Utah stuns No. 8 UCLA with late field goal

By foxsports
Published

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) Andy Phillips kicked a 29-yard field goal with 34 seconds left for Utah, and UCLA's Ka'imi Fairbairn missed two field-goal attempts with no time on the clock as the Utes stunned the No. 8 Bruins 30-28 on Saturday night.

Brett Hundley passed for 269 yards and two touchdowns for the Bruins (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12), who became the fourth team in the Top 10 to lose Saturday, and the fifth to fall this weekend.

Utah (4-1, 1-1) drove 63 yards in 10 plays for the go-ahead kick, taking 4:16 off the clock behind the rushing of Kendal Thompson and Devontae Booker to set up the kick by Phillips, the one-time member of the U.S. Ski Team.

Hundley drove the Bruins to the Utah 37, but Fairbairn missed a 50-yard field goal on an untimed down after Eric Rowe was penalized for running into Fairbairn on a failed 55-yard attempt as time expired.

Booker ran for 156 yards and Oklahoma transfer Thompson added 83 yards on the ground for the Utes, who bounced back splendidly after blowing a 21-point lead last week in home loss to Washington State.

UCLA led 28-27 after Hundley hit Eldridge Massington for a 40-yard TD strike with 4:50 to play, part of a second-half flurry in which Hundley passed for 165 yards and two scores on just five completions.

But Hundley also was sacked 10 times while UCLA played from behind almost all night at the Rose Bowl, and Tevin Carter returned an interception 27 yards for a score in the first quarter.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, Hundley connected with a streaking Devin Fuller down the Bruins' sideline for a 93-yard touchdown pass, the longest UCLA connection since 2005.

But Utah capitalized on favorable field position after Hundley was sacked three times on UCLA's next drive, and Phillips' second field goal put the Utes up 27-21.

Hundley struggled to find rhythm for three quarters working behind an offensive line missing injured left guard Alex Redmond. Even when the Bruins gave Hundley time, he frequently held onto the ball and took coverage sacks or moved into pressure.

Paul Perkins ran for 99 yards for UCLA, scoring the Bruins' first touchdown in the second quarter. Defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes added a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter for UCLA, whose sputtering offense was a dramatic contrast from a Utah game plan that consistently delivered gains.

Thompson passed for 95 yards, finding receiver Dres Anderson for a leaping catch between two defenders for a 42-yard TD early in the second quarter.

Thompson replaced starter Travis Wilson after two series and seemingly caught UCLA off-guard several times with his elusiveness as a runner. Thompson rushed for 83 yards, using his legs to spark a late second-quarter drive that ended in Phillips' 48-yard field goal for a 17-7 halftime lead.