UCLA shows off sturdy defense again in win at Nebraska

Ethan Garbers passed for two touchdowns and visiting UCLA’s stout defensive effort peaked with Kaylin Moore’s game-ending interception as the Bruins scored their second straight Big Ten Conference win on the road with a 27-20 defeat of Nebraska, Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

UCLA (3-5, 2-4 Big Ten) got its second standout passing performance from Garbers in as many games. He followed his four-touchdown effort at Rutgers on Oct. 26 with strikes of 10 yards to Jalen Berger and a 48-yarder to Kwazi Gilmer.

Garbers’ touchdown passes bookended a 38-yard pick six for linebacker Kain Medrano of starting Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Railoa went 14-for-27 passing for 177 yards before coming out in the fourth quarter. He was shaken up on a hard tandem hit from UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger and Henry Hasselbeck.

Heinrich Haarberg came on for Railoa to help finish a 13-play, 53-yard drive that culminated in Dante Dowdell’s goal-line touchdown carry. The scoring rush cut a UCLA lead that lingered at two possessions much of the second half to 27-20.

John Hohl’s point-after attempt that would have made it a six-point game misfired, however.

The missed extra-point attempt continued a second half of struggles for the Cornhuskers upon moving into UCLA territory.

Nebraska (5-4, 2-4) crossed onto the Bruins’ side of the 50 on five straight second-half possessions, including the final drive when Moore intercepted Haarberg. Two others ended on fourth-down stops for the UCLA defense.

The Huskers scored on an 8-yard Isaiah Neyor reception from Raiola and the first of Dowdell’s two touchdown runs, a four-yarder in the first half.

Dowdell finished with 61 yards on 17 carries. Neyor caught four passes for a game-high 89 yards. Garbers led UCLA in rushing with 56 yards on six carries. GIlmer had 88 yards to pace the Bruins in receiving and Moliki Matavao caught four passes for 52 yards.

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