Considering that the UCLA QB Ethan Garbers was the best player Iowa had on their team for the first fifteen minutes of the game it’s amazing that the Bruins got out of this one with a 20-17 win to keep their bowl hopes alive. Speaking of bowls, the last time these two teams met was in the 1986 Rose Bowl in which No. 14 UCLA bested the No. 4 Hawkeyes 45-28. In that one Bruin tailback Eric Ball ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns. In this one UCLA’s leading ground gainer, Junior RB T. J. Harden, didn’t find the end zone but did rush 20 times while collecting 125 yards and helping his team rack up just about twice as many first downs as the Hawkeyes while hanging onto the ball an extra fifteen minutes and keeping the Iowa offense off the field.
After averaging 40+ points a game in three of the four prior matchups before hitting the road to the Rose Bowl as well as 361+ yards of total offense, Iowa was held to 185 yards in the air and just 80 yards on the ground on 31 attempts—less than 3 yards per carry. The Hawkeyes leading rusher, Junior RB Kaleb Johnson, came in having already rushed close to 1,300 yards while averaging 142 yards per game and 2+ TD’s. In this one he was held to just 49 yards on 18 carries and 1 TD.
UCLA got the ball first, but just three plays into their drive Senior QB Ethan Garbers throws a pick to Iowa Freshman DB Zach Luther at their own 41 yard line. Three plays later with the help of a UCLA holding penalty and 32 yard completion from the Hawkeyes’ Junior QB Brendan Sullivan to Junior WR Jacob Gill, Kaleb Johnson runs it into the end zone to go up 7-0. Seven minutes later the Bruins have driven the ball 70 yards in 11 plays and are sitting 1st and goal at the Iowa 5 yard line. On the 12th play of the drive Garbers throws up his second interception of the quarter. This one to Senior DB Quinn Schulte at the Iowa 2 yard line. Seven plays and 74 yards later Iowa’s Junior PK, Drew Stevens, connects from 24 yards out to make it a 10-0 game with still a minute left in the first quarter.
UCLA would finally get the ball down the field and score without giving the ball away early in the 2nd Qtr on a 57 yard field goal by their Sophomore PK Mateen Bhaghani to cut the lead to seven at 10-3. On Iowa’s first play after the kick-off Junior QB Brendan Sullivan, who had yet to throw an interception the entire season, has his ball picked of by UCLA Junior LB Carson Schwesinger and returned 13 yards to the Iowa 30 yard line and then eventually back to the 45 after a 15 yard UCLA personal foul penalty. Not risking another interception right away Bruin OC Eric Bieniemy calls up five straight running plays and has the team 3rd and goal at the Iowa 2 yard line. But trust is a must and Bieniemy calls up a play action with Garbers having the option to run or pass. He hits his Junior WR Titus Mokiao-Atimalala in the end zone to amazingly tie the score at ten a piece with still eight minutes left in the half. It was just as though all that screw-up at the beginning never happened.
Let’s start from scratch. OK, this time Iowa gets to give the ball back first, fumbling after just four plays. But since it was just at midfield, no harm no foul. Not to be outdone in the fumble department UCLA gets all the way down into the Iowa red zone before Garbers—not wanting Iowa to think that he’s actually on the opposing team—fumbles the ball right at the goal line which is recovered in the end zone for a touchback and bringing the Hawkeyes back out to the 20 yard line to start their drive. But credit the Bruin defense who kept playing great ball in spite of all the mistakes on offense for holding Iowa to a three-and-out on their next possession and giving Garbers another chance with under two minutes to play to lead the team down the field before the break. Five plays and 56 yards later Garbers connects with Senior WR Logan Loya on a 29 yard TD pass to go up 17-10 at the half.
Both teams were held to three-and-outs to start the 3rd Qtr. On Iowa’s second possession UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger picked off Brendan Sullivan again, this time at the Bruin 31 yard line. But UCLA couldn’t capitalize, as this time Mateen Bhaghani’s 57 yard field goal attempt missed and Iowa took the ball back over. Seven plays later they were sitting 4th and 5 at the UCLA 39 yard line where their Junior PK Drew Stevens hit a 56 yard field goal that would have initially tightened the score to 17-13. But UCLA, bound and determined to help Iowa at every opportunity, committed a personal foul which resulted in an automatic first down at the Bruin 24 yard line. Eight plays later the Hawkeyes were in the end zone and the score was tied 17-17 with most of the fourth quarter still left to play. UCLA took their nice sweet time moving the ball down the field where they tried three time to get it into the end zone. Initially from 1st and goal from the 5 yard line on a run that lost four yards. Then twice more from the 9 yard line on two Ethan Garner passes that both fell incomplete. Finally on 4th down they kicked and made the 27 yard field goal to go out in front 20-17. The Bruin defense would hold the Hawkeyes to a three-and-out on their next possession leaving Garbers and company with the ball and just over four minutes left which they were able to kill—hanging onto the victory.
The win gives the Bruins their third win in a row and after having to start the season playing one of the toughest schedules in the FBS against Oregon, Penn State, LSU and Indiana—currently No. 1, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 21 respectively—with an overall record of 4-5 with three games to play they still have a good chance to become bowl eligible but will probably have to be much less helpful to their opponents to make that happen. Up next, the Washington Huskies on the road this coming Friday. Washington has only two games left and need to win one to become bowl eligible themselves. With their last game against No. 1 Oregon you can bet they are going to throw everything they’ve got at the Bruins this coming Friday.