Football Monday: UCLA vs. Arizona
Freshman quarterback Josh Rosen and the UCLA offense cruised past the Arizona defense for eight touchdowns Saturday evening. (Austin Yu/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By camayak
Sept. 28, 2015 2:37 a.m.
Every postgame Monday, Daily Bruin Sports will break down the Bruins’ most recent game, outlining the good, the bad and the verdict of their performance. This week, we take a closer look at UCLA’s 56-30 win over Arizona Saturday in Tucson.
The good: Offense
Freshman quarterback Josh Rosen isn’t the only one living up to his preseason hype. Freshman running back Soso Jamabo was UCLA’s leading rusher Saturday, picking up 96 yards and tallying a touchdown. The rookie’s performance was an exclamation point on a stellar offensive performance for the Bruins. Rosen threw for two touchdowns and ran for one, picking up 284 passing yards in the process.
The bad: Defense
UCLA conceded 353 rushing yards against Arizona Saturday, a clear indication that the team was missing junior linebacker Myles Jack and senior cornerback Fabian Moreau. While the Bruins’ offense was unstoppable and secured the win, the final scoreline would have looked much different had Rosen performed as poorly as he did against BYU. The defense will need to better compensate for the recent losses of two of its leaders as it moves forward into Pac-12 play.
The verdict: Strong showing
This game was a pleasant surprise for the Bruins, whose future was in doubt after the loss of three key defensive players. As late as Friday evening, UCLA was given only a three-point spread over Arizona, so its dominant 56-30 win was a testament to the team’s depth. The Bruins remain undefeated and once again rose in the AP poll to No. 7 nationwide.
Player of the game: Paul Perkins
The redshirt junior running back continued his stellar 2015 campaign, which began when he broke out against UNLV two weeks ago. Perkins ran for three touchdowns Saturday and a total of 85 yards in 24 carries.
Quote of the game: Josh Rosen
“I thought it just set the tone for the game. You have to start fast, start sharp and get off on the right foot,” said the freshman quarterback on UCLA’s opening scoring drive.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff.
