Pasadena, Calif. – Ben Olson threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns in his first college start, leading UCLA to a 31-10 victory over Utah in the teams’ opener Saturday.
The 6-foot-5, 227-pounder hadn’t started a game since his senior year in high school nearly five years ago – when he was the nation’s No. 1 recruit.
He transferred from Brigham Young in January 2005, after redshirting his freshman year and spending two years on a Mormon church mission in Calgary, Alberta.
Last season, Olson played sparingly as the backup to Drew Olson after missing the first three games with a broken left throwing hand.
This Saturday was all his.
Ben Olson showed the poise of his 23 years, completing 25-of-33 passes for 318 yards and no interceptions in a game that began in 96-degree heat at the Rose Bowl. It was the most yardage by a debuting Bruins quarterback since Tommy Maddox had 353 against Michigan in 1990.
“He wasn’t the No. 1 high school quarterback in the country for nothing,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Olson was perfect on his first seven passes, hitting seven different receivers, all for first downs.
Utah was 0-for-11 on third downs, and managed 285 yards of total offense to UCLA’s 418.
UNLV 54, IDAHO STATE 10 at Las Vegas – David Peoples scored two touchdowns and wide receiver Ryan Wolfe set a UNLV freshman record with 160 yards to lift the Rebels to their first season-opening victory since 2003.
Wolfe caught six passes, including a 71-yarder from Rocky Hinds early in the fourth quarter. Peoples’ short scoring runs helped end the half with 27 straight points.
Hinds, a Southern California transfer, was 24-for-42 for 322 yards. He also had six carries for 42 yards.
PORTLAND STATE 17, NEW MEXICO 6 at Albuquerque – Sawyer Smith threw two second-half touchdown passes and Division I-AA Portland State took advantage of numerous New Mexico mistakes.
New Mexico’s offense, under first-year offensive coordinator and former UCLA head coach Bob Toledo, sputtered all night. The Lobos had 339 total yards to Portland State’s 233, but could muster only a pair of first-half field goals from Kenny Byrd from 29 and 24 yards.
The Lobos also committed three turnovers and picked up 11 penalties for 93 yards.
