Dante Moore throws 2 TDs in first collegiate game as UCLA defeats Coastal Carolina 27-13

37

In his debut collegiate game, Dante Moore made an impactful entrance by delivering two touchdown passes, propelling UCLA to a convincing 27-13 victory over Coastal Carolina.

Dante Moore, an esteemed five-star recruit and a standout figure amidst Chip Kelly’s tenure in Westwood, orchestrated the Bruins’ offensive efforts, engineering scoring drives on four out of six of his possessions. The 18-year-old sensation hailing from Detroit stepped onto the field during the second quarter and showcased his prowess by completing 7 of 12 passes, amassing a total of 143 yards while encountering one interception.

A pivotal moment arose when J.Michael Sturdivant, a transfer from California, exhibited his excellence with five receptions totaling an impressive 136 yards. Notably, Sturdivant’s contribution included a remarkable 62-yard touchdown during the early moments of the fourth quarter, which significantly expanded UCLA’s lead to 21-13. This pivotal score transpired immediately following a missed 55-yard field goal attempt by Liam Gray.

Despite a rather challenging start for UCLA’s defense during the initial half of the game, the unit managed to redeem itself by forcing turnovers on three out of the final six drives.

Coastal Carolina, under the direction of Tim Beck as coach, endured a disheartening loss in his inaugural match. Despite the commendable efforts of safety Clayton Isbell, who secured three interceptions, including two in the end zone, the Chanticleers couldn’t avoid the defeat. Quarterback Grayson McCall delivered 27 completions out of 42 attempts, amassing 271 yards and achieving one touchdown, but unfortunately encountered two interceptions. Furthermore, Sam Pinckney displayed noteworthy performance, accumulating nine receptions amounting to an impressive 139 yards, with one touchdown.

Ethan Garbers assumed the starting role for UCLA and promptly made an impact, orchestrating a touchdown drive on the team’s opening possession, culminating in a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Carsen Ryan. However, Garbers’ subsequent drives weren’t as fruitful, marked by two interceptions and a couple of three-and-outs. His overall performance consisted of completing 10 of 17 passes for a total of 121 yards.

Dante Moore, introduced during UCLA’s fourth series, demonstrated remarkable agility and composure when he eluded pressure and connected with Sturdivant for a 39-yard gain along the right sideline. Capitalizing on this opportunity, Moore subsequently linked up with Carson Steele on a screen pass, resulting in a 14-yard touchdown. This touchdown play, occurring with 3:57 remaining in the first half, propelled the Bruins to a 14-3 lead at halftime.

Coastal Carolina’s efforts to narrow the gap were evident through two successful field goals from Gray, trimming UCLA’s lead to 14-6 as the halftime whistle approached. Subsequently, Isbell’s second interception provided an opening for the Chanticleers, leading to a crucial touchdown when McCall connected with Pinkney for a 9-yard touchdown pass, reducing the deficit to 14-13 with 10:08 left in the game.

In retrospect, the match highlighted key takeaways. Coastal Carolina, while managing to stay competitive for the majority of the game and maintaining possession of the ball for a significant portion, ultimately succumbed to UCLA’s depth and talent. On the other hand, UCLA’s coach, Chip Kelly, initially intended to utilize a trio of quarterbacks due to a competitive preseason camp but identified his definitive starter in the form of Dante Moore.

Anticipating the future, Coastal Carolina is set to host Jacksonville State in the upcoming Saturday fixture, while UCLA is scheduled to travel to face San Diego State in their next Saturday encounter.

For additional coverage and information on college football, visit the following links: https://bigbignews.net/college-football and https://bigbignews.net/ap-top-25-college-football-poll.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Collegiate Triumph

More about Collegiate Triumph

• AP College Football
• AP Top 25 College Football Poll