Bhaghani's late FG helps UCLA win its opener with a 16-13 victory over Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) — Mateen Bhaghani converted a 32-yard field goal with 56 seconds to play to help UCLA open its season with a 16-13 win over Hawaii on Saturday night.

The Bruins (1-0) did all their scoring in the second half to erase a 10-0 halftime deficit against the Rainbow Warriors (1-1).

“We didn’t really start the first half the way that we wanted to, but I was just glad with the way that they came out in the second half,” UCLA first-year coach DeShaun Foster said. “They came out and executed. It was about us more than exactly what they were doing to us, so I just liked that my guys came out and fought hard and continued to play and we were able to get the victory.”

UCLA overcame a lackluster first 30 minutes of the game and eventually evened the score at 13 with 14:05 to play on Bhaghani’s 37-yard field goal that came five plays after an interception by D.J. Justice.

The Bruins started their final drive with 3:08 to play and drove 45 yards in seven plays, capped by Bhaghani’s game-winning 32-yard field goal from the left hash that split the uprights.

“In a game like this, it’s tough, it’s tough,” Hawaii coach Timmy Chang said. “They made a few more plays than us and the result is what it is, but I feel for my boys, they work hard, but I mean, you gotta go take things in life that you want and it’s a good thing. I don’t want to say it’s a good thing for my guys, losing, but through adversity and all that it helps these guys grow, it helps me grow and we’ll come back ready next time we get ready to play.”

Hawaii scored on its opening possession, when it orchestrated a nine-play, 73-yard drive that was punctuated by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Brayden Schager to a wide open Pofele Ashlock. Schager was 7-for-7 passing on the drive for 51 yards on the drive, which was extended by a 19-yard gain by punter Lucas Borrow on fourth-and-6.

Kansei Matsuzawa’s 28-yard field goal as time expired in the first half gave Hawaii a 10-0 lead at the intermission. The field goal was set up by Logan Taylor’s interception and seven-yard return to the UCLA 5-yard line.

The Bruins got on the board after they cashed in their first possession of the second half with a 39-yard scoring strike from Ethan Garbers to Rico Flores Jr. The touchdown pass capped an eight-play, 96-yard drive that took 4:36 off the clock.

“There’s most definitely concerns, but I’m glad that we have a bye week so we can go into the week and try to address some of those issues that we had,” Foster said. “I think we addressed some of those in the second half, that’s where we were able to execute, but a lot of stuff, you know, guys’ emotions were playing, they were just getting caught up in the emotion of the game and we just weren’t able to execute the way that we wanted to, but in the second half they kind of settled down.”

THE TAKEAWAY

UCLA was picked to finish 15th out of 18 teams in a preseason Big Ten Conference media poll. It entered the game — its first under coach DeShaun Foster and its debut as a Big Ten Conference member — with much uncertainty, but the Bruins may have more questions after week 1 than in the lead up to it.

Despite the loss Hawaii hung with the Bruins for more than 59 minutes. The Rainbow Warriors, who were picked to finish ninth in the Mountain West Conference, were seeking their first win over a Power Conference team since they beat Arizona in 2019.

UP NEXT

UCLA will have a bye next week before it opens Big Ten Conference play at home against Indiana on Sept. 14

Hawaii also has a bye next week before it makes the first of five road trips this season when it visits Sam Houston on Sept. 14 for the first meeting between the schools.

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Kalani Takase, The Associated Press