SEATTLE — The model of UCLA that rolled into this chilly, wind-swept stadium had a throwback really feel.
It resembled the staff that struggled so mightily early this season.
Quarterback Ethan Garbers continually was operating from relentless stress. The Bruins couldn’t run the ball. They compelled turnovers however couldn’t do a lot with them. They damage themselves with penalties. And their protection gave up too many huge performs.
It added as much as the tip of their three-game profitable streak, the Bruins falling flat for the primary time in additional than a month throughout a 31-19 loss to Washington on Friday evening at Husky Stadium.
UCLA tight finish Moliki Matavao (88) stiff-arms Washington edge Isaiah Ward Friday in Seattle.
(Lindsey Wasson / Related Press)
“I’m not going to make any excuses for us,” UCLA coach DeShaun Foster mentioned. “We just weren’t at our best and it hurts when you know you can come out and play a little bit better than you did, you know?”
Towards the tip of a irritating evening for Garbers, who was scrambling on practically each play behind an offensive line right down to its fourth-string left deal with after Jaylan Jeffers needed to be carted off the sector, the quarterback was flung down for a 12-yard loss on a fourth-down sack with 3½ minutes to go.
UCLA (4-6 general, 3-5 Massive Ten) might want to win its ultimate two video games — in opposition to USC and Fresno State — to qualify for a bowl recreation.
In the meantime, the Huskies (6-5, 4-4) assured themselves of a bowl berth whereas stretching their residence win streak to twenty video games.
Washington received a lift from quarterback Demond Williams Jr. after the freshman changed erratic starter Will Rogers III and guided the Huskies on three scoring drives, together with one which resulted in a one-yard landing go to tight finish Decker DeGraaf that prolonged their result in 24-13 with 5:44 left, basically sealing the victory.
“He opened their offense a little just in terms of being able to run the ball,” UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who made a career-high 17 tackles, mentioned of the shifty Williams, “but for us as a defense, that’s something we knew coming into the game and we planned for it. We just weren’t executing how we wanted to when he came in the game.”
UCLA had intercepted two passes from Rogers within the third quarter — resulting in his benching — however turned the takeaways into solely three factors.
Cornerback Devin Kirkwood’s juggling interception on the Huskies’ first drive of the quarter gave the Bruins the ball at Washington’s 25-yard line. However UCLA couldn’t choose up a primary down and needed to accept Mateen Bhaghani’s 40-yard area purpose that trimmed the deficit to 14-13.
Washington defensive lineman Russell Davis II sacks UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers Friday in Seattle.
(Lindsey Wasson / Related Press)
Washington’s subsequent drive resulted in comparable trend when UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano stepped in entrance of a Rogers go and returned it 11 yards to the Huskies’ 39. However Bruins tight finish Jack Pedersen misplaced a fumble, and Washington recovered the ball at its personal 20-yard line.
“The defense did a good job of getting some turnovers for us in the red zone,” Foster mentioned, “and we just didn’t come up with touchdowns like we wanted.”
Every week after its run recreation produced 211 yards in a victory over Iowa, the Bruins had been held to 52 yards in 33 carries for a mean of 1.6 yards per carry. Garbers was sacked six occasions and accomplished 27 of 44 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’ve just got to do a better job of communicating before the snap and getting the protection dialed in,” Garbers mentioned. “I’ve got to do a better job, also, of getting rid of the football faster and having that mental clock in my head and finding guys that are open.”
UCLA might solely blame itself for its 14-10 halftime deficit after a blunder contributed closely to every of Washington’s touchdowns.
The primary got here when Brody Richter shanked a punt for 16 yards late within the first quarter, enabling the Huskies to take over at UCLA’s 36-yard line. Three performs later, Washington operating again Jonah Coleman (95 yards and two touchdowns in 21 carries) took a pitch and ran for a 15-yard landing and the sport’s first rating.
There was one other large mistake to return.
It regarded just like the Bruins had made a cease deep in their very own territory late within the second quarter when security Bryan Addison intercepted a Rogers go ultimately zone. However UCLA linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo hit Rogers from behind on the play, resulting in a roughing-the-passer name that gave Washington a primary down.
Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. runs the ball in entrance of UCLA defensive lineman Jay Toia (93) Friday in Seattle.
(Lindsey Wasson / Related Press)
Rogers finally related with Keleki Latu on an eight-yard landing go to increase the Huskies’ result in 14-3.
However Garbers offered a much-needed reply simply earlier than halftime. Having spent a lot of the half in scramble mode — shedding a fumble deep in Washington territory within the second quarter after edge rusher Russell Davis II stripped the ball out of his hand — Garbers was extra elusive in operating for 2 first downs, together with one which put the ball at Washington’s one-yard line.
On the following play, Garbers zipped a landing go to huge receiver Kwazi Gilmer on a crossing route and UCLA was inside 14-10 with 51 seconds left within the first half. There weren’t many extra highlights to return.
By the point Garbers accomplished his ultimate go for a two-yard landing to tight finish Moliki Matavao with 9 seconds left within the recreation, any comeback hopes had been erased.
“We’ve got to be better and that starts with me getting these guys going, getting them in and out of the huddle,” Garbers mentioned. “Just focusing on how every play is the most important. It just comes down to me making those throws and moving those chains.”
