Utah hands UCLA its first loss on the road this season, 44-24

The statistics were strangely balance in this week’s loss to Utah by the Bruins, with the glaring exception of rushing yardage. UCLA gained 146 on the ground, but Utah romped doubled that with 290 rushing yards.

The first quarter saw both teams score — a touchdown on a 10-yard run by Tavion Travis and a point after by Jordan Noyes for Utah, a 28-yard field goal by Nicholas Barr-Mira for UCLA.

Utah thought so highly of the first-quarter success that they repeated it twice, at the beginning and at the end of the second quarter. For variety, between the two rushing touchdowns Utah QB Cameron Rising tossed the ball 4 yards to Dalton Kincaid for another TD, and another point after by Jordan Noyes. The Bruins managed a touchdown on a 30-yard run by Zach Charbonnet, with a successful point after by Nicholas Barr-Mira, in between the Utes’ scores.

The score was 10-28 in favor of Utah at halftime.

Coming back from the locker room, only UCLA added numbers to the scoreboard during the third quarter, a 6 yard pass from Ethan Garbers to Michael Ezeike. This was Garbers first collegiate start for Bruin redshirt freshman quarterback. Barr-Mira was successful in adding one more point.

The final quarter mostly belonged to the Utes, started with a 12-yard run by Rising and a point after. The Bruins answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dulcich from Garbers, and a successful kick between the uprights for Barr-Mira — but that was the last score for UCLA. The next score was a two-point safety by Hauati Pututau. The game ended after yet another touchdown run by Tavion Thomas and point after by Redding.

After a bye week, the next game for the Bruins will be against Colorado at home.

UCLA football schedule