCLA started its next drive on its 25-yard line.
Dante Moore passed to Carson Steele for a gain of two yards.
UCLA handed off to Keegan Jones for a gain of 10 yards. As he went down, UCLA thought the play ended and Washington State proceeded as though the ball that popped out was live and could be returned for a score. The officials reviewed the play and ruled the player was down.
Moore completed a pass to J.Michael Sturdivant for a 19-yard gain and Steele ran the ball to 13 yards to the Washington State 31-yard line as the third quarter clock expired.
UCLA defense continues to swarm
No. 13 Washington State 17, UCLA 12, 1:35 left in the third quarter
UCLA is closing receivers quickly if they catch the ball and constantly hounding Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward.
The result was a quick three-and-out for the Cougars, giving the Bruins’ offense another chance to reclaim the lead.
Washington State blocks UCLA field-goal attempt
No. 13 Washington State 17, UCLA 12, 2:50 left in the third quarter
Dante Moore started the next UCLA drive with a 20-yard pass, moving the ball to the UCLA 45. Two players later, he connect with J.Michael Sturdivant for a 29-yard gain.
Later on third-and-four at the UCLA 15, Dante Moore rolled to his right under pressure and threw the ball away. Washington State blocked R.J. Lopez’s 32-yard field-goal attempt and downed the ball in the end zone.
Washington State counters with a touchdown drive
No. 13 Washington State 17, UCLA 12, 5:17 left in the third quarter
UCLA’s defense continued to be active, getting the face of the quarterback. However, a roughing the passer penalty on second-and-33 kept the Washington State drive alive. The Cougars powered ahead and Cameron Ward fired a nine-yard touchdown pass to reclaim the lead. Washington State hit the extra point to cap a four play, 74-yard scoring drive.
UCLA reclaims lead with field goal
UCLA 12, No. 13 Washington State 10, 7:29 left in the third quarter
Dante Moore and the UCLA offense showed promise on a drive that some fans thought ended with a touchdown.
Moore passed to Moliki Matavao for a 27-yard gain to the Washington State 16-yard line. After a T.J. Harden two-yard run, Moore put up a high arcing pass to J.Michael Sturdivant that he bobbled in the end zone but felt he gathered before it touched the ground for a touchdown. Officials reviewed the play and determined it was not a touchdown, despite fan protests at the Rose Bowl.
R.J. Lopez hit a 31-yard field goal to give UCLA a lead.
UCLA defense stays hot
No. 13 Washington State 10, UCLA 9, 8:44 left in the third quarter
The UCLA defense smells blood. At this point, it might help if the group figures out a way to score on its own.
For now, the team keeps picking up Cameron Ward sacks and forcing him to make quick decisions under pressure.
It added up to Washington State going three-and-out again. UCLA took over at its 41-yard line.
Washington State and UCLA both quickly punt
No. 13 Washington State 10, UCLA 9, 10:57 left in the third quarter
Washington State ran for no gain and then picked up a false state penalty to open its drive.
Cameron Ward passed on second-and-15 for no gain and tossed another incomplete pass, setting up Washington State’s punt.
UCLA took over at its 20-yard line and had equal difficulty moving the ball. After two Carson Steele runs, Dante Moore tossed an incomplete pass on third-and-six at the UCLA 24, setting up the Bruins’ punt.
UCLA can’t score on opening drive of third quarter
No. 13 Washington State 10, UCLA 9, 13:53 left in third quarter
Dante Moore got an immediate chance for redemption after tossing pick-six to close the first half.
Carson Steele carried the ball twice for a total of five yards and Moore tossed an incomplete pass, setting up a punt from the UCLA 30-yard line. Washington State returned the ball to its 38-yard line.
Dante Moore tosses a pick-six
No. 13 Washington State 10, UCLA 9, end of second quarter
Dante Moore passed to Hudson Habermehl, who split two defenders and gained 43 yards.
He tossed an incomplete pass and then hit Logan Loya for a 17-yard gain.
Facing third-and-goal at the Washington State 5-yard line, Moore looked to his right and delivered a pass that was intercepted by Kapena Gushiken and returned 88 yards for a touchdown. Moore tried to chase him, but had no chance to close the gap.
Washington State hit the extra point with nine seconds left to take a one-point lead.
UCLA returned the ensuing kickoff and time expired in the second quarter.
It was a brutal first half for Moore, a freshman who struggled to move the ball, forced passes into traffic in the end zone and ultimately telegraphed his final throw of the half that became a pick-six.
While Moore is trying to find his football, the UCLA defense played its best half of football in a long time.
UCLA defense shows no signs of slowing down
UCLA 9, No. 13 Washington State 3, 1:09 left in the second quarter
UCLA’s defense nearly grabbed another interception, getting one hand on a Washington State pass before it tumbled to the turf.
The Cougars rushed for four yards and the Bruins called timeout to save time on the clock, Cameron Ward tried a deep pass on third-and-10. UCLA’s defense was in his face and knocked him down as he delivered an incomplete heave.
Washingon State punted and UCLA took over at its 29-yard line with 1:12 left.
