Nebraska runs past UCLA for Foster Farms Bowl win
Even after falling behind UCLA 21-7 late in the first half, Nebraska remained committed to the run.
It paid off.
The Huskers used a power ground attack to tie the score 21-21 at half and went on to pull off a 37-29 upset over the Bruins in the Foster Farms Bowl. Nebraska, one of three teams with a 5-7 record to reach a bowl game, rushed for a season-high 326 yards in the win, spreading the carries among nine players.
Freshman Devine Ozigbo, who entered the game with 129 yards on 18 carries all season, rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries, both team highs. Additionally, quarterback Tommy Armstrong (76 yards on 10 carries), fullback Andy Janovich (31 yards on six carries) and running backs Imani Cross (62 yards on 16 carries) and Terrell Newby (22 yards on four carries) each added a touchdown in the win.
UCLA, which was a win away from clinching the Pac-12 South a few weeks ago, looked like the better team early on. The Bruins marched right down the field on their first drive and scored twice on Josh Rosen touchdown passes early in the second quarter to build a 21-7 lead.
From then on out, it was all Nebraska. Touchdown runs from Newby and Janovich tied things up going into the half.
And after the run game moved the Huskers deep into UCLA territory on the opening drive of the second half, the much-maligned Armstrong went to the air and found Stanley Morgan in the corner of the end zone for a beautiful one-handed touchdown catch, giving the Huskers a 27-21 lead.
The lead expanded to 37-21 following a Drew Brown field goal and a three-yard Armstrong touchdown run, but UCLA did not go down quietly.
Rosen, a standout true freshman, threw his third touchdown of the game on a perfectly placed pass to Jordan Payton with 11:29 remaining.
That touchdown, plus a two-point conversion, cut the Nebraska lead to 37-29. UCLA had two more opportunities to tie the score, but the Huskers defense stood tall, forcing a missed field goal and sealing the win when Chris Jones intercepted Rosen in the end zone.
Mike Riley’s first season as Nebraska (6-7) head coach was a bumpy one, but this win ends it on a good note. On top of that, it’s something to build on for the Huskers moving forward.
With Armstrong throwing 16 interceptions on the season, Riley opted to go with a heavy ground attack – one that Armstrong was heavily involved in – to counter the Bruins’ pass-heavy style. Armstrong threw the ball only 19 times compared to the team’s 62 rushing attempts and the results were obvious. Aside from a fumble, Armstrong played one of his best games of the year, throwing for 174 yards and adding 76 on the ground.
He’ll be back in 2016 as a senior.
For UCLA (8-5), the loss is a fitting end to what was another underachieving season. The Bruins were 8-3 heading into the season finale against USC with a shot at the Pac-12 South on the line. Instead, the Bruins were trounced 40-21 by the Trojans, dropping them from a shot at the Rose Bowl down to the Foster Farms Bowl in a mostly empty NFL stadium against a 5-7 Big Ten team.
At least Jim Mora has Josh Rosen coming back for two more years.
For more Nebraska news, visit HuskerOnline.com.
For more UCLA news, visit BruinSportsReport.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
