UCLA upends No. 16 Nebraska, 36-30

UCLA 36, Nebraska 30 (final)

The Bruins were able to finish off the victory over the No. 16 Cornhuskers in convincing style when Johnathan Franklin broke loose for a big gain and a first down with a minute left at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Brett Hundley, a highly touted redshirt freshman quarterback, passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns, three to tight end Joseph Fauria, and Johnathan Franklin rushed for 217 yards in 26 carries to lead the Bruins to their second consecutive victory.

Hundley completed 21 of 31 passes with no interceptions. He also rushed for 54 yards in 12 carries.

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez completed 17 of 31 passes for 179 yards with one interception. He also rushed for 111 yards in 13 carries, scoring a touchdown.

Ameer Abdullah led the Cornhuskers (1-1) with 118 yards in 16 carries, scoring twice.

UCLA 36, Nebraska 30 (1:38 left to play)

The Cornhuskers got a 40-yard field goal from Brett Maher to close their deficit to a touchdown.

But the Bruins recovered the onside kick and can run out the clock with a first down since Nebraska only has one timeout left.

UCLA 36, Nebraska 27 (2:13 left in the fourth quarter)

It’s all but over now after Johnathan Franklin took a short pass and turned it into an eight-yard touchdown play to help give the Bruins a nine-point lead.

Nebraska was trying to drive into UCLA territory with less than three minutes to play when Andrew Abbott intercepted a pass by Taylor Martinez to put the Bruins in control of the clock and the game.

They wasted no time driving into scoring position before Brett Hundley connected with Franklin.

UCLA 29, Nebraska 27 (6:49 left in the fourth quarter)

UCLA wasted another scoring opportunity when freshman Ka’imi Fairbairn missed his second field-goal attempt of the game, this one from 34 yards.

Johnathan Franklin broke off a 54-yard run on a lateral play.

Franklin has rushed for 192 yards in 24 carries.

UCLA 29, Nebraska 27 (8:44 left in the fourth quarter)

Datone Jones of UCLA burst through the line to drop Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez in the end zone for a safety to give UCLA the lead.

UCLA had decided to punt the ball on fourth and one from the Nebraska 42. Jeff Locke’s punt gave the Cornhuskers’ the ball on the five-yard line.

That’s when Jones charged through the Nebraska line as Martinez was faking a handoff.

Nebraska 27, UCLA 27 (12:12 left in the fourth quarter)

Nebraska started the fourth quarter on its own nine-yard line and drove to the Bruins’ 19 when Mike Marrow was dropped for a one-yard loss on third and one.

Brett Maher, who had made two long field goals, missed on a 37-yard attempt.

Johnathan Franklin of UCLA has rushed for 138 yards in 23 carries.

The attendance at the Rose Bowl was announced as 71,530.

Nebraska 27, UCLA 27 (end of the third quarter)

The third quarter has ended, and UCLA’s defense has begun to have success stopping Nebraska’s ground attack. Linebacker Jordan Zumwalt dropped Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez for a loss to force a punt in the quarter.

UCLA drove to the Nebraska 20 and tried a fake field goal on fourth down. A pass from Richard Brehaut fell incomplete.

Nebraska 27, UCLA 27 (7:45 left in the third quarter)

Brett Maher’s second long field goal of the night, this one from 43 yards, has allowed Nebraska to tie UCLA.

A 15-yard facemask penalty on UCLA cornerback Aaron Hester on a third-down incompletion helped the Cornhuskers keep the drive alive.

UCLA 27, Nebraska 24 (11:50 left in the third quarter)

On the first offensive play of the third quarter, Tevin McDonald of UCLA recovered a fumble by Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah on UCLA’s 27-yard line.

The Bruins ended up settling for a 22-yard field goal by Ka’imi Fairbairn to take the lead.

Richard Brehaut replaced Brett Hundley at quarterback after Hundley injured his right ankle on a nine-yard run. Brehaut threw three consecutive incompletions after UCLA had a first and goal at the Conrhuskers’ four.

Hundley has returned to the field for UCLA.

Update

Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley left the game with a right ankle injury.

Trainers are taping the ankle on the sidelines.

Richard Brehaut is in at quarterback.

Hundley injured his leg at the end of a run in Nebraska territory. As defenders converged to stop him, he appeared to try to slide underneath them but his cleats caught in the ground.

Nebraska 24, UCLA 24 (halftime)

UCLA called two timeouts trying to rattle Nebraska kicker Brett Maher, but he boomed a 54-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter to send both teams into the locker room with the score tied at halftime.

