UCLA GAME NOTES

https://uclabruins.com/documents/2022/12/27/Bowl_Release_20221223_FB.pdf

PITT GAME NOTES

https://uclabruins.com/documents/2022/12/27/Pitt_Sun_Bowl_Notes_12.20.22.pdf

SUN BOWL WEBSITE

GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Sun Bowl
Broadcast Time: 11 a.m. PT
Television: CBS
TV Talent: Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Jenny Dell (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Sports Network from IMG College): AM 570
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline)
SiriusXM: Ch. 133/Ch. 197
SXM App: Ch. 959
National Radio Talent (Bowl Season Radio): Brian Roth (play-by-play), Justin Fuente (analyst), Rachel Phillips (sideline)

THE MATCHUP
UCLA, ranked No. 18 in each of the three major polls following the end of the regular season, takes on Pittsburgh in the 89th Annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, to be televised by CBS at 11 a.m. PT. The Bruins will be making their fifth trip to El Paso, Texas (also 2013, 2005, 2000 and 1991). The Bruins feature the third-best total offense in the nation, churning out an average of 507.8 yards per game to go with the fourth-best rushing offense overall (246.3). Pitt owns the nation’s No. 17 total defense allowing an average of 319.7 yards per contest and the country’s seventh-best rushing defense (95.5). The Bruin IMG Radio Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over Bowl Season Radio, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.

The Bruins finished the regular season by posting their ninth victory of the season at California Nov. 25 and take aim at matching the school record for wins in El Paso. Nine previous UCLA teams have won 10 games in a season. The most recent team to reach 10 wins was the 2014 group, which went 10-3 after prevailing at the Valero Alamo Bowl.

AT A GLANCE
• UCLA (9-3) is looking to win 10 games for the first time since 2014 while becoming the 10th team in school history to tie the school record for wins in a season (previously 2014, 2013, 2005, 1998, 1997, 1988, 1987, 1982 and 1946).
• UCLA most recently played in a bowl game at the December 2017 Cactus Bowl. UCLA’s most recent bowl win came against Kansas State in the January 2015 Alamo Bowl.
• UCLA and Pittsburgh have met 14 times on the gridiron, with UCLA holding a 9-5 edge … the most recent meeting came in 1972, when QB Mark Harmon led the Bruins to a 38-28 win.
• UCLA came in at No. 18 in the final regular-season AP Top 25 … UCLA was ranked every week during November and December, a program first since 2014.
• QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson is one of two players in the FBS who has thrown for at least 25 touchdowns and run for at least 11 more (also Oregon’s Bo Nix).
• UCLA is one of four teams in the country (also Tennessee, Oregon and Washington) averaging at least 500 yards of total offense per game in 2022. The Bruins have exceeded the 500-yard mark in a game seven times this season (541 at California, 513 against USC, 571 at Arizona State, 523 versus Stanford, 502 versus Utah, 515 at Colorado and 626 versus Bowling Green).
• The Bruins are the only FBS team to have eclipsed 2,900 rushing yards while throwing for more than 3,100 yards this season.
• Thompson-Robinson rates fifth in the nation with a completion percentage of .698, is seventh in points responsible for (226) and ranks 17th nationally in passing efficiency at 156.6.
• UCLA is fourth in the nation in rushing offense (246.3 yards per game) and has rushed for more than 200 yards in each of its last five games and nine times overall this season … a UCLA team most recently rushed for more than 200 yards in nine games during the 1995 campaign … the last time one did so in nine regular season games was 1976 (10 plus a bowl game).
• Thompson-Robinson needs to throw for 285 yards to move past current all-time school passing yards leader Cade McNown (1995-98), who threw for 10,708 yards in his Bruin career. Thompson-Robinson finished the regular season with 10,424 passing yards, moving past Brett Hundley (2011-14) and into second place during the USC game.
• This season, Thompson-Robinson has become the program’s all-time leader in total offense (12,236 yards), completions (844), touchdown passes (86), quarterback starts (47) and touchdowns accounted for (113).
• DB Stephan Blaylock and OL Atonio Mafi each played in his 55th career game at California to up the school record for games played.
• RB Zach Charbonnet leads the nation in all-purpose yards (168.00 per game) … he had a streak of 10 straight Pac-12 games played with at least one score and eight straight with 100 yards gained snapped against USC … he leads the Pac-12 in rushing yards per game (135.9) and has eight 100-yard rushing games this season … he is the only Pac-12 performer averaging more than 100 yards a game on the ground this season … he is averaging 6.97 yards per carry this season, which is fourth in the nation.

