The 2015 San Francisco Bowl, known as the Foster Farms Bowl for sponsorship purposes, was the fourteenth edition of the college football bowl game, played on December 26, 2015, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Part of the 2015–16 bowl season, it featured the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Ten.
Teams Despite winning only five games in the regular season, Nebraska was invited to play in a bowl based on its Academic Progress Rate as there were not enough eligible teams to fill all 82 spots. The 2015 San Francisco Bowl was the thirteenth all-time and first postseason meeting between Nebraska and UCLA, with the series tied 6–6 prior to the game.
Nebraska
UCLA
Game UCLA, favored by a touchdown, methodically marched down the field to take a 7–0 lead on its opening drive. The Cornhuskers answered with a twelve-play drive to tie the game, but could not slow down the Bruins offense for much of the first half. Midway through the second quarter, Tommy Armstrong lost a fumble in the red zone, and UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen delivered two quick touchdown drives of 86 and 68 yards to give the Bruins a 21–7 lead.
Nebraska mounted two run-heavy drives to tie the game at 21 with less than a minute remaining in the half. On the ensuing drive, Nebraska safety Nate Gerry was ejected for targeting, though both coaches agreed the play should not have been penalized.
The Cornhuskers maintained control to start the second half, holding UCLA to a single yard of offense on six plays in the third quarter. It allowed NU to extend its lead to nine points, which became sixteen less than a minute into the fourth quarter when a three-yard Armstrong touchdown brought the Nebraska run to thirty unanswered points. Rosen led a quick touchdown drive and a successful two-point conversion to make it a one-possession game; UCLA drove into NU territory twice more as time wound down, but came away scoreless after a missed field goal and an interception, allowing Nebraska to run out the clock on a 37–29 victory.
Scoring summary Qtr Time Drive Team Detail Score Plays Yards TOP UCLA NU 1 10:17 10 79 4:43 UCLA Paul Perkins 1-yd run (Kaʻimi Fairbairn kick) 7 0 3:50 12 75 6:27 NU Imani Cross 1-yd run (Drew Brown kick) 7 7 2 11:04 4 86 1:38 UCLA Kenneth Walker 60-yd pass from Josh Rosen (Fairbairn kick) 14 7 7:55 4 68 1:36 UCLA Nate Starks 26-yd pass from Rosen (Fairbairn kick) 21 7 6:23 4 75 1:23 NU Terrell Newby 3-yd run (Brown kick) 21 14 0:52 8 73 3:31 NU Andy Janovich 1-yd run (Brown kick) 21 21 3 10:37 9 78 4:23 NU Stanley Morgan 22-yd pass from Tommy Armstrong (kick failed) 21 27 4:50 11 67 4:32 NU Brown 20-yd field goal 21 30 4 14:11 9 51 4:01 NU Armstrong 3-yd run (Brown kick) 21 37 11:29 8 76 2:35 UCLA Jordan Payton 9-yd pass from Rosen (Rosen pass to Thomas Duarte) 29 37
Team statistics Statistic UCLA Nebraska First downs 17 31 Rushes–yards 16–67 62–326 –yards 26–41–319 12–19–174 Total offense 386 500 Turnovers 2 1 Punts–average 4–41.8 3–41.7 Penalties–yards 7–56 6–38 Time of possession 21:45 38:15
Starting lineups UCLA Position Nebraska Offense 4 Darren Andrews WR 11 Cethan Carter 18 Thomas Duarte 84 Sam Cotton 6 Stephen Johnson 7 Taariq Allen 9 Jordan Payne 10 Jamal Turner 3 Josh Rosen 4 Tommy Armstrong 24 Paul Perkins 32 Imani Cross 68 Conor McDermott 71 Alex Lewis 72 Christian Garcia 66 Dylan Utter 54 Jake Brendel 65 Ryne Reeves 74 Caleb Benenoch 58 Zach Sterup 77 Kolton Miller 68 Nick Gates Defense 97 Kenny Clark DT 7 Maliek Collins 98 Takkarist McKinley 98 Vincent Valentine 96 Eli Ankou 95 Jack Gangwish 90 Greg McMullen 12 Jayon Brown 52 Josh Banderas 42 Kenny Young 15 Michael Rose 58 Deon Hollins 51 Aaron Wallace 3 Randall Goforth 28 Byerson Cockrell 2 Jaleel Wadood 25 Nate Gerry 24 Aaron Williams 1 Ishmael Adams 8 Chris Jones 7 John Johnson 10 Joshua Kalu
References