PASADENA, Calif. | South Alabama football nearly pulled off the upset Saturday afternoon as it held an eight-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter, but UCLA's Nicholas Barr-Mira's 24-yard field goal as time expired gave the Bruins a 32-31 victory at the Rose Bowl.
Holding a two-point lead with just under three-minutes left in regulation, the Jaguars (2-1) decided to go for it after initially lining up for a 39-yard field goal attempt, but UCLA (3-0) came up with the sack and took over possession. Barr-Mira's field goal capped off a 10-play, 61-yard drive for the Bruins.
Carter Bradley finished the day 26-for-36 and threw for 237 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Jalen Wayne (76) and
Devin Voisin (64) led the receivers with seven receptions each.
South Alabama rushed for 162 yards, led by
La'Damian Webb's career high 124 yards on 16 attempts and a touchdown. Webb had a long of 47 yards and also turned in 42 yards receiving on six receptions for 171 yards of total offense.
Defensively,
Jalen Jordan had a team-best seven tackles – five solo, while
Jaden Voisin had six and three other players recorded five apiece, including
James Miller, who added a tackle for loss.
UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 20-of-30 and threw for 263 and three touchdowns.
Postgame Notes
- Captains: No. 50 James Jackson, No. 88 Lincoln Sefcik and No. 8 Yam Banks
- Attendance: 29,344
- Saturday's meeting versus UCLA was not only the first series meeting versus Bruins, but also versus a PAC 12 opponent
- Wayne (114) moved into fourth on South's all-time receptions list with his seven catches. He tied Jamarius Way (108) with his first reception and then tied Bryant Lavender (109) for fourth with his two first-quarter receptions. He moved into stand-alone fourth with his 16-yard reception in the second quarter
- Webb 80 of his 124 yards during the first 30 minutes of action
- It was also Webb's second career 100-yard game (112, vs. North Carolina, October 12, 2020)
- Webb has rushed for a touchdown in each of the first three games this fall, as he has five on the season
- Marco Lee's first-quarter touchdown was the first of his Jaguar career
- With Lee's second rushing touchdown, a Jaguar back has now rushed for a pair of scores in three-straight games
- UCLA looked as if it had retaken the lead on a 7-yard TD pass from Thompson-Robinson, but Zach Charbonnet was ruled down at the 1-yard line on the replay review
- On the ensuing play, CJ Rias forced Charbonnet to fumble the ball and South Alabama took over as Zeke Chapman recovered the ball in the end zone
- USA was 6-of-8 on third down in first half and finished 9-of-13 for the game
- South also converted all five of its red zone attempts, while UCLA was 6-for-7
- UCLA scored 17-straight points after the Jaguars took a 17-6 lead before South answered back with 14-straight points
- Bradley's third-quarter touchdown pass to Caullin Lacy was set up by a Bruin fumble that set the Jags up inside the UCLA 10-yard line
Gallery: (9-17-2022) Jags Football vs UCLA
How It Happened
First Quarter
- 0-3 (12:15) – UCLA – Barr-Mira 38-yard field goal (4 plays, 1 yard, -- 00:56)
- 7-3 (8:51) – USA – Lee 1-yard touchdown run (9 plays, 75 yards, -- 3:24)
- 7-6 (4:22) – UCLA – Barr-Mira 49-yard field goal (10 plays, 59 yards, 4:24)
- 10-6 (1:18) – USA – Diego Guajardo (9 plays, 55 yards, 3:04)
Second Quarter
- 17-6 (5:54) – USA – Webb 7-yard touchdown run (12 plays, 80 yards, 6:31)
- 17-13 (3:25) – UCLA – Thompson-Robinson 9-yard touchdown pass to Jake Bobo (6 plays, 69 yards, 2:22)
Third Quarter
- 17-20 (13:22) – UCLA – Robinson-Thompson 11-yard touchdown pass (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:38)
- 17-23 (4:46) – UCLA – Barr-Mira 28-yard field goal (13 plays, 56 yards, 5:11)
- 24-23 (1:43) – USA – Lee 2-yard touchdown run (8 plays, 67 yards, 2:58)
- 31-23 (00:57) – USA – Bradley 4-yard touchdown pass to Lacy (2 plays, 6 yards, 00:27)
Fourth Quarter
- 31-29 (12:25) – UCLA – Robinson-Thompson touchdown pass to Logan Loya – 2-point conversion attempt, NO GOOD (10 plays, 68 yards, 3:26)
- 31-32 (00:00) – UCLA – Barr-Mira 24-yard field goal (10 plays, 61 yards, 2:52)
Up Next
South Alabama will return home for its final non-conference game of the fall as the Jaguars welcome Louisiana Tech. Kickoff versus the Bulldogs is set for 6 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, September 24 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
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