Bruins lead Wildcats at the half, 21-10

TUCSON, Ariz.—After being identified as Arizona’s X factor in the week leading up to Saturday night’s game, Ka’Deem Carey was disguised, not hidden from view.

Instead, the Wildcats went to Carey early and often in a first half that yielded a 21-10 UCLA lead. On a 12-play, 48-yard drive to open the game, the Wildcats put the ball in the hands of their star junior running back on six separate occasions. After failing to convert a third-and-10, Arizona then settled for a 44-yard Jake Smith field goal to take the early lead.

Last week against Colorado, the Bruin offense waited before unleashing the deep ball. On Saturday night, they were guns-a-blazing out of the gate. After faking a handoff on his team’s first offensive play from scrimmage, redshirt sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley hit redshirt senior wide receiver Shaquelle Evans down the right sideline for a 66-yard touchdown bomb that quickly silenced the packed house at Arizona Stadium.

Redshirt junior linebacker Eric Kendricks stopped Carey on a fourth-and-one at the UCLA 15 yard line to allow the Bruins to embark on their second consecutive touchdown drive of the half.

Hundley and company methodically yet masterfully moved down the field on a 12-play, 84-yard drive that took 6:00 off the clock. Hundley kept the drive alive on a third-and-14 by rolling out to his right and finding Evans once again in a sea of defenders for a first down. The quarterback finished the drive off masterfully on the next play, sprinting up the middle and running into a defender before bounding to his left and escaping, freeing his foot of yet another tackler to finish a high-octane 15-yard touchdown run.

UCLA looked out of sync on its next offensive drive, quickly facing a fourth down before attempting a fake punt that fooled not a single member of the Arizona punt coverage team.

Arizona took over and quickly converted on the blunder, punching the ball in the end zone on a four-yard Ka’Deem Carey run just four plays later.

The two teams each punted twice over the game’s next four drives before UCLA coach Jim Mora dusted off his emergency playbook and used it in full force. Freshman outside linebacker Myles Jack rushed four times for 25 yards and senior inside linebacker Jordan Zumwalt caught a 12-yard pass during a bizarre 16-play drive that spanned 90 yards. Evans caught his second touchdown pass of the game in the back corner of the end zone – off a tipped ball – to cap off the most imaginative drive, personnel-wise, the Bruins have employed on offense this season.

Hundley finished the half 11-of-18 passing for 118 yards and two touchdowns, also adding a rushing touchdown. Kendricks leads all tacklers at the break with eight.

Compiled by Andrew Erickson, Bruin Sports senior staff.