A lot of people were wondering what was going to happen when Josh Rosen had that game. Well, he had that game Saturday.
Rosen, the true freshman quarterback who had looked steady in UCLA's first two wins, had the worst showing of his young career. But even in the face of adversity, tossing three first-half interceptions, he looked poised in the second half in helping the Bruins to a come-from-behind 24-23 win over BYU. He finished 11-of-23 for 106 yards with the three picks and a touchdown.
The Cougar magic that had captivated college football the first two weeks, produced by their own true-freshman quarterback, Tanner Mangum, finally ran out when Mangum couldn't engineer a third straight game-winning drive. With BYU driving into UCLA territory, Myles Jack picked off Mangum on fourth down with 58 seconds left in the game. Mangum was 30-of-47 for 244 yards with a touchdown and the lone pick.
What the win means for UCLA: For the first time this season, the Bruins faced some adversity. Well, a lot of adversity, actually. And it should serve as a teachable moment for Jim Mora and his players that even when things aren't going their way, they are more than capable of playing from behind. That's a huge confidence boost heading into conference play next week at Arizona, a team they've beaten every year under Mora's watch. For the defense, there is plenty to clean up -- especially on third down. For Rosen: Learn from it and move on.
What the loss means for BYU: The Cougars' charmed run is over. And with it, their shot at the College Football Playoff. Not a lot of shame losing on the road to the No. 10 team in the country. In fact, the Cougars probably earned a new measure of national respect for holding off the Bruins until UCLA took its first lead with 3:21 left in the game. A trip to Michigan awaits next week.
Player of the game: The best thing for a young, struggling quarterback is a reliable running back, and Paul Perkins certainly kept the Bruins in the game. He carried the offense when the air attack was grounded, pounding out 219 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown.
Unsung hero: How good was Nate Starks on UCLA's go-ahead drive? Really in there to give Perkins a quick breather, Starks carried four times for 60 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown. He finished with 81 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.