“These games groom us for conference play,” linebacker Myles Jack said. “We know we need to fight for four quarters”.
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This could make it a defining moment as the No. 9 Bruins head into Pac-12 play.
“As a quarterback, you learn to love these situations”, said Mangum, who didn’t get back from his mission until June. The good thing for UCLA is that Payton brought his “A” game earning 59 tough yards and 1 touchdown reception.
It doesn’t help Mangum’s case that the Cougars defense has let up huge chunks of yardage and points and required late-game heroics from their quarterback to bail them out. Against BYU, only five receivers got some action with Jordan Payton being the only effective weapon.
On the final BYU offensive play of the game, a fourth-and-7 from the Bruin 42-yard line, Mendenhall credited the UCLA defense for keeping the Cougars from making something happen. Josh Rosen completed 22 of 42 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown to lead the Bruins. He completed 11 of 23 passes for 106 yards.
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen celebrates after the NCAA college…
Against UCLA, Mangum also showed his elite arm strength, which allows his gunslinging ability to become a productive force for this offense. Last week he finished 30-of-47 for 244 yards, including 1-for-4 passing while moving toward the right sideline. After a quick three-and-out, leading tackler Kenny Young was ejected for targeting and BYU marched down the field behind running back Adam Hine. UCLA also might be reminded of the last time they played the Cougars – a 59-0 loss in 2008, which remains the largest margin of victory by a non-Power 5 school over a Power-5. Anae said Taysom Hill, who was lost for the season against Nebraska, had developed over the years to the point where they were ready to “take the roof off”.
Mangum has thrown for 420 yards on the season with a 10.77 yard per attempt average while having amassed a passer rating of 167.1. First USC, then Alabama, and now UCLA neared being upset.
Series Record: UCLA leads 7-3.
Rosen, meanwhile, seemed confused and, at times, slow to pick up receivers.
Mangum, however, ranks No. 65 in the nation in completion percentage (61.5) and has one fewer interceptions (2) than touchdowns (3). Linebacker Harvey Langi intercepted Rosen twice in the first half.
UCLA has a new quarterback in the ranks and he is a true freshman. After a four-yard scamper, he punched the ball into the end zone from three yards out. The Bruins’ duo of running backs amassed 300 net rushing yards.
What was obvious was this: Paul Perkins was faster than just about everybody on BYU’s defense, a fact that was substantiated time and again. “He has two 44-yard runs, one of which set up a 35-yard field goal by Ka”imi Fairbairn to cut BYU”s lead to, 7-3, early in the second quarter. While we are only two weeks in to the 2015 season, we have already seen enough to identify a handful of rising stars that have really set the tone early on. Rosen scrambled on third down and put a pass up for grabs that Manoa Pikula.
That allowed the Cougars to hold the ball for 40:37 of gametime to UCLA’s 19:23.
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The Bruins, though, found a way in the end. When he gets out of the pocket he makes plays down the field. Last month, he praised Perkins and said he was eager to learn and grow in his understudy role. However, BYU has given up seven sacks, more than all but six other FBS teams.
