UCLA Closes Out Regular Season with Win Over California, 42-14

PASADENA, Calif. – UCLA rallied from an early deficit on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl, scoring 32 unanswered points for a 42-14 win over California to close out the regular season. 

The Bruins (8-4, 6-3 South Division) improved to 57-34-1 all-time against the Golden Bears (4-7, 3-5 North Division). UCLA clinched a tie for second place in the South with the win, which is the Bruins' highest finish since it tied for second in the 2014 season (also with a 6-3 record). UCLA also finished the month of November at 3-0 for the first time since 1998.

UCLA improved to 8-0 on the year when rushing for 200 or more yards. The Bruins finished with 282 rushing yards against the Pac-12's top rushing defense (122.0 yards per game), led by Zach Charbonnet's 106-yard effort on 22 carries and one touchdown. Charbonnet also had a game-high-tying six receptions for 41 yards for team-high 147 all-purpose yards. It was Charbonnet's seventh 100-yard rushing game this season, which leads all Pac-12 players. The last time a Bruin had more than seven was UCLA's all-time leading rusher Johnathan Franklin, who had a school-record nine in 2012.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson completed 19 of 28 passes for 164 yards, threw three touchdowns (with no interceptions), and added 102 rushing yards on 13 carries against Cal.

Kazmeir Allen finished as the Bruins' third-leading rusher with 56 yards on just three carries and one touchdown.

Trailing 14-10 after a Chase Garbers one-yard TD run at the 7:00 mark of the second quarter, the Bruins began the come-from-behind win with a 13-play, 64-yard touchdown drive that took 6:29 off the clock and was capped by an 8-yard TD run by Allen to put the Bruins up 17-14 after the PAT. That score would hold as the total at halftime.

After opening the third quarter with a three-and-out, the Bruins scored 10 points on the final two drives to pull away from the Golden Bears, leading 27-14 heading into the fourth quarter. The third quarter touchdown was a Thompson-Robinson to Greg Dulcich connection for 29 yards. Dulcich also finished with six receptions and a game-high 86 receiving yards.

UCLA increased its cushion to 42-14 at the 8:53 mark in the fourth quarter with back-to-back touchdown drives to open the final stanza. The first drive (six plays, 80 yards, 2:19) culminated in a one-yard TD run by Charbonnet. The second drive (seven plays, 56 yards, 2:41) ended with a four-yard touchdown strike from Thompson-Robinson to Kyle Philips.

For Philips, it was his fourth game of the season with multiple receiving touchdowns. He finished the game with six catches for 32 yards and two touchdowns.

Last week the Golden Bears racked up 636 total yards of offense in their 41-11 win at Stanford. Tonight, the Bruins' defense held California to just 217 yards, including only 67 yards in the second half. California entered the game with the Pac-12's top-ranked scoring defense (21.1 points per game). The Bruins' 42 points are the most against the Golden Bears this season. The Bruins ended the game with 446 yards of total offense.

The Bruins now await to find out their bowl game fate, as the selection show will be televised on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 5.