Nebraska’s defense stopped Johnathan Franklin on a third-and-one play from the UCLA 19 for no gain to force a punt with 40 seconds left. Taylor Martinez then drove the Huskers from the Nebraska 42 to the UCLA 21.

On a bad snap, Martinez came up with the ball and tried to get rid of it before being sacked by Anthony Barr. The ball was intercepted by Datone Jones, but after a replay review, it was ruled Martinez’s knee was downed on the 37 with three seconds left.

Maher then kicked a 54-yard field goal on his first chance, but it was not allowed because UCLA had called a timeout before the kick. The Bruins called a second timeout. Then Maher made it again, and this time it counted.

The two teams have combined for 705 yards in total offense. UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley has completed 13 of 17 passes for 201 yards. Martinez has completed 13 of 17 passes for 149 yards and rushed for 102 yards.

Nebraska gets the ball on the opening kickoff of the second half.

UCLA 24, Nebraska 21 (3:49 left in the second quarter)

UCLA’s offense answered the latest challenge. Quarterback Brett Hundley found redshirt freshman Steven Manfro down the middle for a 49-yard touchdown pass play.

Hundley has completed 13 of 17 passes for 201 yards.

Nebraska 21, UCLA 17 (5:07 left in the second quarter)

Sophomore running back Ameer Abdullah of Nebraska is making people wonder why he has been a backup. He scored on a 17-yard run to help Nebraska regain the lead. He has rushed for 74 yards in nine carries and scored two touchdowns.

Nebraska went on a 87-yard drive in seven plays. Abdullah had a 25-yard run during the drive.

Conrhuskers quarterback Taylor Martinez has completed eight of 11 passes for 89 yards.

UCLA 17, Nebraska 14 (7:55 left in the second quarter)

UCLA’s Joseph Fauria used his 6-foot-7 frame to shield himself from Nebraska’s Daimion Stafford and catch a four-yard touchdown pass from Brett Hundley to move the Bruins back on top at a noisy Rose Bowl.

It was a 58-yard, six-play drive that featured a 36-yard run by Johnathan Franklin.

It was Fauria’s second TD catch of the day and came on third-and-goal play.

Nebraska 14, UCLA 10 (12:31 left in the second quarter)

Freshman Ka’imi Fairbairn made a 35-yard field goal after UCLA had an eight-yard touchdown pass from Brett Hundley to Jerry Johnson nullified because of offensive pass interference.

UCLA’s offense is showing versatility and turning to a variety of players in support of Hundley. Devin Lucien had a 24-yard reception.

Nebraska had 184 yards in total offense in the first quarter, including 139 yards rushing, and continues to put pressure on UCLA’s defense.

Nebraska 14, UCLA 7 (2:24 left in first quarter)

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez ran 92 yards for a touchdown on an option play. It was the third TD run of 80 or more yards in his career.

Nebraska 7, UCLA 7 (7:00 left in first quarter)

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez showed his improvement as a passer, guiding the Huskers on a 75-yard, six-play drive, with Ameer Abdullah scoring on a six-yard run.

Martinez connected with Kenny Bell on a 36-yard pass play down the middle.

UCLA came back with another drive, but Jordon James lost the ball on a fumble at the Nebraska 13.

UCLA 7, Nebraska 0 (9:08 left in first quarter)

Following a 13-yard Nebraska punt, UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Fauria.

Fauria has caught two passes this season -- both for touchdowns. Nebraska was called for holding on the play.

It was a well-designed play that featured a couple of fake handoffs, with the 6-foot-7 Fauria going down the left sideline.

UCLA 0, Nebraska 0 (9:14 left in first quarter)

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley guided the Bruins to Nebraska’s 18-yard line on an opening drive, but freshman Ka’imi Fairbairn missed wide left on a 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Hundley completed five of six passes for 43 yards.

Hundley started the drive with a long pass attempt to Shaquelle Evans that resulted in pass interference.

Update

UCLA cornerback Sheldon Price and Y-back Darius Bell are not in uniform for warmups before today’s game against Nebraska at the Rose Bowl.

Price, a senior starter, missed two days of practice this week with an undisclosed injury.

If he is unavailable, the Bruins will have to rely on freshmen Ishmael Adams and Marcus Rios, or shift Andrew Abbott from safety.

Bell, a junior, is listed as the team’s starting Y-back. He missed practice this week with what is believed to be a concussion.