UCLA vs. Arizona State Week 5: Live Updates, Highlights, Analysis

No. 20 UCLA football (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) is playing Arizona State (3-1, 1-0) in Week 5 of the 2021 college football season, pitting the two top teams in the Pac-12 South against each other in the Rose Bowl.

Stay tuned for injury and personnel updates, highlights and other key events to keep an eye on all day long.

FINAL: ASU 42, UCLA 23

10:59 p.m.: That’s all from Pasadena, story to come.

Sun Devils ice things late

10:33 p.m.: Fans are flooding out of the Rose Bowl, as UCLA's chances at victory just got completely slashed.

After failing to convert a 4th down inside the Sun Devils' 5-yard line, the Bruins let their opponents bleed over six minutes off the clock. Not only that, but the nine-point hole became a 16-point deficit, all but ending things here in Pasadena.

Arizona State leads 39-23 and UCLA will get the ball with 6:43 remaining.

END Q3: ASU 32, UCLA 23

10:12 p.m.: The Bruins are marching, and Thompson-Robinson just got hit as he was going down.

Targeting was confirmed and the Bruins will set up at the 11.

15 minutes for UCLA to stage a comeback.

New half, same long plays

9:38 p.m.: A tipped pass and near-interception on the first play of the second probably gave fans hope that the Bruin defense was going to turn things around.

Not anymore.

After an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on edge rusher Mitchell Agude, running back Rachaad White got the ball and ran to his right just inside of UCLA territory. After breaking a few tackles, he spun out of the traffic and switched fields, finding space and scoring from 49 yards out.

It was Arizona State's third scoring play of 45 or more yards.

UCLA now trails 32-23 after the Sun Devils converted for two points to go up by nine.

HALFTIME: ASU 24, UCLA 23

9:15 p.m.: A major unforced error gifted the Bruins some points before they trotted back to the locker room, but they're still down.

Herm Edwards let UCLA run time off the clock before they punted, seemingly waving the flag on trying to double-dip on both sides of halftime. On the return, however, the Sun Devil back to haul it in let it bounce, then tried to scoop it up, only for the ball to bounce off him right into the hands of a Bruin at the 9-yard line.

Taking advantage on special teams ...

Kain Medrano with the recovery, prior to a time-expiring UCLA field goal.

Catch the second half, coming up on @FS1. #GoBruins pic.twitter.com/zUi6VZU4HR
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) October 3, 2021

As a result, UCLA got one more chance with a couple ticks left, and they used that time to send Barr-Mira back out there to kick another one through the uprights. It was good, and surely Edwards has to rethink things on special teams before the second half starts.

TOTAL YARDS: UCLA 280, Arizona State 274

PASS YARDS: Arizona State 210, UCLA 159

RUSH YARDS: UCLA 121, Arizona State 64

FIRST DOWNS: UCLA 15, Arizona State 8

PASSING LEADERS

Jayden Daniels (ASU): 8-for-11, 210 yards, 2 TD
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA): 13-for-19, 159 yards, 1 TD

RUSHING LEADERS

Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA): 7 attempts, 64 yards
Zach Charbonnet (UCLA): 13 attempts, 46 yards, 1 TD
DeaMonte Trayanum (ASU): 7 attempts, 42 yards, 1 TD
Brittain Brown (UCLA): 8 attempts, 29 yards, 2 TD

RECEIVING LEADERS

Ricky Pearsall (ASU): 3 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TD
Greg Dulcich (UCLA): 5 receptions, 85 yards
Kyle Philips (UCLA): 6 receptions, 58 yards, 1 TD
Geordon Porter (ASU): 1 reception, 47 yards, 1 TD

Sun Devils go ahead on yet another long bomb

9:01 p.m.: The Bruins may be stringing together longer, more methodical drives, but the Sun Devils are exploding for big chunk plays.

This time, Daniels went deep to Pearsall, who was in a 1-on-1 against safety Elisha Guidry. Without any help over the top, Pearsall got an easy touchdown from 54 yards out to give Arizona State its first lead of the night.

UCLA had drilled a field goal the drive before, so it's now 24-20 in favor of the visiting team from Tempe.

Certified problem.

✅ @PearsallRicky pic.twitter.com/xUKNs51QHr
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 3, 2021

The Bruins have a chance to get some point in a two-minute drill here, which could be big since the Sun Devils will get the ball to start the second half.

Questionable coverage, long screen for a score

8:45 p.m.: Fans who love seeing points on the board are probably having a blast with this game.

Daniels tossed a screen to the left, hitting receiver Rickey Pearsall with two blockers in front of him. None of the three UCLA defensive backs could converge, and he got into open space and had plenty of real estate in front of him.

65 yards later, the Sun Devils tied the game at 17-17 just four plays into their drive.

TURNED ON THE JETS.

🚀 @PearsallRicky 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Hb9KE8weCO
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 3, 2021

UCLA can't create any kind of cushion here, and they probably won't as long as they keep letting up 50-plus-yard plays.

