In a game that has held completely true to form for both teams, Texas A&M is blowing out UCLA 38-10 through one half at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA accepted the ball to open the game and started with its best drive of the night, a 12-play, 53-yard march that stalled at the Texas A&M 12-yard line, setting up a J.J. Molson 29-yard field goal to put the Bruins on top.
It was all Aggies from there.
Texas A&M’s first touch moved 75 yards in 11 snaps, capped by a 5-yard Keith Ford run. After Jarrett Johnson forced a Josh Rosen fumble, A&M pushed the lead to 10-3, then forced another fumble -- Armani Watts got this one. Taking over at the Bruins’ 20, Trayveon Williams handled the entire load, needing three runs to push the lead to 17-3 with four minutes still remaining in the first quarter.
Texas A&M forced UCLA into a three-and-out on its next two possessions; the second of which saw Stefan Flintoft boom a punt 57 yards to the Aggies’ 1. But A&M slashed right through the UCLA defense, moving 99 yards -- all but four of them on the ground -- in seven plays, the largest of which was a 72-yard Williams run. Ford pushed the lead to 24-3 lead with a 2-yard plunge at the 11:38 mark of the second quarter. He a third touchdown on A&M’s next drive, this time a 1-yarder, to extend the lead to 31-3 with 4:11 to play before the half.
UCLA’s offense awoke from its slumber, briefly, piecing together a 67-yard touchdown drive keyed by a 54-yard completion to Jordan Lasley, but A&M effectively erased that touchdown when Williams went 61 yards down the left sideline on the very next snap from scrimmage.
Texas A&M has completely manhandled UCLA at the line of scrimmage, rushing 36 times for 286 yards and five touchdowns as a team. Williams has managed 188 yards and two of those scores on just 15 carries. Nick Starkel earned the start at quarterback and played most of the way, hitting a modest 5-of-9 passes for 49 yards.
Rosen, meanwhile, has lived through a miserable half. He hit only 9-of-23 passes for 114 yards and was hit a number of times, including on the fumble that set up A&M’s field goal. His half ended on a fourth down sack that saw him limping toward the sideline.
The Aggies will receive to open the second half.