UCLA hits a field goal to extend lead
UCLA 9, No. 13 Washington State 3, 1:30 left in the second quarter
Dante Moore opened the drive with a 29-yard pass to Moliki Matavao, moving the ball to the Washington State 36-yard line.
Three consecutive Carson Steele carries later moved the ball to the Cougars’ 16-yard line.
A Moore pass to the end zone was ruled incomplete, with the refs determining the receiver didn’t control the ball before it hit the turf.
On second-and-16 at the Washington State 16, the Cougars stuffed one run play and Moore’s next pass into traffic in the end zone was incomplete. R.J. Lopez hit 37-yard field goal, overcoming his previous two misses and extending the Bruins’ lead.
UCLA defense earns its third turnover
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington 3, 5:06 left in the second quarter
Washington State opened its next drive on its 42-yard line.
Cameron Ward’s first pass was his receiver’s feet. His second one was straight to a UCLA player. Alex Johnson stretched out and pulled in the pass, running it back to the Cougars’ 47-yard line. A UCLA penalty pushed the start of the Bruins’ next drive to their 35-yard line.
It’s raining punts
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington 3, 5:18 left in the second quarter
Three consecutive Carson Steele runs left the Bruins two yards short of a first down deep at their own 20-yard line and UCLA punted.
UCLA defense forces Washington State to quickly punt
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington State 3, 6:46 left in the second quarter
The UCLA defense should eat whatever it had this morning before every game. The Bruins are confident and collapsing quickly on seemingly everything Washington State’s offense tries this game.
Despite inheriting favorable field position, Washington State was forced to go three-and-out.
UCLA can’t convert on third-and-long
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington 3, 9:06 left in the second quarter
UCLA continues to struggle to convert long third downs.
Facing third-and-seven at the start of UCLA’s drive, the pocket quickly collapsed and Dante Moore was sacked.
UCLA punted from its own end zone and Washington State took over at its 46-yard line.
UCLA defense stuffs Washington State’s drive again
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington State 3, 10:28 left in the second quarter
UCLA looked poised to force Washington State to go three-and-out with strong pressure on the quarterback, but Cameron Ward rolled out of the pocket and scrambled to the Washington State 43 for an 11-yard gain.
Ward’s next pass sailed high and the Bruins’ secondary broke up the net one that was on target.
A false state penalty set up third-and-15. The UCLA defense swarmed and knocked down Ward as he tossed the ball away. The Cougars punted and the Bruins’ defense continued to celebrate its inspired play.
Dante Moore leads a touchdown drive
UCLA 6, No. 13 Washington State 3, 11:31 left in the second quarter
UCLA’s offense is on the board.
After a rough first quarter, Dante Moore delivered on key plays for the Bruins. Facing third-and-3 at the UCLA 44, he passed for a gain of 27 yards. Carson Steele also delivered three strong runs during the drive.
On first-and-10 on the Washington State 14-yard line, two T.J. Harden runs set up Moore’s pass to Logan Loya for an 11-yard touchdown. R.J. Lopez missed the extra point to clsoe the drive.
UCLA defense forces another takeaway
No. 13 Washington State 3, UCLA 0, 14:40 left in second quarter
The Cougars rushed for four yards and got a first down to open the second quarter, then snapped the ball quickly to try to catch the Bruins’ defense off guard. It didn’t work.
Cameron Ward passed to Carlos Hernandez along the sideline. UCLA’s Jordan Anderson punched the ball out and Choé Bryant-Strother recovered at the Bruins’ 37-yard-line.
It was the Bruins’ second takeaway of the game and a major statement by the UCLA defense that struggled during key games last season.
Washington State driving as first quarter ends
No. 13 Washington State 3, UCLA 0, end of first quarter
Washington State opened its next series on its 29-yard line.
Cameron Ward delivered back-to-back passes for gains of 11 and nine yards, moving the ball to the Cougars’ 49-yard line as time expired in the first quarter.
It was an encouraging period for UCLA’s defense that delivered two stops during Washington State drives and a forgettable one for the Bruins’ offense that only managed a deep field-goal attempt that was off target.
UCLA offense struggles
No. 13 Washington State 3, UCLA 0, 1:28 left in the first quarter
UCLA’s got off to a bumpy start after the defense recovered a fumble at the Bruins’ 8-yard line.
A two-yard Carson Steele run was followed by a false start that pinned the Bruins back closer to their end zone. Steele then rushed for 10 yards and added another six yards that moved the Bruins to their 21-yard line.
The Washington State defense then surged. Facing third-and-six at the UCLA 25, Moore was sacked and UCLA had to punt.
UCLA defense delivers big stop, forcing and recovering a fumble
No. 13 Washington 3, UCLA 0, 4:24 left in the first quarter
Cameron Ward started on his 29-yard line and seemed poised to march Washington State down field for a touchdown.
He tossed an eight-yard pass, then the UCLA defense gifted the Courgars 15 yards and first down after picking up a personal foul penalty.