A review and a non-review end in UCLA's favor

8:39 p.m.: After marching their way downfield – a big chunk coming from Thompson-Robinson's run with just two offensive lineman up front – things got a little interesting in the red zone.

On 3rd-and-short, Thompson-Robinson hit Philips on the right side, and the slot man dove out to get the touchdown. The play was called incomplete after the ground forced the ball out, but after Kelly called a timeout, the officials reviewed it and ruled it a catch.

With the ball at the half-yard line, running back Brittain Brown got the ball. It looked like he was stopped short trying to stretch out to reach the plane, but the Bruins hurried up on the extra point and it wasn't checked upstairs, apparently.

UCLA leads 17-10 with over 10 minutes on the clock here in the second.

🥊 @BrittainBKB punches it in for a @UCLAFootball touchdown! pic.twitter.com/VHYXIF4ds8
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 3, 2021

Long ball sets up Sun Devils for tying score

8:29 p.m.: Quarterback Jayden Daniels dialed up the launch codes to hit receiver Geordon Porter on a 49-yarder, then a few 3rd down conversions set them up to tie the game.

Striker Martel Irby had a nice wrap up, only for the Sun Devils to keep the drive going.

It ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by running back DeaMonte Trayanum that knotted things up at 7-7 after his sharp cut back to the wide open left side of the field.

UCLA will get the ball back with 11:59 left in the half.

.@Chipperrz_ is back to scoring TDs.

📺 FS1 pic.twitter.com/nzWQjxeLZ6
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 3, 2021

UCLA converts after extended break

8:21 p.m.: Chip Kelly and his staff had a bonus timeout to draw up a 3rd-and-goal play, and it ended up paying off.

The Bruins were in a 3rd-and-goal scenario as the first quarter came to a close, and with UCLA men's basketball getting honored during the break, UCLA football came out and made the most of the extra time.

Thompson-Robinson hit Philips after his No. 1 target shook a defender and came over the middle wide open. Philips bobbled it a bit, but hung on for his sixth touchdown of the season.

UCLA leads 10-3 with 14:57 remaining in the second.

TOUCHDOWN! @dorianstweets finds @kylephilips17 over the middle for the first @UCLAFootball touchdown of the game 🙌 pic.twitter.com/scrhtrtnIs
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 3, 2021

END Q1: UCLA 3, ASU 3

8:17 p.m.: The Bruins are knocking on the door, with a chance to put up some more points momentarily.

Another bad snap costs the Bruins, but not too much

8:05 p.m.: UCLA is really missing Sam Marrazzo.

The starting center is missing his fourth game of the year, and the poor snaps are continuing to pop up in big moments. The Bruins had forced a punt and were on the verge of another 1st down at midfield, until Duke Clemens launched one deep over Thompson-Robinson's head.

The scrum went on for a while, with the ball continuing to pop out through guys' legs, and the Sun Devils recovered.

A late hit by linebacker Jordan Genmark Heath set Arizona State up inside the UCLA 10 a few plays later, but a tackle for loss by striker Qwuantrezz Knight and a swatted pass by Genmark Heath forced a field goal attempt.

Arizona State hit it to tie things up at 3-3 with 4:11 left in the first quarter.

Nicholas Barr-Mira drills opening drive field goal

7:50 p.m.: The Bruins picked up three first downs on their first possession of the game and would have had a fourth if it weren't for receiver Kyle Philips dropping a slant on 3rd-and-short.

The run game was working well, with Thompson-Robinson and running back Zach Charbonnet combining for 23 yards on the ground, and tight end Greg Dulcich accounted for all 22 of Thompson-Robinson's passing yards.

Barr-Mira came out to kick from 48 yards out after Philips' drop, and he nailed it to put UCLA ahead 3-0 with 10:40 on the clock in the first quarter.

Pregame personnel updates

6:57 p.m.: Just looking at the players who have been dinged up in recent weeks, it's hit or miss for the Bruins in terms of who's active.

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is good to go, which was expected after seeing him at 100% in practice this week. Since we don't know what exact injury he suffered against Stanford last week, it's hard to tell if there's any risk of it resurfacing, but he's set to play regardless.

Safety Quentin Lake is also in uniform after practicing as a full participant all week. He missed the entire Stanford game after leaving the Fresno State game early.

Missing from the pregame warmups are tight end Mike Martinez and cornerback Mo Osling III, both of whom missed practice all week. Martinez went down against the Bulldogs, but Osling's injury is more of a mystery.

Center Sam Marrazzo is also nowhere to be seen pregame. He left the Stanford game early in the second half and was seen at practice in street clothes Monday and Wednesday.

Outside of that tro and running back Ethan Fernea – who injured his wrist and underwent surgery earlier in the week – UCLA stands to be at pretty much full strength against Arizona State on Saturday.

Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube

Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated