Charbonnet scores 3 TDs, No. 12 UCLA routs Stanford 38-13
Zach Charbonnet scored three touchdowns and rushed for 198 yards, his fifth straight 100-yard game, as No. 12 UCLA bounced back with a 38-13 victory over Stanford on Saturday night.
It was the sixth 100-yard game of the season for Charbonnet, who also had 61 yards receiving on five catches. The junior leads the nation in all-purpose yards per game at 170.9 and the Pac-12 with 964 yards rushing.
The Bruins ran for 324 yards and averaged 7.2 yards per carry as they improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Pac-12 play. It is UCLA's best start since 2005, when it won its first eight games.
UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson had 249 scrimmage yards, including 199 passing, and rushed for a touchdown
Stanford (3-5, 1-5) had a two-game winning streak snapped but scored its first touchdown in 11 quarters when Tanner McKee connected with Benjamin Yurosek on fourth-and-goal from the UCLA 2-yard line. It was the Cardinal's first touchdown in 170 minutes, 54 seconds.
McKee completed 13 of 29 passes for 115 yards, one week after throwing for 320 yards.
Stanford scored on its opening possession on Joshua Karty's 22-yard field goal before UCLA took the lead with two touchdowns in 20 seconds. Thompson-Robinson capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard run off right guard to give the Bruins a 7-3 lead with 6:05 remaining in the first quarter.
The Cardinal turned it over on the first play of their ensuing drive when Darius Muasau picked off McKee. Charbonnet then went 23 yards up the middle on the next play to put UCLA up by double digits.
The Bruins scored on their first four drives. Charbonnet scored from 1 yard out in the second quarter to make it 24-3 at halftime and added a 37-yard TD late in the third quarter.
GOING THE DISTANCE
UCLA extended its lead to 38-6 in the fourth with a six-play, 99-yard drive. Kazmeir Allen went 72 yards for a touchdown, which was the Bruins' first run of more than 70 yards since Demetric Felton Jr. had a 75-yard TD against Oregon State in 2019.
THE TAKEAWAY
Stanford: With their top two running backs out for the season due to injuries, the Cardinal went with a backfield by committee and had 118 yards rushing. Caleb Robinson had 25 yards on five carries on the opening drive but finished with 10 carries for 36 yards.
UCLA: The Bruins beat Stanford at the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2006. They have won eight straight home games since last season's loss to Oregon.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
UCLA could find itself back in the Top 10 after a convincing victory. If that happens, it would mark the first time since Oct. 30, 2005, that the Bruins and rival Southern California would both be in the Top 10.
UP NEXT
Stanford: Hosts Washington State next Saturday.
UCLA: Travels to Arizona State next Saturday.
