UCLA football soundly secures victory over Arizona State after second-half scare

This post was updated Oct. 26 at 10:04 p.m.

The Bruins put together their most complete outing of the season, but it may have come at a cost.

Sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson exited UCLA football’s (3-5, 3-2 Pac-12) 42-32 upset victory over No. 24 Arizona State (5-3, 2-3) on Saturday night after taking a helmet to the left knee early in the fourth quarter.

Thompson-Robinson left the field without putting any pressure on the injured leg and was replaced by redshirt sophomore quarterback Austin Burton. Thompson-Robinson did not return for the remainder of the game.

Before coming off the field, Thompson-Robinson had completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts to seven different receivers for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior receiver Ethan Fernea – who entered the game with just two career catches for 19 total yards – led the team with 45 yards on three catches, including a 7-yard reception on a fourth-and-three and a 29-yard reception early in the second half.

Both of those drives eventually ended in touchdowns.

The former walk-on, who received a scholarship from coach Chip Kelly after camp ended this summer, said he had been thinking about a night like Saturday since he joined the program four years ago.

“Surreal feeling; I’ve been dreaming about making catches in the Rose Bowl for a really long time now,” Fernea said. “I’m just happy I could make a few plays when I was called upon.”

The Bruins also got help from redshirt senior running back Joshua Kelley, who ran the ball 34 times for 164 yards and four touchdowns, with 100 of those yards and three touchdowns coming in the first half alone.

Not only did Kelley eclipse the century mark in rushing yards for the third time in UCLA’s last four games, but he also became the first Bruin to rush for four touchdowns in a game since Myles Jack did so on Nov. 15, 2013.

Kelley has had a number of memorable performances at the Rose Bowl over his two years with the Bruins, including his 289-yard effort against USC last season, but he said the moments he relishes most are the ones with his teammates – especially after a win.

“It’s just good to get the win,” Kelley said. “I think that individual success, that’s fine and all, but the things that you’re going to remember forever are the winning moments and just sharing those moments in the locker room with the guys; that’s what you play for.”

Kelly also had high praise for his star running back following the game, saying that Kelley’s ability to be effective even when opponents expect him to get the ball separates him from other players.

“When everybody in the stadium knows you’re going to run the football and you’re still able to run the ball, I think that’s really a credit to the whole group, but really the mindset that (Kelley) has,” Kelly said.

The Sun Devils entered the night ranked No. 3 in the Pac-12 and No. 43 in the FBS in total defense. However, the Bruins were able to put up 393 yards of total offense, while also converting on 10 of their 17 third- and fourth-down conversions.

Meanwhile, the UCLA defense held Arizona State’s top offensive weapon – running back Eno Benjamin – in check. Benjamin carried the ball 13 times for just 46 yards, his second-lowest rushing output of the season.

With the win, UCLA kept pace in the Pac-12 South, remaining just one game back of Utah and USC in the loss column. Although Kelly has repeatedly said he doesn’t believe in momentum, he also said his young team is getting better and better as the season progresses.

“The best thing that I can say is that the baby Bruins are growing up and it is fun to see,” Kelly said. “It’s fun to watch.”

UCLA will host Colorado at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 2.