UCLA vs. San Diego State score: QB Dante Moore shines in first start as Bruins race past Aztecs

The touted freshman now has five touchdown passes in his first two college games

UCLA improved to 2-0 on the season with an impressive 35-10 road win against San Diego State Saturday night. The Bruins did most of their damage under freshman quarterback Dante Moore, who earned the first start of his career after impressing off the bench in Week 1 against Coastal Carolina. 

The former five-star prospect led UCLA's offense for a majority of the game, despite the fact that coach Chip Kelly said he would give each of the Bruins' three quarterbacks a chance. Moore completed 17 of his 27 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns, giving the freshman phenom five passing scores in his first two games as a Bruin. 

Moore's performance Saturday night seems to indicate that UCLA's quarterback competition is nearing its end. In fact, when UCLA gained a comfortable enough lead, the Bruins turned to Collin Schlee off the bench, not Ethan Garbers -- Moore's primary competition and UCLA's starting quarterback in Week 1. 

UCLA's defense deserves a tip of the hat as well. The Bruins showed out against an experienced San Diego State squad, intercepting three passes, logging three sacks and stuffing the Aztecs offense behind the line 10 times. UCLA gets one final tune-up game next week against North Carolina Central before it starts conference play against Utah. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 10:59 pm ET · Will Backus]

UCLA closing in on first win against San Diego State since 2009

Late 4Q: UCLA 35, San Diego State 10

UCLA may hold a 21-1-1 all-time record against San Diego State, but it has not beaten the Aztecs since 2009. San Diego State picked up a win in 2019, the only game in that span. With just over a minute to go in the fourth quarter, the Bruins are set to re-take control against their in-state foe. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 10:38 pm ET · Will Backus]

Collin Schlee in at QB for UCLA

Mid 4Q: UCLA 35, San Diego State 10 

Dante Moore's night is done after throwing for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Instead of turning to Ethan Garbers, who started in Week 1 against Coastal Carolina, UCLA elected to put Kent State transfer Collin Schlee in the game. This marks Schlee's first action at quarterback since joining the Bruins in the offseason. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 10:20 pm ET · Will Backus]

Dante Moore with the hat trick

Late 3Q: UCLA 35, San Diego State 10

UCLA may be up by 25 points now, but Moore is not slowing down. He's been so good, in fact, that UCLA has yet to turn to another quarterback, despite the fact that coach Chip Kelly said all three signal callers would play. Moore extended the Bruins' lead to 25 by throwing his third touchdown pass of the night to H-back Carsen Ryan. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 10:10 pm ET · Will Backus]

San Diego State fumbles golden opportunity

Mid 3Q: UCLA 28, San Diego State 10

San Diego State's offense has to be trying not to score at this point. Thanks to a strip sack from linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu, the Aztecs got the ball on UCLA's 1-yard line. The Aztecs gained a whopping zero yards on its first two plays from UCLA's goal line and, on third down, the they tried to get cute with a quick screen. The ball bounced off the wide receiver's chest and into the hands of UCLA linebacker Darius Muasau, who went down in the end zone for a touchback. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 9:57 pm ET · Will Backus]

UCLA defense stifling 

Early 3Q: UCLA 28, San Diego State 10

San Diego State has been running into a brick wall all night. The Aztecs have had to rely on chunk plays to get just about anything done, because the Bruins are smothering the routine stuff. UCLA has two sacks and eight tackles for loss, and it is holding San Diego State to just 1.7 yards per carry on the ground -- down from 2.2 in the first half. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 9:37 pm ET · Will Backus]

San Diego State opens the second half

Early 3Q: UCLA 28, San Diego State 10

San Diego State will get the ball to start the second half against UCLA. The Aztecs haven't really been in this game since midway through the first quarter, but opening the second half with a scoring drive could change momentum in a positive direction. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 9:08 pm ET · Will Backus]

Moore gets touchdown No. 2

Late 2Q: UCLA 28, San Diego State 10

UCLA is starting to put this one to bed, and Dante Moore is starting to show out. The freshman five star just threw his second touchdown of the night, hitting a wide open Logan Loya for the 24-yard scoring strike. Loya did a good job to secure the ball while falling to the ground, though there weren't many defenders near him. Moore now has 194 passing yards and two touchdowns. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 8:56 pm ET · Will Backus]

San Diego State trying to build momentum

Late 2Q: UCLA 21, San Diego State 10

UCLA may have had a couple explosive runs, but San Diego State is doing whatever it still hanging around with a few minutes to go in the half. The Aztecs cut into the Bruins' lead with a 44-yard field goal and then made a stand on defense to get the ball back. Now they're knocking on UCLA territory.  

[Sep 9, 2023 at 8:39 pm ET · Will Backus]

UCLA running backs taking over 

Early 2Q: UCLA 21, San Diego State 7

UCLA can start whoever it wants at quarterback if its running backs keep playing like this. After Carson Steele scored his first touchdown as a Bruin, UCLA's defense forced San Diego State to punt and was rewarded with a 59-yard touchdown run from T.J. Harden, who is splitting carries with Steele out of the backfield. Harden hit a hole in the line, split a pair of defensive backs with his speed and raced past the entire defense for six. 

[Sep 9, 2023 at 8:26 pm ET · Will Backus]

Carson Steele scores his first UCLA TD

Early 2Q: UCLA 14, San Diego State 7

UCLA's Carson Steele, a former Ball State star, was one of the most touted running back transfers during the 2023 cycle. He found paydirt for the first time as a Bruin against San Diego State. The Bruins went for it on fourth-and-1 from San Diego State's 13-yard line, lining up in a "T" formation with Steele offset to the left. Steele got the ball and ran almost untouched past the line of scrimmage, sprinting into the end zone to give UCLA a lead.