The 2022 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Chip Kelly and competed as members of the Pac-12 Conference. After starting the season 5âÂÂ0 for the first time since 2013, the Bruins made their first appearance of the season in the AP Poll at No. 18.
The Bruins added 6 players via transfer during the offseason:
This is the first meeting between the Falcons and the Bruins. Quarterbacking for Bowling Green is Matt McDonald, son of former USC All-American quarterback Paul McDonald. UCLA linebacker Shea Pitts is the son of former UCLA defensive back Ron Pitts (1981âÂÂ84).
27,143 people is the lowest attended game in UCLA history at the Rose Bowl, edging out 1992's Oregon State vs UCLA, which 32,513 people attended.
First game in program history against a FCS team.
Thompson-Robinson threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another touchdown as UCLA defeated No. 15 Washington 40âÂÂ32 for the Huskies' first loss of the year. The Bruins extended their winning streak to eight games, dating back to 2021.
UCLA won 42âÂÂ32 over No. 11 Utah, the highest-ranked opponent the Bruins had defeated under coach Kelly. Charbonnet finished with a career-high 198 yards rushing and a touchdown. Thompson-Robinson completed 76 career passing touchdowns, the most in UCLA history.
UCLA lost 45âÂÂ30 to No. 10 Oregon for their first loss of the season. After going up 17âÂÂ10 in the second quarter, the Ducks recovered an onside kick, a play they had practiced all week after spotting an opening in the Bruins' kickoff coverage. Oregon proceeded to score another touchdown to lead 24âÂÂ10.
UCLA lost 34âÂÂ28 to Arizona, who entered the game as -point underdogs. The Bruins surrendered 436 total yards and 6.7 yards per play to the Wildcats. UCLA had a chance to comeback on the final play of the game on 4th-and-10 from the Arizona 29-yard line. A scrambling Thompson-Robinson threw under pressure to an open Jake Bobo, who dove but was unable to catch the ball in the end zone.
UCLA played without running back-receiver Kazmeir Allen, who was out due to injury. Their streak of nine consecutive wins against unranked teams ended, while Arizona halted their eight-game road losing streak against ranked teams.
UCLA was eliminated from conference championship contention after losing 48âÂÂ45 to No. 7 USC. The Trojans gained 649 yards, the most the Bruins have allowed since giving up 720 yards to Washington State in 2019. USC quarterback Caleb Williams had 503 yards of total offense, passing for 470 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another. Thompson-Robinson threw for four touchdowns and also ran for two others, but he committed four turnovers, with the last of his three interceptions ending the game.
UCLA jumped ahead 14âÂÂ0 in the game, and held a 21âÂÂ20 lead at halftime. The teams exchanged touchdowns in the second half, ending the game with a combined 93 points, five turnovers and over 1,000 yards on offense. It was the first game in the history of their crosstown rivalry that both teams started Black quarterbacks. It was the first time that both teams were ranked entering the matchup since 2014.
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