Pasadena, Calif. — Mateen Bhaghani drilled a 23-yard field goal with just two seconds remaining, capping a remarkable late rally as UCLA edged Maryland 20–17 on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. The victory marked the Bruins’ third straight win, continuing their stunning midseason turnaround.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 221 yards and engineered three scoring drives in the final six minutes — despite briefly leaving the game with what appeared to be a knee injury. The Tennessee transfer returned to lead the game-winning march, guiding the Bruins (3–4, 3–1 Big Ten) 68 yards in just 31 seconds to set up Bhaghani’s decisive kick.
“I think it’s all about belief,” said interim head coach Tim Skipper, who has led UCLA’s resurgence since taking over for the dismissed DeShaun Foster. “These guys never stopped believing, even when things got tough. Tonight showed me how much faith they have in one another.”
The dramatic finish capped a wild fourth quarter. After trailing 10–7 late, Iamaleava found Mikey Matthews for a 14-yard touchdown with 3:33 remaining. Moments later, Scooter Jackson intercepted Maryland quarterback Malik Washington, leading to a Bhaghani field goal that stretched the lead to 17–10 with just over two minutes left.
But Washington responded, guiding the Terrapins (4–3, 1–3) on an 80-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jalil Farooq with 40 seconds remaining to tie the game.
That’s when Iamaleava, just minutes removed from limping off the field, re-entered the game. He completed two key passes for 33 yards before Anthony Frias broke free for a 35-yard run to the Maryland 5-yard line, setting up Bhaghani’s winning kick.
“It just shows what kind of leader he is,” Matthews said of Iamaleava. “He came back when it mattered most. He’s got that dog in him.”
Frias, a Kansas State transfer, provided the spark early with a 55-yard touchdown run in the second quarter — his first collegiate score after 36 career games.
Despite committing three turnovers and enduring nine straight scoreless possessions, the Bruins’ defense kept Maryland out of the end zone until the final minute. The unit’s resilience preserved UCLA’s momentum after an 0–4 start that included a coaching change and the loss of both coordinators.
For Maryland, the loss marked a third straight heartbreaking finish following a 4–0 start. Each of the Terrapins’ last three defeats has come by fewer than four points.
“We’ve lost three Big Ten games by a combined 10 points,” said head coach Mike Locksley. “I’m not going to ask ‘why.’ That’s a victim’s question. We need to figure out what it’s going to take to finish games.”
Maryland’s defense — ranked first nationally in interceptions entering the game — once again made big plays. Jamare Glasker returned an interception 8 yards for a touchdown, while Jalen Huskey picked off another pass in the second quarter. Both Huskey and linebacker Trey Reddick were ejected for targeting during the game.
Locksley praised his defense’s effort despite the loss. “They got turnovers, they scored points — they did their part,” he said. “We just didn’t play complementary football in the other phases.”
UCLA’s improbable turnaround — featuring back-to-back upsets of Penn State and Michigan State — continued with a gritty, emotional win that kept their bowl hopes alive.
Up Next:
UCLA: Visits Indiana next Saturday.
Maryland: Has a bye week before hosting Indiana on Nov. 1.
