UCLA vs. Texas: Score and Twitter Reaction

Come Pac-12 play, UCLA is certainly going to have some experience dealing with adversity. 

The Bruins offense struggled in a Week 1 win against Virginia. Their defense struggled in a win against Memphis. On Saturday night against Texas, they lost star quarterback Brett Hundley to an elbow injury for most of the game but still found a way to scrape out a 20-17 win with Jerry Neuheisel thriving under center. 

As Fox Sports' Miguel A. Melendez noted, it was a doubly good night for UCLA:

Prior to game, head coach Jim Mora, via The Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), talked about the importance for the Bruins to right the ship after an unconvincing start to the season:

"

We can't wait to get things fixed. We have to fix things now. ... (Older) guys like us, we understand how fast life goes, and I don't think these guys always understand it, so it's a matter of making them understand it's important right now.

"

That became decidedly more difficult when Hundley suffered his injury in the first quarter on an 11-yard scramble. He was deemed "probable" to return after a trip to the locker room, but that time never came, and after halftime it was clear he was out for the game.

CBS Sports' Dane Brugler put his loss into perspective: 

From Hundley to sophomore Neuheisel, the Bruins went from dynamic playmaker to game manager. CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli joked about the suddenly less compelling QB battle:

"

It’s Jerry Neuheisel vs. Tyrone Swoopes. The matchup you’ve waited your entire life for.

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 14, 2014"

Neuheisel more than held his own in a tough situation in what was essentially a road game at AT&T Stadium, though, completing 23 of his 30 throws for 178 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers.

He wasn't exactly marching the ball down the field with 5.9 yards per attempt, but the running game helped quell some of those early offensive problems. Paul Perkins tallied 126 yards on 24 carries, including a 58-yard scamper to set up Neuheisel's touchdown throw to Nate Iese. Jordon James took eight totes for 69 yards, and do-it-all linebacker Myles Jack had a few important carries. 

As the L.A. Daily News' Jack Wang noted, it was a career night for Perkins:

But he wasn't the only sophomore to impress. While Texas' Tyrone Swoopes, filling in for David Ash under center, only tallied 196 yards through the air, he made plays when they were needed. 

In the second quarter, he orchestrated a 62-yard touchdown drive to give the Longhorns an early lead. He made several plays outside of the pocket, drawing comparisons to a certain legendary Texas QB, via former NFL scout John Middlekauff:

Then, after UCLA's defense had buckled down for the majority of the second half and UCLA had recaptured the lead, Swoopes put together an 80-yard touchdown drive in just four minutes, finding John Harris on a perfectly timed throw to put the Longhorns ahead by four with 5:13 remaining. 

The roller-coaster ride wasn't done there, though. 

After a huge punt return from the electric Ish Adams, Neuheisel delivered a perfect 33-yard touchdown throw to Jordan Payton, who had freed himself on a knee-buckling double move. 

ESPN's Travis Haney praised the QB:

UCLA's defense held on the subsequent drive to pull out the victory, leading to this wonderful moment after the game, via Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg:

Fortunately for both teams dealing with injuries and inconsistent play, they each get next Saturday off before beginning conference play. The Bruins head to Arizona State on Thursday, September 25, while the Longhorns go to Kansas two days later. 

There are obviously kinks to iron out in the meantime, but each team can certainly feel a little more confident about its quarterback depth once the starters are healthy again.