Field Level Media
Sep 1, 2018
Cincinnati halfback Michael Warren II rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns and the Bearcats upset the UCLA Bruins 26-17 at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, spoiling UCLA coach Chip Kelly's return to college football.
Warren scored on three 1-yard runs, two in the second quarter after the Bruins had taken a 10-0 lead, and the last with 1:44 remaining, when coach Luke Fickell opted to run on fourth-and-goal after UCLA was called for an illegal substitution penalty as the Bearcats lined up for a potential field goal.
Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder completed 13-of-24 passes for 100 yards and rushed for 63 yards after entering late in the first period when starter Hayden Moore fumbled when sacked. Moore did not return.
UCLA starting quarterback Wilton Speight completed 8-of-12 passes for 45 yards before being knocked out of the game late in the second quarter when he suffered an apparent back injury while scrambling. Speight, a graduate transfer from Michigan, missed time with a back injury last season.
True freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson completed 15-of-25 passes for 45 yards after replacing Speight.
The Bruins took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Bolu Olorunfunmi and a 47-yard field goal by JJ Molson. Olorunfunmi scored four plays after Moore fumbled while being sacked.
Ridder, in competition for the starting job in fall camp, led the Bearcats to 17 consecutive points in the second quarter for a 17-10 halftime lead.
The Bearcats' Cole Smith hit a 24-yard field goal to cap an 80-yard drive before Warren scored on 1-yard runs to capped the next two drives.
UCLA freshman Kazmeir Allen had five carries for 103 yards, and his 74-yard run tied the game at 17 early in the third quarter.
Kelly was 46-7 in four seasons at Oregon before spending the last four seasons in the NFL with Philadelphia and San Francisco.
UCLA will play at No. 7 Oklahoma on Saturday. The Sooners beat Florida Atlantic 63-14 in their season opener Saturday.
--Field Level Media