No. 19 UCLA football falls to Noah Fifita, Arizona – Orange County Register

TUCSON, Ariz. — UCLA left Tucson battered and bruised with a 27-10 loss Saturday night to upstart Arizona.

Arizona (6-3, 4-2 Pac-12) has defeated three ranked teams in consecutive games for the first time in program history. The Wildcats previously beat No. 19 Washington State and No. 11 Oregon State. The Bruins entered the game ranked No. 19 in the initial 2023 College Football Playoff rankings.

UCLA (6-3, 3-3) lost safety Kamari Ramsey, quarterback Ethan Garbers and defensive end Gabriel Murphy to leg injuries during the course of the game.

The Wildcats’ offense was efficient against UCLA’s defense, which entered the game rated No. 10 allowing 277.5 yards per game.

UCLA (6-3, 3-3) allowed Arizona 429 yards in total offense. The Wildcats were 11 of 16 in third-down conversion attempts.

The Bruins blew a scoring opportunity and an early chance at momentum after Alex Johnson made his fourth interception of the season in the first quarter.

Johnson took the pass from Noah Fifita to the Arizona 39 following a 37-yard return with 11:33 remaining in the quarter.

A holding call by tackle Bruno Fina, a Tucson native, negated an 11-yard run by Garbers to the Arizona 4.

The Bruins were pushed back to the 25-yard line instead.

UCLA coach Chip Kelly eventually was forced to call on new placekicker Blake Glessner to put the Bruins on the board.

Glessner’s 42-yard attempt sailed wide left, however.

RJ Lopez’s struggles (6 of 11 with his field goal attempts this season) forced the change at placekicker.

Glessner’s next attempt from 41 yards in the second quarter was blocked by Ephesians Prysock. Three of the Bruins’ attempts have been blocked in the last the last five games.

UCLA had at that point five consecutive missed field goal attempts over a three-game stretch.

Glessner’s 29-yard field goal with 2:28 left in the third quarter, that cut Arizona’s lead to 17-10, snapped that streak.

Arizona looked like it would lead 14-0 going into halftime following two touchdown passes by Fifita, a former Servite High School standout.

Fifita’s second scoring strike, a 9-yard connection with Jacob Cowing, occurred with 1:27 left in the first half.

UCLA proceeded to drive 75 yards in eight plays, finishing with Garbers’ 14-yard touchdown pass to Carsen Ryan with 3 seconds remaining before halftime.

Arizona took the first 6:45 off the clock in the second half before scoring on Tyler Loop’s 37-yard field goal to take a 17-7 lead.

Glessner’s 29-yarder culminated UCLA’s next drive that stalled at the 11 after it appeared that Garbers had a pass intercepted at the 1-yard line by Prysock, a Bishop Alemany product.

The rule was reversed when replays showed Garbers’ left knee on the ground when he passed the ball.

A replay benefitted Arizona on its next possession.

Tetairoa McMillan, also from Servite, was first ruled out of bounds when he caught an 11-yard pass from Fifita on the left side of the end zone.

The replay review deemed the catch a touchdown because McMillan controlled the ball while having one foot in the end zone.

Arizona led 24-10 with 14:37 remaining.

A blocked punt by Kaim Medrano gave UCLA life temporarily with 11:27 left.

The Bruins gained possession at the Arizona 31.