With almost no time left in the second quarter, it looked like UCLA was going to head into the locker room for halftime with a slight 21-17 lead over Oregon.
Instead, the Bruins entered the break down, 24-21, thanks to a disastrous Hail Mary attempt as the clock ran out.
UCLA had the ball with just six seconds left in the half, and on 2nd-and-6 from its own 44-yard line, it decided to launch a Hail Mary and to try to extend their lead with likely only enough time remaining for one shot. What’s the worst that could happen? Well…
With starting junior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson out for Saturday’s game against the Ducks — he said he doesn’t have COVID-19 but is out for reasons beyond his control — freshman Chase Griffin was up. And he probably wishes he could take this play back.
Take it to the 🏡 Oregon with style points to end the half 🦆 pic.twitter.com/UvVLoVHle6
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 21, 2020
Just as Griffin was releasing the ball, Oregon sophomore defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus slammed into the quarterback. The hit on Griffin stifled the depth of the pass, and the ball landed nicely in senior safety Jordan Happle’s arms.
And Happle made UCLA pay for this last-second gamble, running all the way back to the end zone for a 58-yard pick-six.
That’s probably not what the Bruins had in mind when they drew this one up.
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