Monday, Oct. 7, 2024

AdvertiseDonateSubmit
NewsSportsArtsOpinionThe QuadPhotoVideoIllustrationsCartoonsGraphicsThe StackPRIMEEnterpriseInteractivesPodcastsClassifieds

IN THE NEWS:

Registration Issue 2024: Blooming BeginningsHispanic Heritage Month 2024

Oregon State chops down UCLA football after three first-half interceptions

Freshman quarterback Dante Moore and redshirt senior wide Josiah Norwood walk off the field after the game. Moore’s trio of interceptions culminated in a pick six near the end of the first half. (Brandon Morquecho/Assistant Photo Editor)

Football


No. 18 UCLA24
No. 15 Oregon State36

By Gavin Carlson

Oct. 14, 2023 9:18 p.m.

This post was updated Oct. 15 at 10:49 p.m.

CORVALLIS – Freshman Dante Moore does not have much history with the Bruins.

Yet history continues to repeat itself for the young quarterback, just not in a way that aids him or his team. 

The former five-star recruit made it three consecutive games with both an opening-drive interception and a first-half pick six as No. 18 UCLA football (4-2, 1-2 Pac-12) fell to No. 15 Oregon State (6-1, 3-1) by a score of 36-24 at Reser Stadium. Moore threw three interceptions in the first half and completed just 15 of his 34 attempts in Corvallis.

“They (Oregon State) did a wonderful job of playing the game, they did, and a lot of mistakes on my side,” Moore said. “As a quarterback, (I) can’t turn over the ball.”

After throwing an interception on his first pass attempt against then-No. 11 Utah and his third against then-No. 13 Washington State, Moore chose not to attempt a screen pass before throwing an interception on his fourth attempt of Saturday’s contest. Despite the ensuing drive beginning at UCLA’s 34-yard line, the Bruins held the Beavers’ offense to a field goal inside the 20-yard line.

But that was just the start of UCLA’s offense putting its defense in difficult situations.

Following a quick three-and-out on the Bruins’ next offensive possession, the Beavers drove  down to just outside the red zone. Once again, UCLA’s defense held Oregon State to a field goal to limit the Beavers’ growing lead to 6-0.

However, the Bruins’ defense could only bend for so long before breaking. 

After Moore’s second interception – a fluttering pass, because he was hit while throwing – Oregon State found itself in UCLA territory a second time. The Beavers turned the Bruins’ turnover into a trip to the end zone by completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to go up 13-0.

Then deja vu struck once more for UCLA’s quarterback.

Moore completed his first-half hat trick of interceptions with the most costly of them all – a 67-yard pick six with less than a minute left in the first half.

The week prior, his pick six with fewer than 30 seconds in the half turned UCLA’s six-point lead into a halftime deficit. On Saturday in Corvallis, it almost fully erased the Bruins’ 10  points in the second quarter and put them back down two scores – 23-10 – at halftime.

Oregon State defensive back Kitan Oladapo tackles Moore. The Beavers sacked Moore five times throughout Saturday’s game. (Brandon Morquecho/Assistant Photo Editor)

Coach Chip Kelly said Moore’s character will allow him to bounce back from the mistakes.

“He’s a resilient kid, and that’s one thing that’s a great quality of his,” Kelly said. “We’re going to sit down and watch the film with him and go over what his decisions were when he had the ball and how those things happened.”

UCLA found a majority of its offensive success in the second and third quarters via the run game, particularly with change-of-pace quarterback and redshirt junior Collin Schlee on the field instead of Moore.

Schlee ran for 45 yards on four straight plays during the Bruins’ only touchdown drive of the first half and added another 34 yards on the ground in UCLA’s only touchdown drive of the third quarter.

Schlee and junior running back Carson Steele combined for 190 of the Bruins’ 284 rushing yards, while sophomore running back T.J. Harden added 47 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well.

UCLA averaged 5.7 yards per carry against an Oregon State defense that ranked in the top 15 in the country in stopping the run. The Bruins also had 10 rushes that gained at least 10 yards on the play, compared to just four passing plays of 15 or more yards.

Despite the statistical success on the ground, Kelly said he was not satisfied with his team’s performance there.

“I don’t think it was consistent,” Kelly said. “There were a lot of big runs in there, but there were some runs where I think we left some meat on the bone. We have to be more consistent in all phases of what we’re doing offensively right now.”

UCLA outgained Oregon State overall, but three interceptions, five sacks and an early 13-0 deficit buried the Bruins’ hopes in Corvallis.

Senior wide receiver Logan Loya said the team must find a way to respond to its second loss in three games.

“Coach said that we’re going to learn from this one,” Loya said. “We’re going to make the corrections and we’re going to figure out how we can bounce back.”

Share this story:FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Gavin Carlson | Sports staff
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
Carlson is currently a staff writer on the football, men's basketball and women's basketball beats. He was previously a reporter on the softball and men's golf beats.
COMMENTS
Featured Classifieds
Apartments for Rent

WESTWOOD: 2+2 1.5 miles from UCLA. Wood-like Flooring, Fridge, Dishwasher & Stove. Parking! Laundry! [email protected] https://www.zillow.com/b/1424-greenfield-avenue-los-angeles-ca-5XtQJH/

More classifieds »
Related Posts