PASADENA, Calif. — When Anthony Barr roared through the line and hit Matt Barkley squarely in the No. 7 on his back, the roar rising out of the Rose Bowl was loud enough for a whole city to hear.
After so many years underneath Southern California, UCLA is on top of Los Angeles and the Pac-12 South, thanks to a first-year head coach and a freshman quarterback who don’t realize they’ve done something that’s not usual.
“Well, it is for me," Jim Mora said.
Brett Hundley passed for 234 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more scores as No. 17 UCLA beat No. 21 USC 38-28 Saturday, clinching the Pac-12 South title and emphatically snapping a five-game losing streak in their crosstown showdown.
Eric Kendricks blocked a punt and made a fourth-quarter interception for the Bruins (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12), who overcame intermittent second-half rain and USC’s star-studded lineup with a steady effort.
“When the season started, obviously nobody thought we were going to do what we’re doing now," said Hundley, who went 22 for 30 and didn’t throw an interception. “But we all knew deep down inside that we could do it, that we had the talent. We can do everything we set our mind to, as long as we work hard."
A year after USC obliterated the Bruins 50-0 in a game that led to a coaching change in Westwood, UCLA punctuated its one-year revitalization under Mora with its first win over the Trojans (7-4, 5-4) since 2006 — just their second in 14 years. The Bruins celebrated in the corner of the Rose Bowl and again with an impromptu dance-off in the locker room, even while Mora reminded them they’ve still got three games to play.
“It’s a great moment, and I’m excited," said Mora, the winningest first-year coach in UCLA history. “I can’t wait to hug my mom, shake my dad’s hand and kiss my kids. I don’t want to minimize it at all."
Johnathan Franklin rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns for UCLA, including a clutch 29-yard scoring run with 4:02 to play after USC trimmed its deficit to three points.
Shaquelle Evans had eight catches for 114 yards for UCLA, which clinched a spot in the Pac-12 title game in two weeks with its fifth consecutive win.
Also on Saturday:
Washington 38
Colorado 3
BOULDER, Colo. — Keith Price threw a career-best five touchdown passes and Washington overcame a slow start for its fourth straight win. Bishop Sankey ran for 139 yards for the Huskies (7-4, 5-3 Pac-12).
Arizona State 46
Washington State 7
TEMPE, Ariz. — Quarterbacks Taylor Kelly and Michael Eubank accounted for six touchdowns, and Arizona State (6-5, 4-4 Pac-12), became bowl eligible by ending its four-game losing streak.
Arizona 34
Utah 24
SALT LAKE CITY — Ka’Deem Carey rushed for 204 yards and Arizona scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as the Wildcats defeated Utah and guaranteed the Utes their first losing season since 2002. Utah (4-7, 2-6 Pac-12) took a 24-17 late in the third quarter, but the Wildcats answered with touchdowns three minutes apart early in the fourth.