UCLA running game propels Bruins to win over Arizona Wildcats
Oct 9, 2021, 11:43 PM
TUCSON, Ariz. — Brittain Brown ran for 146 yards and a touchdown, Dorian Thompson-Robinson accounted for three touchdowns and UCLA extended Arizona’s school-record losing streak to 17 games with a 34-16 victory Saturday night.
UCLA (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12) relied on its ground game early as Thompson-Robinson struggled to find the mark and Brown sealed the victory with a 48-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Thompson-Robinson was limited to 82 yards passing, but ran for two scores and threw for another.
Arizona (0-5, 0-2) struggled in the red zone after moving the ball well against the Bruins and lost quarterback Jordan McCloud to a right knee injury in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats scored one touchdown in six trips across midfield — three in the red zone — and McCloud was in tears as he was helped off the field after getting twisted up in a sack.
Coming off a 42-23 loss to Arizona State the Bruins went to the ground early against Arizona.
UCLA had 165 yards rushing by halftime and Thompson-Robinson had a hand in two touchdowns. He threw a 3-yard TD pass to Chris Dulcich in the first quarter and scored a 2-yard run in the second to put UCLA up 14-6.
Thompson-Robinson started to hit a few passes in the second half, setting up a 4-yard keeper that put UCLA up 24-16. Brown put the game out of reach by bursting up the middle for his 48-yard score.
The Wildcats have shown signs that their losing streak might come to an end soon and were coming off a bye week.
They had the Bruins on their heels early with their up-tempo offense, marching down the field throughout the first half.
Finishing drives continued to be a problem.
The Wildcats, 124th nationally in red-zone efficiency, had to settle for two field goals after reaching UCLA’s 9- and 20-yard lines. A third drive ended at UCLA’s 28 on a failed fourth-and-1.
A trick play finally got the Wildcats into the end zone. McCloud threw a back pass to Jamarye Joiner, who then hit Michael Wiley for a 10-yard TD to pull Arizona within 14-13 at halftime.
Arizona reached UCLA’s 15 on its opening second-half drive, only to settle for another field goal, thanks to a penalty for blocking below the waist.
Then McCloud went down and so did the Wildcats’ chances.
THE TAKEAWAY
Arizona’s red-zone woes continued to take toll. A bigger concern could be McCloud’s knee.
UP NEXT
Arizona is at Colorado next Saturday.
