The No. 12 UCLA Bruins staved off an upset attempt by the Utah Utes with a 34-27 victory in a back-and-forth game on Thursday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
UCLA vs. Utah 2013 final score: Bruins hold on for 34-27 win
The Bruins won their Pac-12 opener with a tough road battle with Utah in Salt Lake City.
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Utah pulled to within seven points with 2:18 remaining, then recovered an onside kick to make things interesting. The Utes marched the ball down to the 23-yard line on their final drive but an interception by Myles Jack ended their hopes.
Utes quarterback Travis Wilson completed 22-of-43 passes on for 288 yards and two touchdowns for Utah, but also threw six interceptions.
A 47-yard field goal by Ka'imi Fairbairn with 8:54 remaining in the fourth quarter broke a 24-24 tie for the Bruins, then quarterback Brett Hundley scrambled 36 yards for a rushing touchdown for a 10-point lead with 3:40 left in the game. Hundley's touchdown marked the first time in the game that either team led by more than seven points.
UCLA improved to 4-0 on the season for the first time since 2005 with the win in their Pac-12 opener. The Bruins lead the all-time series against the Utes 10-2.
Box Score Hero: Hundley threw for 211 yards and ran for 85 more on the ground. The sophomore quarterback completed 17-of-27 passes in the win.
Rankings Ramifications: UCLA was ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and No. 13 in the USA Today coaches poll, and should remain reasonably close to their current positions with the victory.
But Did They Cover? The Bruins were favored by 6½ points per Odds Shark, and just barely covered.
For More On This Game: Keep up with UCLA at Bruins Nation, and follow Utah at Block U.
Next Week’s Schedule: UCLA returns home to host Cal on Oct. 12. Utah stays home for their second straight ranked opponent, hosting No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 12.
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