LOS ANGELES_UCLA was in an unusual, and seemingly frightening, situation against Colorado late Saturday night.
The Bruins needed their defense to make a stop to win.
It was the same defense that had been repeatedly flattened through the season's first month but was making some significant and necessary strides against the Buffaloes at the Rose Bowl.
Some redemption came when UCLA held the Buffaloes without a miracle finish, preserving a 27-23 victory after Colorado quarterback Steven Montez's final desperation pass sailed out the back of the end zone.
There was also a bit of salvation for UCLA's much-maligned running game after tailback Soso Jamabo ran for seven yards on third and six to help sustain a drive in which the Bruins (3-2 overall, 1-1 Pac-12 Conference) burned most of the game's final 6{ minutes. J.J. Molson provided some insurance with a 31-yard field goal with 26 seconds left.
But a slew of game balls belonged to the UCLA defense.
After allowing Montez to cut outside and stampede his way for a 37-yard run, UCLA's defense held firm. Defensive end Rick Wade stuffed Phillip Lindsay for a two-yard loss and the Bruins forced Montez to throw the ball away on third down after he twice eluded potential sacks but went down hard on the play after absorbing a vicious hit.
Colorado kicker James Stefanou's 33-yard field goal shaved UCLA's lead to one point in what amounted to an elimination game for the Bruins in the Pac-12 South Division after they had dropped their conference opener.
UCLA held Colorado (3-2, 0-2) to 434 total yards of offense, including 191 on the ground. It was major progress.
Not that it was perfect. UCLA, wearing all white outfits including matching helmets for the first time since 2011 as part of a "White Out," suffered through some sloppiness early in the fourth quarter. The Bruins were called for a delay of game and then what appeared to be a premature snap tumbled to the ground before quarterback Josh Rosen picked up the ball and eventually flung it out of bounds.
After Rosen's third-down pass fell incomplete, Molson's 33-yard field goal gave the Bruins a 24-20 lead with 9:48 left in the game.
Rosen completed 28 of 45 passes for 372 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
Montez repeatedly fooled UCLA's defense on runs, including a fourth-and-one play midway through the third quarter in which he kept the ball and cut outside for a 25-yard run. Lindsay later ran for a two-yard touchdown that pulled the Buffaloes to within 21-17.
Rosen gave the ball back to Colorado shortly there-after when an underthrown pass intended for Darren Andrews was intercepted by safety Evan Worthington.
Colorado drove deep into UCLA territory before Bruins defensive back Colin Samuel helped break up a pass in the end zone on third down. Stefanou's 33-yard field goal shaved UCLA's lead to 21-20 late in the third quarter.
But UCLA's defense made an impressive stop late in the first half after giving Colorado a major assist. The Bruins were called for an illegal substitution that involved having 12 players on the field coming out of back-to-back timeouts, turning the Buffaloes' third-and-short situation into a first down. On the next play, UCLA cornerback Denzel Fisher was called for the first of his three defensive holding penalties, leading to another Colorado first down.
The Bruins then stiffened, forcing the Buffaloes to line up for a short field goal. It was a fake. Colorado holder T.J. Patterson took the snap and rose to throw a swing pass intended for Stefanou that fell incomplete with UCLA linebacker Kenny Young draped all over Stefanou.
UCLA showed that some secrets are revealed in training camp when the Bruins unveiled a flea-flicker, the same play they had run on their new practice field in early August. Rosen took the backward flip and completed a 46-yard pass to Jordan Lasley that initially appeared to go for a touchdown.
Officials reviewed the play and gave the Bruins the ball at the one-yard line. Tailback Jalen Starks dove through a scrum of players two plays later for a one-yard touchdown that gave UCLA a 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter.
UCLA's 75-yard scoring drive had been unusual for another reason: The usually pass-heavy Bruins ran the ball on five consecutive plays, including one carry by Andrews.
The Bruins' defense appeared to be on the verge of a stop early in the game when cornerback Darnay Holmes smashed into Lindsay on a short pass, appearing to leave Colorado facing a fourth and eight.
But officials reviewed the play and determined that Holmes had been guilty of targeting, leading to his ejection and a first down for the Buffaloes. On the next play, Montez connected with Lindsay on a 21-yard touchdown pass.
Holmes became the fourth UCLA player ejected this season, joining linebacker Josh Woods, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and safety Adarius Pickett. Fisher played cornerback in Holmes' absence and Jordan Lasley returned kickoffs.
UCLA defensive end Jaelan Phillips, who missed a second consecutive game with an ankle injury, immediately weighed in on social media, tweeting his disagreement with the call.
