Fresno State Stuns #13 UCLA

In a classic matchup between two powerhouse programs, Fresno State took on #13 ranked UCLA at the Rose Bowl Stadium. Coming into the game, unranked Fresno State came off a 63-10 victory over Cal Poly; before that game, the Bulldogs took on a top 25 nationally ranked college football team in the Oregon Ducks. Although the Bulldogs lost that game 31-24, they did put up a solid performance and came close to upsetting a Pac-12 giant. A week later, Oregon would upset Ohio State, solidifying a top five college football ranking as of Sept. 20. Meaning Fresno State shouldn’t be a team you can underestimate.

UCLA, coming off a bye week, entered the game with an upset victory over the LSU Tigers and were the odds on favorite to win the game. Considering their performance against LSU, Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s skills, Zach Charbonnet’s running, and their playmaking defense. It was understandable why the lines and the majority of ESPN’S College GameDay picked UCLA.

Fresno State in the end however would make them regret their decision. Throughout the game, it was a back and forth battle with Fresno State scoring and UCLA retaliating. In the first half, DTR was successful in scrambling but UCLA overall as an offense couldn’t convert or move the chains due to an aggressive Bulldog defense. On the other hand Fresno State led by quarterback Jake Haener and running back, Ronnie Rivers were easily converting against the UCLA defense with ease. As the Bulldogs lead 23-10 at the half.

In the second half, the game became truly entertaining and for me one of the best halves I’ve seen this year. Throughout the third quarter, UCLA was gaining momentum and Fresno State was doing its best to hold its lead. Most notably at 4:45 in the third quarter and beyond, UCLA and Fresno State traded 4th down stops. Which I as a viewer was astonished by with both defenses standing their ground.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the magic did not stop there as audiences were showcased maybe the fourth quarter of the year. As UCLA and Fresno State went once again back and forth on possessions after the Bulldogs turned over the ball. UCLA first gained the ball after a strip-sack leading to a long touchdown via DTR to Kyle Philips, UCLA then gained a fumble recovery leading to a rushing touchdown by Charbonnet. Fresno State's quarterback Jake Haener retaliated with a passing touchdown of his own to Erik Brooks on a third & goal after taking a brutal hit to the left side of his body on the previous down. UCLA on their next possession scored a passing touchdown via DTR to Philips once again. However, in the last 54 seconds of the game, we would soon learn of the legend Jake Haener. Haener, keep in mind playing with an injured left side, stayed calm in the pocket, and delivered the ball easily to his receivers. Limping gingerly to the line of scrimmage while receiving plays, Haener on a 2nd & 11 on the 13-yard line threw a perfect ball to Jalen Cropper in the endzone to take a 40-37 lead. In the end, UCLA with 14 seconds left couldn’t find a hail mary and secured Fresno State the upset victory.

Overall, the game was exciting and a candidate for the game of the year. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and Fresno State alum Derek Carr shared his thoughts on the game and the importance of the win. “I feel like Fresno State is the best team in California,” Carr said Sunday postgame. “If you're a kid and you want to go play college football in California, I’d pick … I mean what we’ve beat UCLA four times in a row. How are we not in the Pac-12?” As of Sept. 20, Fresno State is the 22nd nationally ranked team, and after a heartbreaking loss, UCLA dropped down to number 24. Next week Fresno State host UNLV and UCLA are on the road at Stanford. Although it is still early in the season, this game will have a major impact on future games and rankings down the road.

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