UCLA Football Still Controls Their Own Destiny With A Win Over Utah

The UCLA Football team dug deep against the Utah Utes, disallowing a touchdown the entire game en route to a 17-9 victory. One more win and UCLA takes the Pac-12 South Division.

So how about this calamity! With Utah atop of the Pac-12 South most of the season, the UCLA Football team crushes the Utes’ hopes for a visit to the Pac-12 Championship Game as the Bruins stay alive in the South with a 17-9 win over Utah in Salt Lake City.

UCLA went out to a quick 10-0 start in the first quarter as Josh Rosen dissected the Utah defense. Rosen orchestrated a 90-yard drive which was capped by a Thomas Duarte touchdown and then followed up by a Ka’Imi Fairbairn field goal. Strangely enough, things were not looking good for Utah who was 5-0 at Rice-Eccles Stadium this season before the game.

More from Go Joe Bruin

• UCLA Football: It’s time for the nation to meet Dante Moore
• UCLA Football: Where are they ranked heading into week 4
• UCLA Football: Position battle breakdown for Utah showdown
• UCLA vs. Utah: Location, time, prediction, and more
• UCLA Football: Highlights from Chip Kelly’s appearance on the Jim Rome Show

The Utes finally woke up from their midday slumber as they took over in the second half. Despite running the ball down the Bruin’s throat with 126 yards, the Bruin defense did a fantastic job to limit them to only 2 field goals.

In particular, freshman Nate Meadors was fantastic in the corner. Travis Wilson, who was 7-for-11 with 68 yards by the half, was picking on Meadors the entire first half. Meadors had multiple deflections, two of which disallowed two touchdowns.

Utah started the second half with the same running game plan as they plowed through the Bruins for a total of 198 rushing yards. The only positive about this for UCLA is that they disallowed another Ute TD. Utah settled for a field goal and it was 10-9 at that point.

Later in the 3rd, the Bruins were able to march down the field which ended with a Paul Perkins touchdown and had UCLA go up 17-9. That was how it ended as both defenses stepped up and disallowed any more points to be put on the board the rest of the game.

With Utah losing, they are now out of contention for the Pac-12 South. USC also lost to Oregon today, though they also control their own destiny in the South.

Wouldn’t you know it… the Pac-12 South now comes down to The Corsstown Showdown. Next week, UCLA vs USC will determine who will go to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Go Bruins!