This post was updated Sept. 4 at 10:23 p.m.
Dante Moore entered the game for his second drive in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The freshman quarterback had already found redshirt sophomore wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant earlier in the second quarter for a drive-saving 39-yard completion before recording his first collegiate passing touchdown.
“I had to give him (Sturdivant) the ball because I know he’s a playmaker,” Moore said.
And on just the fifth pass attempt of his career, Moore hit Sturdivant once more for a one-play, 62-yard touchdown drive – maintaining a lead his team wouldn’t relinquish.
The Bruins’ signal caller – who started the contest second on the depth chart – tallied two touchdowns en route to UCLA football’s (1-0) season-opening 27-13 victory over Coastal Carolina (0-1) at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. The win marks its third consecutive season-opening victory.
Coach Chip Kelly said the long touchdown was a much-needed boost for the team.
“Dante and J.Mike hooking up where our offense didn’t have a lot of good things going for a couple stretches there,” Kelly said. “For them to hook up on that big play, I thought that was a big answer on that drive.”
Junior running back Carson Steele was on the receiving end of Moore’s first touchdown – a 14-yard pass that gave the Bruins an 11-point lead late in the second quarter. The duo of Steele and Sturdivant – both transfers in their first season with the program – combined for 232 total yards and two receiving touchdowns in the contest.
Moore, however, was removed from the game after his first drive in favor of redshirt junior Ethan Garbers, who opened the contest with a touchdown drive of his own.
Garbers threw two interceptions following the first score, one in the end zone on the Bruins’ second offensive drive and another in the beginning of the second half after the Chanticleers reduced the lead to just one.
“You know, I’m a little dissatisfied in my performance. It is what it is, man,” Garbers said. “You go out there and you try to control what you can control and get the ball to amazing guys – and sometimes it just doesn’t go your way.”
Moore’s night was not without blemishes of its own, however. While being hit on a play halfway through the fourth quarter, the former five-star recruit was intercepted in the end zone by safety Clayton Isbell for his third of the contest.
But on the very next play, senior defensive back John Humphrey picked off Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall. The three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year’s second interception – the first of which was hauled in by redshirt sophomore defensive back Jaylin Davies – marked his first career multi-interception game.
Kelly said the defense against McCall was encouraging but still left something to be desired.
“For us to come in here and pick him twice, I think that’s really rare, and that’s never happened in his career. He’s a heck of a football player,” Kelly said. “I was pleased with how our guys played, but there’s a lot of things we need to clean up, and we’ll get back to work tomorrow (Sunday).”
Moore returned to the field once more, but UCLA settled for its first field goal – extending its margin to 11 to tie for the Bruins’ largest lead of the night.
Both offenses failed to earn a first down on their subsequent drives, but a turnover on downs from the Chanticleers kept the ball in range for senior kicker R.J. Lopez to notch a 47-yard field goal, extending the Bruins’ lead to 14 – where it would hold until the game’s conclusion.
Coastal Carolina’s third turnover of the game came on the next possession, with redshirt senior defensive lineman Carl Jones Jr. recovering McCall’s fumble after redshirt junior defensive lineman Gabriel Murphy sacked the Chanticleers’ field general for the second time in four plays.
Despite seven quarterback hurries and four sacks, the Bruins were charged with four offsides penalties, including two against junior defensive lineman Jay Toia. On the other side of the ball, UCLA’s offense invoked two false starts.
In total, the Bruins tallied eight penalties for 55 yards against three penalties for 42 yards for the Chanticleers – only one of which occurred during a play.
Kelly, who had announced earlier this week that Garbers, Moore and redshirt junior Collin Schlee would all see the field, only played the former two quarterbacks against Coastal Carolina. The Kent State transfer will see playing time in UCLA’s second game against San Diego State, Kelly said after Saturday’s contest.
Regardless of the week ahead, Moore said he’s grateful for his collegiate debut.
“I’m blessed to get 1-0, just get this win,” Moore said. “Living in the moment, it’s something that I stand on.”
