PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Ethan Garbers accounted for five touchdowns and powered UCLA football to its first Big Ten victory as the Bruins took down Rutgers 35-32 on Saturday.
The Bruins (2-5, 1-4) ended a five-game losing streak and handed Rutgers its third consecutive defeat as Garbers set career marks for completions (32 on 38 attempts), yards (383) and touchdown passes (four). He was methodical in the quick passing game and threw three of his touchdowns to running backs T.J. Harden, Keegan Jones and Jalen Berger.
The senior quarterback added a 49-yard touchdown scramble, and he was interception-free for the first time this season.
UCLA had not eclipsed 17 points in a game all season, but an efficient one-minute drill gave the Bruins a 21-10 lead by halftime.
Kyle Monangai ran for 103 yards and scored all three of his touchdowns in the second half for Rutgers (4-3, 1-3). But the Bruins stopped two two-point conversion attempts, and Bryan Addison snapped up his second interception of the year with 5:25 left to hamper Rutgers’ rally.
Rutgers got the ball back and Monangai’s third TD cut the deficit to three points with 1:45 to play, but Grant Gray recovered the ensuing onside kick for UCLA.
The teams traded 75-yard touchdown drives to open the game. Garbers found Logan Loya for a 5-yard score in the right corner of the end zone, Loya’s team-leading third touchdown of the year. Rutgers tied it on QB Athan Kaliakmanis’ 1-yard plunge.
Garbers’ big run came late in the second quarter. He headed left and sidestepped the defensive back closing in on him. From there, Garbers had the blockers to tiptoe down the sideline and put the Bruins back in front.
After Rutgers settled for a field goal with 1:08 left in the half, the Bruins sailed down the field with four straight completions. Garbers then connected with Harden for a 22-yard score, completing a 75-yard drive in 46 seconds.
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The Scarlet Knights opened the second half with a quick touchdown drive. Monangai scored on a 6-yard run, but UCLA swallowed Kaliakmanis on a two-point conversion try.
Two plays after a Rutgers field goal cut it to 21-19, Garbers found Jones wide open on the right sideline, and he sprinted away for a 67-yard score. The play also set Garbers’ career high in passing yardage for the second straight week, following his 293-yard showing against Minnesota.