UCLA football defeats Virginia 34-16
(Austin Yu/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Claire Fahy
Sept. 5, 2015 3:56 p.m.
If greatness was in question last season against Virginia, freshman quarterback Josh Rosen proved that would be a nonissue for UCLA football in 2015, leading the Bruins to a 34-16 win over the Cavaliers.
In his collegiate debut, Rosen went 28 for 35 for a total of 351 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. A former five-star recruit, the freshman from Bellflower St. John Bosco proved his worth Saturday in front of a home crowd of 68,615.
Not only did Rosen throw the ball well, but he exhibited his playmaking ability, throwing to six different players who picked up over 40 yards each. By the end of the third quarter, Rosen had already broken the record for passing yards by a UCLA true freshman quarterback.
Rosen left the game early in the fourth quarter having completed nine-straight passes.
If the first half was dominated by the Bruins’ offensive performance, the second half proved that UCLA figures to be strong on both sides of the ball this season.
Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley’s defense locked down the Cavaliers after halftime, holding Virginia to just a touchdown, compared to a first half that saw the Cavaliers score nine points on an average of 5.1 yards per play.
The Bruins were all they were touted to be in their season debut, something that couldn’t be said of Brett Hundley’s 10-3 team last season.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff, with contributing reports from Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.
