UCLA Survives Oregon's Six Turnovers and Two Failed Conversions
Oregon gave the ball away six times and still ended up two points short of a tie. Both of its touchdowns were followed by failed two-point tries, and UCLA won 17-15 to stay unbeaten at 5-0. Convert either one and the Ducks tie it at 17-17.
It was low-scoring from the start. Mateen Bhaghani opened with a 21-yard field goal, Jordon Davison ran in from the 1 for Oregon (and the conversion failed, so it was 6-3 instead of 7-3), and then Wayne Knight broke a 35-yard touchdown run to put UCLA back in front 10-6 in the second quarter. It stayed 10-6 through the third quarter.
Knight caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ty Dieffenbach early in the fourth to make it 17-6. Oregon's Gage Hurych kicked a 26-yard field goal with 5:16 left, and Evan Stewart's 44-yard touchdown from Brock Thomas with 2:16 to go cut it to two. The try for two failed again, and that was the game.
The giveaway count is the story. Oregon lost four fumbles and threw two interceptions, six turnovers in all, against UCLA's three (two interceptions and a lost fumble). Oregon was outgained 345 yards to 272, and its running game managed 73 yards on 27 carries while UCLA ran 47 times for 140. Jordon Davison, who scored Oregon's first touchdown, also lost a fumble, and so did Stewart and Thomas, which covers three of the four. UCLA moves to 5-0 and Oregon falls to 3-2.
Fantasy owners who held Knight got 26.5 points for the trouble, and Stewart and Thomas led the Oregon side in a loss.