Taylor’s touchdown with 27 seconds remaining rallies Minnesota to 21-17 victory over UCLA
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Darius Taylor scored two touchdowns, including a 4-yard touchdown reception with 27 seconds remaining as Minnesota rallied for a 21-17 victory over UCLA Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
The Gophers (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) got the ball back with 2:20 remaining and went 61 yards in seven plays. Max Brosmer completed four of six passes for 43 yards on the drive, including the TD.
Brosmer was 26 of 37 for 193 yards and two touchdowns on the night. Daniel Jackson had 10 receptions for 89 yards and Koi Perich had two interceptions.
Ethan Garbers threw for 293 yards as the Bruins (1-5, 0-4) lost their fifth straight and are still looking for their first win in the Big Ten.
UCLA appeared to be on the verge of snapping its losing streak when Garbers completed a 42-yard touchdown to J.Michael Sturdivant with 6:54 remaining. It led most of the game, but was unable to hold it in the final minute.
After Minnesota’s touchdown, the Bruins drove to the Minnesota 49-yard line, but Garbers Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game was picked off by Perich at the goal line.
Minnesota trailed 10-0 at halftime but took the lead with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 1-yard run by Perich midway through the period to give them a 14-10 advantage.
Garbers, who missed last week’s game at Penn State due to an ankle injury, was 25 of 36 with a touchdown and three interceptions. The senior started off hot, as he completed 10 of his first 11 passes for 110 yards.
Garbers was able put the Bruins back on top midway through the fourth quarter. He had a clean pocket and Sturdivant got separation from Minnesota cornerback Ethan Robinson before catching it in the end zone for his first touchdown of the season.
After Minnesota got the opening kickoff and went three-and-out on its opening drive, UCLA scored on its first possession for the third time this season when Keegan Jones took a direct snap on first-and-goal and barreled up the middle from 1 yard.
It was only the third time in six games that the Bruins had been in the lead and the first since the second quarter at LSU on Sept. 21.
UCLA went into halftime with a 10-0 advantage after Mateen Bhaghani added a 34-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. T.J. Harden got the Bruins into field goal range with a 32-yard reception on a screen pass where he made five Minnesota players miss tackles.
Elijah Spencer got the Gophers on the board with 10:33 remaining in the third quarter on a 12-yard reception from Max Brosmer. On third-and-7, Spencer caught it near the left sideline at the UCLA 5 and went untouched into the end zone.
Minnesota got the ball back two plays later when Perich picked off Garbers at the UCLA 38 on a pass intended for Moliki Matavao. The Gophers converted the turnover into points on Taylor’s run up the middle
The takeaway
Minnesota: The Gophers have a flair for dramatic victories against new members of the Big 10. They defeated USC 24-17 last week on a Brosmer 1-yard keeper with 56 seconds remaining.
UCLA: The Bruins are the sixth Power Five team since 2000 who haven’t scored 20 points in their first six games. The last to do that was Colorado in 2022 when it failed to reach 20 in its first seven games.
Up next
Minnesota: Off next week before hosting Maryland on Oct. 26.
UCLA: at Rutgers next Saturday.
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