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Halftime.
The first quarter was pointless. OSU won the coin toss and elected to receive. After a few first downs, the UCLA defense forced a punt. Unfortunately, the UCLA offense went 3 and out and gave the ball right back to the Beavers who, after a big 30 yard catch for a first down, couldn't do anything else and ended up punting. UCLA managed to sustain an 11 yard drive for 5 minutes, with Darren Andrews leading the way, until the penalty bug bit hard forcing another punt. The Beavers started driving, sprung by a by 26 yard run by Storm-Woods, but then Kenny Young came in hard and forced a fumble near the end of the first quarter guaranteeing it would end pointless.
The second quarter belonged to the Bruins where the flood gates opened and they poured 24 points on the Beavers defense.
The second quarter continued the UCLA drive which ended with a Kai'imi Fairbairn field goal from 38 yards out. UCLA 3-0. Oregon State got the ball back briefly as their first play was tipped by Jaleel Wadood and intercepted by Randall Goforth. It's amazing what a little rest can do for a defense :-) Working with a short field, the Bruins drove down 42 yards and scored from 8 yards out with Thomas Duarte. It's amazing how easy UCLA can score when it doesn't commit penalties. UCLA 10-0.
The next drive was potentially a momentum turner. The Oregon State punter booted a 66 yard punt and pinned UCLA back at the 4 yard line. Soso Jamabo got a few runs in, including a first down, and scared all Bruins with a new fumble (but his knee was down, thankfully). Rosen then wasn't ready for the snap and it was a near turnover if not for Nate Iese plucking the ball out of the air and saving the Bruin's butts. Then Rosen flashes his 5* credentials. Some nifty footwork in the endzone turns a near safety into a pass to Iese to bring the ball back near the original line of scrimmage. On 3rd and 11, Rosen throws a bomb down the sideline to a burning Kenneth Walker III who easily beats his man and is wide open for the 63 yard connection. The Duarte-Rosen connection down the middle adds another 6 to the scoreboard after another false start. Bruins 17-0.
Unfortunately for the Beavers, two plays later John Johnson makes an intelligent and athletic interception, the third of the day for the Bruins defense. Back to work for the UCLA offense on a short field. This time Perkins turns a tackle 5 yards away from the endzone into a touchdown, thanks to his insane balance and strength. Bruins 24-0 with 2 minutes left in the first half.
Is a rout coming? Stay tuned! Join us in conversation and comment for the second half!
Go Bruins!!!