MOST RECENT MEETINGS
In the most recent meeting of the programs, UCLA followed up a season-opening 20-17 win against two-time defending national champion Nebraska with a 38-28 verdict over Pittsburgh on Sept. 16, 1972. Quarterback Mark Harmon opened the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run. The Bruins racked up 406 rushing yards on the day while running for five scores.They held off a Pitt rally after jumping out to a 24-0 halftime advantage. James McAlister (1 yard) and Rob Scribner (63 yards) found the end zone in the first half, while Kermit Johnson (60 yards) and Gary Campbell (3 yards) crossed the goal line in the second. Efren Herrera added a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter to complete the Bruin scoring.

TEAM NOTES
• UCLA has captured wins in eight of its past 10 games played away from Rose Bowl Stadium.
• UCLA (6,094) has reached the 6,000-yard mark in total offense for just the fourth time in school history … 6,531 yards in 2012 is the school record … it had most recently reached the 6,000-yard mark for a season in 2015 (6,055).
• UCLA (3,138) has surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in rushing offense for just the fifth time in school history … 4,403 yards in 1973 is the school record … it had most recently reached the 3,000-yard mark for a season in 1976 (3,978).
• UCLA has 3,138 passing yards and 2,956 rushing yards. No other FBS team had reached both totals through the end of the regular season.
• UCLA is averaging 507.8 yards of offense this season … the school record for a season is 487.25, set in 1998.
• This would be the seventh season out of nine that a Chip Kelly-coached team has averaged better than 200 yards rushing for a season … it would be the fifth time one of his teams has ranked among the top 10 rushing offenses.
• UCLA is averaging 39.6 points per game … it has averaged 40 points per game for a season twice before — 42.7 in 1973 and 40.8 in 1954.
• Top-20 Bruin NCAA rankings: Total Offense – third (507.8 yards per game), Rushing Offense – fourth (246.3 yards per game), Completion Percentage – fourth (.698), 3rd Down Conversion Pct – sixth (.510), Scoring Offense – 10th (39.6 points per game), Team Passing Efficiency – 15th (156.77), Tackles For Loss Allowed – 18th (4.25 per game).
• UCLA has forced at least one turnover in 13 of its past 15 games … the Bruins have forced a total of one turnover in their three 2022 losses … UCLA is +27 turnovers in wins and -29 in losses overall under head coach Chip Kelly… in 2021, UCLA was +5 in turnovers for the season, but committed seven of its 14 turnovers in its four 2021 losses … in its four 2020 losses, UCLA committed 12 of its 13 turnovers on the season.
• UCLA’s turnover margin is +8 in games it has won this season and -5 in losses.
• The Bruins are ranked third in the NCAA (second in Pac-12) in total offense (507.8 yards per game) … UCLA compiled 626 yards of total offense in its win against Bowling Green, the most since it racked up 657 in a 2019 comeback win at Washington State. Three times in Coach Kelly’s Bruin tenure has one of his teams recorded 600 or more yards (also 609 at USC in 2021).
• UCLA is rated 88th in the nation (sixth in Pac-12) in total defense (399.8 yards per game) … it held BGSU to 162 yards of total offense in the opener (39 rushing, 125 passing) … it marked the first time UCLA held a team under 200 yards since its 2020 game against California (176). The last time a UCLA defense limited an opponent to fewer than 162 yards of total offense was 2008, when Arizona State gained 122 yards (21 rushing, 101 passing).
• UCLA has scored eight touchdowns of 50 or more yards this season after producing three in 2021. Against BGSU, the the Bruins registered a Dorian Thompson-Robinson 68-yard run, a 52-yard catch and run by Keegan Jones from Thompson-Robinson and a 50-yard strike from Ethan Garbers to Josiah Norwood.The Bruins added a 70-yard pass play from Thompson-Robinson to Logan Loya against Utah. Kazmeir Allen raced 72 yards against Stanford and 75 more at Arizona State. Hudson Habermehl scored on a 51-yard pass play versus Arizona. Allen caught a 55-yard scoring pass against USC.
• UCLA was listed No. 18 in the final College Football Playoff rankings Dec. 4. It was the program’s 16th appearance in the ranking. The highest UCLA has ever been placed in the CFP rankings is No. 8 (Nov. 25, 2014).

For more, view the full UCLA football bowl release HERE.

COURTESY UCLA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS