No. 9 UCLA upset by Arizona in blow to Pac-12 title hopes
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins is tackled by the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins and running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins look on against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
quarterback Jayden de Laura #7 of the Arizona Wildcats fumbles as defensive lineman Jay Toia #93 of the UCLA Bruins tackles in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Jayden de Laura #7 of the Arizona Wildcats fumbles as defensive lineman Jay Toia #93 of the UCLA Bruins pressures in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Jayden de Laura #7 of the Arizona Wildcats dives on his fumble against defensive lineman Grayson Murphy #12 of the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Offensive lineman Wendell Moe #72 of the Arizona Wildcats recovers their own fumble against the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Wide receiver Josiah Norwood #14 of the UCLA Bruins catches a pass for as first down against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for first down against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for first down against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins runs for yardage against safety Christian Young #5 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for first down against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Keegan Jones #22 of the UCLA Bruins runs for yardage against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for 37 yards and a first down against safety Christian Young #5 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Michael Wiley #6 of the Arizona Wildcats dives in for the touchdown against the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Michael Wiley #6 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates with teammates after a touchdown against the UCLA Bruins in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for 37 yards and a first down against safety Christian Young #5 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
UCLA Bruins defense tackles running back Michael Wiley #6 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tight end Hudson Habermehl #81 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates with teammate quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins after catching a pass and runs for touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
tight end Tanner McLachlan #84 of the Arizona Wildcats leaps over defensive back Jaylin Davies #24 of the UCLA Bruins for a first down in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tight end Hudson Habermehl #81 of the UCLA Bruins catches a pass and runs for touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tight end Hudson Habermehl #81 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates with teammate wide receiver Matt Sykes #12 of the UCLA Bruins after catching a pass and runs for touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins rects after a touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tight end Hudson Habermehl #81 of the UCLA Bruins catches a pass and runs for touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Running back Zach Charbonnet #24 of the UCLA Bruins runs for 37 yards and a first down against safety Christian Young #5 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins rects after a touchdown against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins points toward the end zone against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson #1 of the UCLA Bruins slips as he runs for yardage against safety Christian Young #5 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of a NCAA Football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, November 12, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
PASADENA — When Zach Charbonnet finished off back-to-back runs with a touchdown to give UCLA its first lead over Arizona in the fourth quarter on Saturday, it appeared to bring life back into a Rose Bowl waiting for the Bruins to take control of a contest in which it was favored by double-digits.
But unlike UCLA’s previous six home games this season, this one ended on a sour note. The Bruins’ dream season suffered an abrupt setback at the hands of Arizona with a 34-28 by the Wildcats.
The loss snaps an eight-game home win-streak for UCLA, but it more importantly puts a dent in its hopes of making the Pac-12 Championship Game. The Bruins had won every game it had been favored in this season, losing only at Oregon.
“I look at it as: We didn’t make enough plays to win a football game,” coach Chip Kelly said. “That’s how we look at it. We don’t get into the narrative of inspired, not inspired, who’s ranked, who’s unranked.”
A UCLA win would have set up a matchup against USC next week with both teams at 9-1 and the winner having a clear path to the title game. Now, it will pit one-loss USC against two-loss UCLA, with Oregon and Utah — who play each other next week — also holding one loss each in conference play. Washington also has two conference losses.
“We know it’s not the end,” quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson said. “We know we have the rest of the way. Now, we just focus on the next one. Put this behind us, watch the film, watch the ugly, watch the good, and move on to the next one.”
It was the first time Arizona had beaten UCLA at the Rose Bowl since 2010.
Trailing 34-28 with 67 seconds left, Thompson-Robinson could not engineer a game-winning touchdown drive, with an end zone pass sailing wide of wide receiver Jake Bobo as time expired.
“It was our Hail Mary play,” Thompson-Robinson said. “We had one opportunity to try to put it in the end zone one last time. The ball didn’t roll our way.”
Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura delivered a 17-yard touchdown on a fourth down play to Tetairoa McMillan for a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
A week after allowing 18 unanswered points to Arizona State in the second half, UCLA’s defense could not contain de Laura and Arizona’s offense enough.
“We ran into a really good quarterback,” Kelly said. “I think our guys played with great effort, but he extended plays like nobody we played against this year and I can’t recall — since we’ve been here — a kid that’s run around like that.”
De Laura’s touchdown pass answered UCLA taking its first lead of the night. After Thompson-Robinson took a sack that set up a 2nd-and-22, Charbonnet took matters into his own hands. He broke off a 36-yard run to negate the sack and then some, setting up another 5-yard run to give UCLA its first lead 28-24.
Charbonnet, who returned after missing last week’s game at Arizona State due to an unspecified injury, finished with 181 yards and three touchdowns to notch his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season.
“I thought Zach is a warrior and played his tail off,” Kelly said. “He always does. He gives you everything he has. His work ethic, his mindset, everything Zach brings to the table is special.”
Thompson-Robinson had respectable numbers, but against an Arizona defense led by Johnny Nansen and assistant coach Jason Kaufusi — who were both on Chip Kelly’s staff last season — he had to work for yardage.
Thompson-Robinson was pressured several times, his attempts to run snuffed out. There were no hurdles or spin moves. He finished 26-of-39 passing for 245 yards and a touchdown.
The quarterback said that there were multiple drives in which the offense lacked focus on certain plays.
“All things we can correct on offense,” Thompson-Robinson said.
No. 9 UCLA hosts Arizona with postseason roadmap clearing
Arizona took a 21-14 lead into halftime behind a prolific half from de Laura, who finished at 22 of 28 passing for 315 yards. The Washington State transfer kept several plays alive with his feet, avoiding sacks to scramble for first down runs or throws.
“He scrambled in the middle, he scrambled on the edge, he scrambled on the right side, he scrambled on the left side,” Kelly said. “Wasn’t one specific side or where he took off from. He played his tail off tonight and I think you have to tip your cap off to him.”
The Bruins were without two regular contributors, wide receiver Kazmeir Allen and defensive back Devin Kirkwood. Defensive coordinator Bill McGovern also remained out, missing his third consecutive game due to an undisclosed illness.
Arizona jumped out to a 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdowns by Wiley after UCLA punted on its first two drives.
The Bruins answered quickly to tie the game, establishing the run on its third drive — which was finished off by a Charbonnet 1-yard touchdown.
Tight end Hudson Habermehl evened the score on a 51-yard scamper on UCLA’s next drive in which he shed two tacklers simultaneously after making the catch, leading to an open field ahead of him.
But the offense couldn’t keep pace with the electrifying numbers it has put up this season, and the defense wasn’t able to make enough plays.
“It’s just one of those days,” defensive back Mo Osling said. “It doesn’t define us.”
