UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley passed for 226 yards, rushed for 161 and totaled four touchdowns to lead the No. 17 Bruins to a 42-12 pasting of Virginia Tech in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday.
With the win, UCLA finishes 10-3, its first 10-win season since 2005. Virginia Tech falls to 8-5.
This was a close game until Hundley’s considerable talents took over. First the sophomore broke a 7-7 tie in the second quarter by galloping 86 yards for a touchdown. Then he helped put the game away early in the fourth quarter by leading UCLA on an 85-yard touchdown drive after a Hokie field goal had cut the lead to 14-10. Late Hundley touchdown passes of 8 and 59 yards capped a 28-point fourth quarter for the Bruins.
UCLA dominated the box score, out-gaining Virginia Tech 452 to 321 and out first-downing them 22-16. Any chance the Hokies had of sticking with UCLA probably went away when quarterback Logan Thomas was knocked out of the game after a vicious hit by Bruins linebacker Jordan Zumwalt in the second quarter. Backup Mark Leal replaced Thomas and was mostly ineffective, completing just 3 of 11 passes for 46 yards and two interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown by Myles Jack).
This was UCLA’s first bowl win since 2009. The young Bruins should be even better in 2014, especially if Hundley returns for his junior season. Hundley said after the game that he was still exploring his options, but there’s little doubt that he is ready for the jump, at least physically.
With the win, the Pac-12 moves to 6-2 during bowl season. The ACC falls to 3-5, including two bad blowouts on New Year’s Eve.
