UCLA broke out their special “L.A. Nights” alternate uniforms on Saturday evening for their homecoming game against the Arizona Wildcats.
It was an L.A. Night to remember for the Bruins at the Rose Bowl, as they assumed control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 South race by demolishing a listless looking Arizona team, 66-10.
There was no halftime brawl like there was last season when these two teams met in Tucson. By halftime, the fight had long been taken out of the Wildcats.
Johnathan Franklin, the senior running back, established a new UCLA career record for rushing yards on his first score of the game to get the Bruins off to the races, and UCLA never looked back. Franklin finished the game with 24 carries for 162 yards and two scores as the Bruins moved to 7-2 (4-2, Pac-12 South).
The Wildcats, who had an amazing come from behind victory last week against USC, could not do the same to the other Los Angeles team, dropping their mark to 5-4 (2-4, Pac-12 South). The Wildcats were gashed by UCLA for 547 total yards, and it didn’t matter if the Bruins were running the ball or throwing it; Jeff Casteel’s defense had no answers for the UCLA offense.
Franklin broke the UCLA career record for rushing yards on his third carry from scrimmage, when he rumbled 37 yards for a touchdown. The previous record holder was Gaston Green, who played for the Bruins from 1984-1987.
UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley had a good game as well, completing 23 of 28 passes for 288 yards and three passing touchdowns. Two of those passing touchdowns went to tight end Joseph Fauria. Fauria had five catches for 81 yards and those two scores.
Arizona’s offense was effectively neutered by a stout UCLA defense. Quarterback Matt Scott completed 15 of 25 passes for only 124 yards before he left the game midway through the third quarter with an injury. Scott was hit in his own endzone and was doubled over on the turf for a couple of minutes before eventually leaving the field under his own power. He was replaced by B.J. Denker.
Running back Ka’Deem Carey was held to 54 yards on 16 carries, although he did score the lone touchdown for the Wildcats in the third quarter. By then, however, the game was well out of hand for Arizona.
Early in the fourth quarter, Arizona sophomore linebacker Hank Hobson collapsed on the field after a play. He was removed from the field on a body board with his head and neck immobilized.
Arizona heads back to Tucson with a chance to get well next Saturday against a punchless Colorado team that managed only 76 yards of offense this week against Stanford. That game will be at 1:30 PM on FX. UCLA will head up to the Palouse to take on a struggling Washington State squad (game time and network TBD).
