UCLA vs. Arizona: Game Grades, Analysis for Bruins and Wildcats
Led by a pair of three-touchdown performances, the No. 9 UCLA Bruins manhandled the No. 16 Arizona Wildcats 56-30 on Saturday night in Tucson.
Arizona scored on its opening possession, but turnovers, Josh Rosen and Paul Perkins haunted Rich Rodriguez's team during the Pac-12 matchup.
| Pass Offense | A | A |
| Run Offense | A- | A |
| Pass Defense | B+ | A- |
| Run Defense | D+ | D |
| Special Teams | A | A- |
| Coaching | B+ | B |
Pass Offense: Following a pair of mediocre games, Rosen was impressive on Saturday. The offensive line regularly provided the true freshman a clean pocket, and he connected on 19 of 28 passes for 284 yards and two scores. Jordan Payton led UCLA with seven catches, 136 yards and a touchdown.
"RichRod on josh Rosen: “We didn’t get any pressure at all on him, so we let him get comfortable.”
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) September 27, 2015"
Run Offense: The Bruins weren't overly impressive on the ground, but they converted when it mattered. Perkins powered his way to 85 yards and three scores, while Rosen, Soso Jamabo and Nate Starks each tallied a rushing touchdown. Jamabo cleaned up in garbage time for a team-high 96 yards.
Pass Defense: Anu Solomon completed two passes for 46 yards on Arizona's first drive, and UCLA surrendered little else for the remainder of the game. The Bruins held Solomon, Jerrard Randall and Brandon Dawkins to a combined 10-of-28 mark, snagged one interception and registered two sacks.
"Welcome back, Ishmael Adams. First game of the year, picked off Arizona in the flats.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 27, 2015"
Run Defense: Despite all the positives for the team, UCLA couldn't do much against the run. Arizona gashed the Bruins for 354 yards on 59 attempts—an average of 6.0 yards per carry. The Bruins must figure out how to replace Eddie Vanderdoes and Myles Jack in the middle, and that won't be easy.
Special Teams: In a blowout like this, one key to eliminating chances for a miraculous comeback is strong special teams play. Arizona gained absolutely nothing on kick and punt returns, and Ka'imi Fairbairn nailed all eight extra points. Granted, Matt Mengel's 36.8 yards per punt could use some improvement.
Coaching: After the game, per Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News, head coach Jim Mora said "nothing" impressed him about the UCLA defense. That might be a little harsh, but the Bruins certainly need to work on stopping the run. Fortunately for Mora and Co., the offense capitalized on its opportunities and led the Bruins to victory.
| Pass Offense | C | D |
| Run Offense | B+ | A- |
| Pass Defense | D+ | D |
| Run Defense | C- | D |
| Special Teams | B- | C- |
| Coaching | C | C- |
Pass Offense: The threat of Arizona's passing game vanished when Solomon disappeared into the tunnel after an apparent head injury. Randall could only throw a fastball, and it wasn't effective. Nate Phillips and David Richards reeled in the touchdowns.
Run Offense: Nick Wilson racked up 136 yards, Randall scampered for 128, Jared Baker added 59 in mop-up duty and Solomon managed 47 before exiting the contest. The Wildcats—who finished with 354 yards on the ground—will undoubtedly lean on the running game if Solomon is sidelined next week.
Pass Defense: Excluding the opening drive of the second half, Arizona simply couldn't get pressure on Rosen. Tellas Jones and Luca Bruno each tallied a sack, but UCLA receivers didn't encounter many issues getting open before the Wildcats could disrupt Rosen.
Run Defense: Although Arizona held the Bruins to a not-terrible 4.5 yards per carry, the run defense failed to stand tall in the red zone all night long. Rich Rodriguez's squad gave up six touchdowns in the precursor to a meeting with Stanford's power-run offense next weekend. It might get ugly.
Special Teams: Drew Riggleman blasted a 54-yard punt and posted an average of 49 yards, so at least the Wildcats had that going for them. Casey Skowron, on the other hand, didn't turn enough on a 29-yard field goal and shanked an extra point.
Coaching: Solomon's injury didn't help Rodriguez call the Arizona offense, but a botched snap, a fumble and an interception each turned into a UCLA touchdown. The Wildcats struggled with a variety of fundamentals, and those shortcomings will haunt the coaching staff on film.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
-(2).jpg?w=600 "SmackDown Grades Before Night Of Champions")
