Northwestern looked like two different teams in each half of Saturday’s game against UCLA.
The first half saw the Wildcats score 17-unanswered points before a last second field goal made it 17-3 at the break. The second half saw the Bruins threaten as they scored 11-unanswered points themselves. But Northwestern (2-2, 1-1 B1G) didn’t break and held on for the 17-14 victory, their first in conference play this season.
“You know, we had an opportunity there in the second half to really pull away from a team and close out a football game and didn’t do that,” said Northwestern head coach David Braun.
Northwestern’s first drive saw the Wildcats hold the ball for 9:09 as they went 74 yards on 17 plays that ended with a 33-yard field goal from Jack Olsen.
On their next drive, Northwestern pushed 69 yards down field, ending on a 9-yard scoring run by Caleb Komolafe. The running back fumbled the hand off from quarterback Preston Stone but after what looked like a basketball dribble, he recovered and shed defenders for the touchdown.
The Wildcats’ final drive of the half saw Griffin Wilde record his first touchdown of the year on a 10-yard catch to push Northwestern up, 17-0, with 3:32 remaining.
UCLA (0-4) put a drive together to close the half, marching 73 yards down field with Mateen Bhaghani kicking a 28-yard field goal as time ran out.
Northwestern dominated possession in the third quarter, allowing UCLA just one drive that ended in another Bhaghani field goal, this time for 25 yards.
After another long drive to end the third and entering the final frame, Northwestern attempted to go up by two scores but an Olsen 20-yard attempt was blocked by the Bruins with 7:50 remaining.
It took UCLA just four plays to go 80 yards down the field as quarterback Nico Iamaleava found Kwazi Gilmer on a 29-yard passing score. The Bruins converted a two-point conversion to make it a 3-point game.
UCLA received the ball back about three minutes later after holding the Northwestern offense quiet. The Bruins’ rally attempt was almost immediately thwarted when Robert Fitzgerald hit Jaivian Thomas for a 2-yard loss. Iamaleava and the Bruins made up some ground, but were forced to punt it away. The two teams traded uneventful drives to close the game as Northwestern held on for the win.
“I thought the guys just did a really good job of staying the course and keeping poise,” said Braun. “You know, after the game starts to get tight and just gave up a touchdown and a two-point play and, you know, a few plays earlier, or a few drives, a few plays, or a few minutes earlier, you’re with the ball inside the five-yard line with a chance to go up 17 points. You know, they didn’t flinch.”
Komolafe finished the day with 27 carries for 119 yards and the score. Joseph Himon II eight carries for 58 as the Wildcats finished with 199 yards on the ground.
“Yeah, there’s just a certain like confidence with with all our backs, but specifically Caleb and Joe in terms of the guys that they’re running, running behind,” Braun said. “And, you know, the way that they’re finishing runs both have unique skill sets and, you know, play well off of one another.”
Stone went 12-of-18 for 115 yards. Wilde accounted for seven of those completions and 98 yards.
