UCLA linebacker Myles Jack had a great game while helping to lead the No. 19 Bruins to a 31-26 victory over Arizona on Saturday night.
So did UCLA running back Myles Jack.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound true freshman from Bellevue, Wash., did a rare thing in college football these days -- he went both ways and was wildly effective doing it.
Simply put, Jack stole the show.
He was all over the place on defense, notching eight tackles and recovering a fumble that prevented an Arizona touchdown. He also rushed six times for 120 yards, including an electrifying 66-yard jaunt that provided UCLA with its margin of victory.
Jack’s move to tailback was due to lack of depth in the Bruin running back corps.
“We thought about (the move) for a while,” UCLA coach Jim Mora said afterward. “But we don’t want to put too much on him too soon. It just seemed like the time was right to use him on offense and it helped us win tonight.”
So did Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley, who went 18 of 25 for 227 yards and two touchdowns while also adding 56 yards rushing with a score. He paced a UCLA attack that piled up 476 total yards, including 249 on the ground.
Arizona did a good job keeping up. The Wildcats got 149 yards and a touchdown from Ka’Deem Carey and quarterback B.J. Denker continued to play well, throwing for 186 yards (with two scores) and rushing for 82.
But UCLA just made more plays and an Ishmael Adams interception late in the game slammed the door on Arizona’s comeback hopes.
UCLA moves to 7-2 overall, 4-2 in the Pac-12, while Arizona falls to 6-3 and 3-3.
UCLA’s victory sets up a potential showdown for the Pac-12 South title with Arizona State in two weeks. A win there would likely send the Bruins back to Palo Alto to take another crack at Stanford.
By then, Jack might be kicking field goals, too.