Nobody in the world expected us to win: UCLA

A crew in need of a savior might need discovered one in the unlikeliest of locations.

Jerry Neuheisel, the UCLA tight ends coach who was elevated to playcaller only 4 days before his winless crew confronted a top-10 opponent, dialed up an offensive plan that produced factors on each of the Bruins’ first 5 drives.

The enjoyable let up only momentarily on the means to UCLA’s gorgeous 42-37 victory over No. 7 Penn State on Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, followers offering their giddy verdict with a chant they unleashed from the opening drive through the fourth quarter.

“Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”

The sport turned tense late, requiring a defensive stop after UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava was stuffed on fourth down, giving the ball back to Penn State at the Bruins’ 32-yard line with two minutes left.

The Nittany Lions reached the 9 before UCLA defensive back Scooter Jackson surged into the backfield and dropped quarterback Drew Allar for a three-yard loss with 37 seconds left.

After Bruins punter Will Karoll deliberately stepped out of the back of the end zone for a security to pull Penn State within 5 factors, the Nittany Lions couldn’t cross midfield before the sport ended.

After the closing play, Neuheisel was hoisted into the air by his grateful gamers, winless no more.

The query stays of whether or not this was a turning level or a momentary reprieve in a misplaced season, but at least for the second everybody related with the crew may deeply exhale.

Masterfully working the Neuheisel‘s offense was Iamaleava, who finally had something to show for his cross-country move from Tennessee that made him the talk of the offseason in college football.

Iamealeava ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more as the Bruins (1-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) nearly doubled their previous high point total this season. Facing third and goal midway through the fourth quarter, Iamaleava dropped back before taking off and racing into the front right corner of the end zone. He then zipped a two-point conversion pass into the back of the end zone to Kwazi Gilmer that gave UCLA a 42-28 advantage.

In what might have qualified as his best day as a college player, Iamaleava completed 17 of 24 passes for 166 yards and ran 16 times for 128 yards, including a nifty 52-yard gain in which he spun away from a defender.

Given the circumstances, Neuheisel’s playcalling debut might need been a more valiant effort than his coming off the bench as UCLA’s quarterback in 2014 to lead his crew to a comeback victory over Texas.

UCLA large receiver Kwazi Gilmer (3) celebrates with teammate Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (2) after making a landing catch against Penn State in the fourth quarter.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Remember, those Bruins have been nationally ranked.

This model had been nationally lampooned while averaging 14.2 factors a sport on the means to 4 consecutive losses that led to the departures of coach DeShaun Foster, defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri. Sunseri’s leaving prompted the Bruins to elevate Neuheisel and carry in Noel Mazzone, his previous UCLA offensive coordinator and boss for one season at Texas A&M, as an analyst and advisor to his previous protege.

Together they devised a scheme that helped the Bruins roll up 446 yards of offense.

After wanting lifeless in the first half, Penn State (3-2, 0-2) gained some important momentum in the third quarter. After Allar accomplished a 40-yard cross to an uncovered Khalil Dinkins for a 40-yard landing, the Nittany Lions stopped UCLA, blocked Karoll’s punt and returned it for another landing to pull within 27-21 halfway through the third quarter.

But as they’d all sport, the Bruins managed a strong counter.

The celebrating began at halftime, UCLA gamers leaping excitedly and flapping their arms as they ran toward the locker room after Mateen Bhaghani’s 54-yard subject objective gave the Bruins a gorgeous 27-7 lead.

To that level, UCLA’s domination was as full as its failures had been in shedding its first 4 video games. The Bruins scored on all 5 first-half drives, recovered an onside kick and outgained the Nittany Lions, 285-92, in whole yardage.

Signs of what was to come began on the opening drive.

After profitable the coin toss and electing to obtain, UCLA rapidly marched for a rating on its opening drive. Gilmer took a short cross from Iamaleava and prolonged the ball across the objective line for an 11-yard landing that gave the Bruins a 7-0 benefit.

UCLA large receiver Kwazi Gilmer dives into the end zone on an 11-yard cross in the first half against Penn State.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Those chants of “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” stuffed the stadium after UCLA took its first lead of the season after 244 minutes 34 seconds of soccer.

The enjoyable was just getting began for the Bruins. Bhaghani immediately unfurled an onside kick that Kanye Clark recovered, main to a subject objective and a 10-0 cushion.

It momentarily appeared as if UCLA’s protection would possibly again be its undoing after the Bruins yielded a landing on Penn State’s first drive, but that would signify the Nittany Lions’ only factors of the first half.

Continually making the proper reads, Iamaleava transformed a third and 15 on UCLA’s next drive when he took off and ran for 20 yards. The quarterback then zipped a cross that appeared to go through a defender’s arms for a six-yard landing to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala to lengthen the Bruins’ lead to 17-7.

After highlighting UCLA’s next drive with a 43-yard completion to Gilmer in double coverage, Iamaleava cast forward for a three-yard landing run to make it 24-7. The Bruins had tallied a season high for factors in a sport and there was still practically 35 minutes left.

Not to be outdone, UCLA’s protection made a lot of big performs. Most notable have been a pressured fumble by security Key Lawrence that was recovered by cornerback Rodrick Pleasant, a cross breakup by Pleasant on third down, and edge rusher Jacob Busic’s sack of Allar to pressure a turnover on downs.

But the day belonged to the blond-haired coach and lifelong Bruin whose debut as a playcaller figures to lead to many new alternatives.