Road warriors: Stanford caps trip with win over UCLA in 2 OT
Associated Press
PASADENA, Calif. – Davis Mills threw for 428 yards and three touchdowns, including a 14-yard score to Simi Fehoko in the second overtime, as Stanford defeated UCLA 48-47 at the Rose Bowl Saturday night in the season finale for both teams.
The win capped a long three-week road trip for Stanford (4-2), which had to leave campus after Santa Clara County prohibited contact sports due to COVID-19.
After Fehoko’s TD, the Bruins got the ball one more time. Chase Griffin, who came on for the injured Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the second quarter, threw a 21-yard touchdown to Kyle Phillips on fourth-and-18. UCLA (3-4) went for the 2-point conversion, but Brittain Brown was stopped short of the end zone.
Mills, who completed 32 of 47 passes, bounced back from three second-half interceptions, including a 39-yard pick-6 to Jay Shaw that gave UCLA a 34-20 lead with 5:39 remaining. But the Cardinal scored on their final two drives to force overtime
All three of Mills’ TD passes were to Fehoko, including a 21-yarder with 18 seconds remaining in regulation. Fehoko finished with 16 receptions for 230 yards.
Griffin – who played in his third game of the season – completed 9 of 11 passes for 127 yards and four touchdowns. The sophomore directed the Bruins to scores on their first four second-half possessions.
Brown, a graduate transfer from Duke, had a career-high 219 yards. Eight of his 29 carries were for 10 yards or more as he got the bulk of the work with senior Demetric Felton not playing.
Thompson-Robinson suffered a right knee injury late in the first half, ending his night. He was in street clothes and on crutches when the Bruins came out for the second half.
After Keegan Jones’ 9-yard run brought the Bruins within 20-10 early in the third quarter, Griffin connected with a wide open Craig Dulcich from 17 yards and then Chase Cota on a 23-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter to give UCLA the lead.
Both of Griffin’s touchdown passes were the result of UCLA interceptions. Elijah Gates’ pick of Davis Mills midway through the third quarter was the first one thrown by the Stanford senior in 222 pass attempts. It took only two throws before he was intercepted again, this time by Mo Osling.
After Nicholas Barr-Mira’s 31-yard field goal and Shaw’s INT return, Stanford began its own rally. Fehoko’s 11-yard TD catch brought Stanford within a touchdown. UCLA recovered the onside kick but turned it over with 1:38 remaining when Griffin fumbled at the Stanford 28, setting the stage for the game-tying drive.
Stanford led 20-3 at halftime after scoring on their first two drives and three of their four first-half possessions. Austin Jones had a pair of 1-yard runs and Isaiah Sanders scored on a 2-yard keeper. The Cardinal’s only blemish was when Jet Toner missed an extra point after Sanders’ TD, snapping a streak of 112 consecutive makes.