PASADENA — The UCLA football team got out to its best start of the season and dug itself out of a deficit but still fell to Minnesota, 21-17, on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer threw a quick pass to Darius Taylor for a 5-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left in the game despite a strong effort by the Bruins defensive front.
Quarterback Ethan Garbers led the Bruins offense by completing 25 of 36 passes for 293 yards and one touchdown.
It looked like UCLA might pull off its first Big Ten Conference win when Garbers connected with J.Michael Sturdivant for a 42-yard touchdown with 6:54 left in the game. The touchdown strike capped an 89-yard drive that was fueled by short passes and runs by T.J. Harden, Keegan Jones and Jalen Berger.
The Bruins went into halftime with a 10-0 advantage — their first halftime lead of the season — but Minnesota scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to pull ahead. Quarterback Max Brosmer connected with Elijah Spencer for a 12-yard touchdown and Darius Taylor scored on a 2-yard rush.
Garbers started at quarterback after missing the previous week due to injury and led the Bruins to a touchdown on their first offensive drive of the game.
Garbers hit Logan Loya with a 14-yard pass to move UCLA to the 2-yard line and three plays later, Jones took a direct snap and punched the ball in from one yard out.
It was Jones’ first touchdown of the season and the first time UCLA scored on its opening possession all season. The Bruins also had a halftime advantage for the first time all season and led 10-0 at the break after a 34-yard field goal by Mateen Bhaghani.
While the Bruins passing game took flight early, the pass rush kept Minnesota grounded for the majority of the game.
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Gophers linebacker Cody Lindenberg intercepted Garbers early in the second quarter, but Minnesota’s offense wasn’t on the field for long. Defensive lineman Siale Taupaki came up with a timely sack and edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo’s tackle for loss forced a third-and-11 situation that the Gophers couldn’t convert on.
UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger ended the game with 12 total tackles and two sacks to continue his hot streak of defensive contributions.
The Bruins will look for their second Big Ten win when they travel to Rutgers for their longest road game of the season next week.