In spite of not having any bowl game to look forward to and the Bulldogs having won the last four of their matchups dating back to 2003, UCLA still found a way to end a frustrating season with a 20-13 win at home against Fresno State—a team they haven’t beaten since 2000 when their current head coach was a Bruin running back. This was a low scoring affair with UCLA putting up just three points each in the first two quarters of the game and the Bulldogs not scoring at all until half-way through the 2nd Qtr. But it was enough to put them on top 7-6 until they kicked a field goal of their own with time expiring in the first half to go up 10-6.
The first four possessions of the second half for Fresno State all ended in punts while the Bruins were able to go ahead 13-10 on their first possession of the 3rd Qtr with a 5 yard TD run by Junior RB TJ Harden. After holding the Bulldogs to a three-and-out half-way through the 4th Qtr, UCLA would go on a 15 play 78 yard drive ending in a 2 yard TD pass from Senior QB Ethan Garbers to Junior WR Michael Sturdivant to go up 20-10 with less than two minutes left in the game. Fresno State was able to score again, but just a field goal to make 20-13—their first loss to the Bruins in over twenty years.
For Ethan Garbers, in the last college football game of his career, he completed 26-of-40 for 289 yards, the 1 TD to Sturdivant, and no interceptions. On the ground Junior RB Anthony Frias II and TJ Harden collectively rushed 17 times for 66 of the teams 76 total yards with Harden picking up the only TD. For Fresno State, Junior QB Mikey Keene connected on 30-of-43 for 219 yards and 1 TD to Junior WR Raylen Sharpe with three other receivers pulling in four or more receptions for 140 of those 219 total yards. On the ground the Bulldogs rushed 13 times for 62 yards but never found the end zone. UCLA led the game stats in first downs, 20-15; passing yards, 289-219; total yards of offense, 365-281; had fifteen more minutes time-of-possession, and converted their third downs at a rate of 50% compared to just 35% for Fresno State. We won’t see the Bruins again until Saturday, August 30th, when they host Kyle Whittingham and a Utah team that is probably going to be looking for a season of redemption.