UCLA football slips behind California by 4 points at halftime

This post was updated Nov. 30 at 9:45 p.m.

The Bruins have some work to do – but not much.

UCLA football (4-7, 4-4 Pac-12) trails California (6-5, 3-5) 14-10 at the half in its season finale at the Rose Bowl. After getting on the scoreboard first, the Bruins allowed 14 unanswered points and closed the first half facing a deficit for the third week in a row.

Redshirt senior running back Joshua Kelley capped off a 20-yard run on 3rd-and-15 with a hurdle to move UCLA inside the opposing 30-yard line on its second drive of the night. Two plays later, sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson found junior wide receiver Jaylen Erwin in the flat for a 19-yard catch and run to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead.

Thompson-Robinson completed 18 of his 28 pass attempts in the opening half for 198 yards and the touchdown pass to Erwin. He was also sacked four times in the half for a total of 28 yards.

The Golden Bears responded just over five minutes later when quarterback Chase Garbers countered an all-out blitz with a screen pass to wide receiver Makai Polk, who took the ball 44 yards for a touchdown to the game.

Cal took the lead on its next drive, going 72 yards in 10 plays before Garbers snuck the ball into the endzone from 1 yard out. Garbers finished the half 8-of-15 through the air for 118 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Junior Darnay Holmes made the play on Garbers’ lone interception, the cornerback’s second pick of the season. Holmes had three interceptions last year.

That interception also led to a 31-yard field goal from senior kicker JJ Molson as time expired in the half.

The Bears will receive the ball to begin the second half.