Even as Ward and his teammates earned chunks of yards, the Bruins kept getting a hand in the face of the quarterback.
On first-and-nine at the UCLA, Ward was sacked for a loss of six yards. Ward then passed to Cameron Johnson. Laiatu Latu forced a fumble and the Bruins recovered at their 8-yard line. It was a big stop for the UCLA defense.
UCLA misses a field goal
No. 13 Washington State 3, UCLA 0, 6:43 left in the first quarter
Dante Moore settled down during the Bruins’ second possession.
After a Carson Steele run for no gain, Moore passed for a gain of 14 yards and the Bruins got some momentum.
Steele later ran for a 12-yard gain to keep moving the sticks. Moore still had communciation challenges, passing to J.Michael Sturdivant on second-and-two, but it Sturdivant’s back as he was poised to block rather than pass on the play.
Steele later deliver four yards on a fourth-and-two, moving the ball to the Washington State 22-yard line.
A Moore sack and intentional grounding penalty set up a 45-yard UCLA field-goal attempt. R.J. Morris missed and the Bruins continued to trail 3-0.
Dante Moore tosses an interception, Bruins’ defense limits damage
No. 13 Washington State 3, UCLA 0, 12:01 left in the first quarter
UCLA freshman quarterback Dante Moore faced third-and-nine on the Bruins’ first possession and tossed the ball into traffic as he searched for a first down. It’s the second consecutive game he’s tossed an interception on the first drive.
Washington State returned the ball to the Bruins’ 19. The defense held its ground and forced a 32-yard Cougars’ field goal to limit the damage.
UCLA’s defense gets early stop
UCLA 0, No. 13 Washington State 0, 13:06 left in the first quarter
The improved UCLA defense delivered the first stop of the game, forcing the Cougars to go three-and-out. UCLA didn’t get pulled offsides on a fourth down, Washington State called timeout and eventually punted.
And we’re off ...
UCLA kicked off to Washington State to open the top-25 matchup.
Is UCLA’s defense for real? The first true test, against Washington State, could tell
For a month now, UCLA’s defense has appeared vastly improved from the versions that hampered every previous team under Chip Kelly.
On Saturday at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins could find out if looks are deceiving.
They will face a Washington State offense that is among the nation’s best, particularly when it comes to throwing the ball. Quarterback Cameron Ward leads a passing offense that ranks No. 2 nationally with an average of 405.8 yards per game through the air.
Ward is coming off the best performance of his career, completing 28 of 34 passes for 404 yards and four touchdowns without an interception to spark the Cougars’ 38-35 victory over Oregon State. His 141 pass attempts this season are the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision without an interception.
UCLA vs. Washington State top five games: Cougars often were the gutsier team
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 and Washington State.
Sept. 21, 2019: UCLA 67, No. 19 Washington State 63
The Chip Kelly era was already flickering. A 3-9 debut season was followed by three more losses to open 2019. It looked like more of the same when UCLA fell behind by 32 points midway through the third quarter in Pullman, Wash.
The Bruins appeared completely overmatched. They couldn’t stop giving up touchdown passes. They won. In one of the most improbable comebacks in school history, UCLA scored 29 unanswered points. The Bruins were so far down that they needed another score.
How does UCLA better protect Dante Moore? ‘Just execution, technique, everything’
With the pocket collapsing around Dante Moore and the pressure building on the sideline for his coach to do something about it, UCLA employed a few countermeasures against Utah.
The Bruins increasingly used their maximum protection package, which involved having the tight end and running back assist in blocking, and shuffled through different rotations in their offensive line in search of the best combination. Most notably, Khadere Kounta subbed in for Bruno Fina at left tackle in the second half.
None of it could save the day. Moore was sacked on three of his final four plays and the Bruins were left with a deflating 14-7 loss that included a season-worst seven sacks.
UCLA and USC’s Big Ten schedules won’t feature Oregon or Washington every season
Big Ten officials had already completed the complex work of piecing together a new conference schedule including two new members when the conference added two more schools in early August.
Adding Oregon and Washington a few months after USC and UCLA meant reconsidering how to handle scheduling within the Big Ten’s new West Coast enclave. Should the four schools play one another every year? How should the conference balance geography with a massive 18-team rotation? Those questions were “really at the forefront of a lot of the conversations,” said Kerry Kenny, the Big Ten’s chief operating officer.
After two months of deliberations, the Big Ten laid out its answer Thursday, releasing a five-year plan for its conference football schedules that opted for “a more fluid rotation” over protecting annual matchups for USC and UCLA against Washington and Oregon.
A season on the brink? Five things to watch when UCLA faces Washington State
It might seem a little early in the season for desperate hours, but that’s where UCLA will find itself Saturday afternoon.
If the Bruins want to do anything special this season, they must beat Washington State at the Rose Bowl.
A win against the No. 13 Cougars (4-0 overall, 1-0 Pac-12) would considerably ease the sting of UCLA’s seven-point clunker against Utah. It also would sustain hopes that the Bruins (3-1, 0-1) can end their season somewhere besides another uninspiring bowl game.