UCLA's Paul Perkins Enters Heisman Conversation with Monster Game vs. BYU

PASADENA, Calif. — Hours after the sun had set on the San Gabriel Mountains, UCLA fans at the Rose Bowl were coming to the realization that they had seen this story unfold before their eyes before.

Here the Bruins were, on the ropes against an underrated team. They were being pushed and prodded and, most threatening to the final outcome, turning the ball over. This is when the team folds. This is when, yet again, the Bruins fail to get over that metaphorical hill and fall back to the level they've been at for most of recent memory.

And yet they didn't.

There was no collapse. No missed field goals in the final seconds or costly penalties to give the other team a second chance. There was no 4th-and-long to convert or Hail Mary to heave. There was simply a win, 24-23, over No. 19 BYU.

"We had to overcome a lot to win that game tonight. There was a lot of adversity," UCLA head coach Jim Mora said. "We had to overcome one of our players getting ejected from the game, three interceptions and one allowed onside kick. But we just stuck to what we feel like we do well, which is run the football and get after the passer."

Saturday night was billed as a battle between two freshmen quarterbacks in the Bruins' young star Josh Rosen and the Hail Mary-throwing Cougars phenom Tanner Mangum. But the true star of the show flew under the radar almost as swiftly as he burst toward the end zone.

Paul Perkins is used to it, though. He's been eclipsed in fame nearly his entire football-playing career—first in high school and later in college, by playing in the same backfield as record-setting quarterback Brett Hundley.

Danny Moloshok/Associated Press

Now, even when one would expect Perkins to be the star of the Bruins offense with Hundley in the NFL and a host of fresh faces, he is far from front and center. Despite rushing for 220 yards and a touchdown, Perkins' play was not discussed by UCLA fans streaming to the exits half as much as Rosen's three interceptions were.  

"Paul has had some pretty darn good games, but what I thought was impressive was the toughness that he ran with," Mora said. "I'm not surprised that Paul played that way. That's a really good football player. He's fun to watch, hard-nosed, gritty, determined...all those things."

That's why Perkins—not UCLA's true freshman quarterback or any veteran—is the team's Heisman Trophy candidate.

Perkins has kept the chains moving on offense through thick and thin during his two seasons as the primary ball-carrier for the team. And yet most college football fans could hardly pick him out of a lineup. Against BYU, he set career highs for carries and yards and wasn't even the main talking point.  

Heck, Perkins isn't even the most famous running back on his own team. That honor would belong to "runningbacker" Myles Jack, who only moonlights at tailback but came up with the game-sealing interception in the final minute to prevent any more heroics from Mangum and Co.

In postgame interviews, UCLA coaches and players were asked about Rosen's shaky 11-of-23 night by a roughly five-to-one margin over questions about Perkins. If there's anybody who can play the Rodney Dangerfield-esque "No respect" card, it's the redshirt junior.

Yet he shouldn't have to. Perkins is that good. It's time to stand up and take notice. The Cougars certainly did after he ran through and around their salty defensive unit.

"I've had a chance to coach some pretty good ones, like Ronnie Brown and Deuce McAllister and Cadillac Williams. I wouldn't trade Paul for anybody," Bruins offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said. "The guy only led the Pac-12 in rushing last year and ran for about 220 tonight against a team that was giving up 95 yards a game. I don't overlook him."

Pac-12 defenses won't. Heisman voters shouldn't.

The world may be infatuated with LSU's Leonard Fournette and Georgia's Nick Chubb, but out on the West Coast there's a little tailback who can run right with them.

This isn't the same old UCLA team this season. Paul Perkins is a big reason why.

You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.