Arizona Wildcats Football
The Arizona Wildcats, beaten badly at times this season, finally responded and did a little beating of their own as they stunned a very good football team, the UCLA Bruins, Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
This time the Wildcats (2-5, 4-6), behind their scrambling quarterback Jayden de Laura shined brightly for sixty minutes on primetime television for the sports world to see as they dimmed the hopes of the Bruins' title run in the Pac-12 Conference with a 34-28 win.
Ranked No. 12 in the country and favored by twenty points, UCLA did its thing as the bruising 21-year-old transfer from Michigan, running back Zach Charbonnet, rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Still, it wasn't enough as the Wildcats unleashed de Laura, his high-flying receivers, and their hard-running back Michael Wiley to upset the highly-favored Bruins (8-2, 5-2).
De Laura (photo at the top) scrambled left, right, up, and back for four quarters while throwing the ball 28 times for 315 yards and two scores. He ended up with a minus three yards rushing on the night, but it seemed like he gained 100 yards or more.
Clutching de Laura's passes were Jacob Cowling with nine receptions for 118 yards, Dorian Singer, five catches for 83 yards, Tanner McLachlan with two key catches and 48 yards, while Tetairoa McMillan grabbed the winning score late in the fourth quarter -- a 17-yard gem that put the dagger in the Bruins.
Wiley was also heard from on the receiving end, with six catches for 46 yards and a touchdown.
All in all, Arizona kept pace with the Bruins throughout the game and finished with 436 yards of offense, just 29 yards shy of the Bruins' total.
A great game to watch, despite an 8:30 PM, start for Arizona fans. Maybe it wasn't primetime on CBS, but it was definitely primetime for the Wildcats. Maybe most fans in the eastern part of the country were fast asleep, but they will find out soon enough this morning that the Bruins went down to defeat.
As for the Wildcats, two wins at home to close the regular season against Washington State and Arizona State could mean a bowl bid and send them and coach Jedd Fisch to his first bowl appearance.
It wasn't a miracle last night. Instead, a football team came together for one night in Pasadena.
Way to go, Wildcats!
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