PASADENA, Calif.- ASU used three rushing touchdowns and a pick-six to take a 35-13 lead over UCLA at halftime in the Rose Bowl.
The Sun Devils moved down the field with ease on the first drive of the game, going seven plays and 76 yards finished off by a three-yard touchdown run from redshirt junior quarterback Taylor Kelly, his eighth of the season, to make it 7-0.
The Bruins struck back quickly, returning the ensuing kickoff 58 yards then redshirt sophomore quarterback Brett Hundley connected with redshirt sophomore receiver Devin Lucien 42 yards on the very next play to even the score at 7.
The Sun Devils were stopped on their next drive and UCLA took advantage as sophomore placekicker Ka'Imi Fairbairn nailed a 48-yard field goal after a long punt return to give the Bruins a 10-7 lead.
Kelly and the offense bounced back on the next drive, going 84 yards to regain the lead on sophomore running back D.J. Foster's second rushing touchdown of the season.
On the Bruins' next play from scrimmage, redshirt junior Devil backer Carl Bradford intercepted Hundley and returned it 18 yards to extend the Sun Devils lead to 21-10.
The Bruins couldn't bring the deficit any closer on their next drive because Fairbairn missed a field goal from 39 yards, his first miss from under 40 yards all season.
The Sun Devils extended their lead two drives later when backup redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Eubank rushed for a one-yard touchdown on fourth down, making it 28-10.
Special teams again doomed the Sun Devils after a 69-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, but the defense held the Bruins to just a 23-yard field goal from Fairbairn.
The Sun Devils weren't done with the scoring as Kelly hit redshirt sophomore Jaelen Strong on a 19-yard touchdown grab with just five seconds remaining in the half to make it 35-13 Sun Devils at halftime.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @DsShapi
