PASADENA, CA – The Coastal Carolina University football team kicked off its 2023 season in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., where it dropped a 27-13 decision to the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, Sept. 2. CCU's contest versus the PAC-12 opponent marked Tim Beck's first game as head coach of the Chanticleer football program.
 
Grayson McCall, the three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, was 24 of 42 for 271 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions. Sam Pinckney finished with nine receptions for a game-high 139 yards to go along with one touchdown. Reese White led the ground game with 21 yards.
 
On defense, Clayton Isbell had a stellar performance as he tied a single-game school record with three interceptions. Former Chants who also recorded three interceptions in one contest are Dontavius Johnson (North Carolina A&T, Sept. 1, 2012), Josh Norman (Gardner-Webb, Nov. 7, 2009), and Marrio Norman (Presbyterian, Oct. 20, 2007). Isbell also had nine total tackles. Keonte Lusk and Juan Powell added seven stops each. CCU held a 34:50 to 25:10 advantage in time of possession.
 
UCLA took the opening drive and marched 78 yards in seven plays to score the game's first touchdown as Ethan Garbers found Carsen Ryan on a 21-yard pass. CCU took its first drive 44 yards but was unable to put points on the board as its 33-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
 
Isbell disrupted the Bruins' next drive as he intercepted Garbers' pass in the endzone. The first quarter ended with UCLA leading by a score of 7-0 and CCU on the Bruins' 30-yard line. Liam Gray capped the Chanticleers' 16-play, 75-yard drive by connecting on a 22-yard field goal with 11:12 left in the second quarter. The drive covered 6:33.
 
With 3:57 left in the second quarter, UCLA scored its second TD of the game as Davante Moore passed the ball to Carson Steele, who took it 14 yards for the score. The six-play, 61-yards drive, which put the Bruins ahead 14-3, was aided by Moore's 39-yard pass completion to J. Michael Sturdivant.
 
The Chanticleers closed the first half by driving 51 yards on 13 plays and pushed the score to 14-6 when Gray nailed a 41-yard field goal. On second and 10 from the UCLA 38-yard line, McCall connected with Kyre Duplessis on a 25-yard pass completion to help set-up the score. McCall finished the first half going 12-21 for 128 yards. Isbell led the defense with six total tackles, including four solo stops and an interception.
 
CCU opened the third quarter with an impressive scoring drive that included a 52-yard pass completion from McCall to Pinckney and a first-down rush by Braydon Bennett on fourth and one. Pinckney then hauled in McCall's pass from nine yards out for a touchdown. The drive covered 4:52 and went 75 yards on nine plays and closed UCLA's lead to 14-13.
 
The Bruin's second-half opening drive was halted by Isbell's second interception of the game. He grabbed Garbers' pass attempt at CCU's eight-yard line and returned it 29 yards. The Chants' drive came to an end when UCLA made an interception at its own 15-yard line.
 
CCU missed a 55-yard field goal attempt at the 14:07 mark of the fourth quarter. During the game's next possession, UCLA needed just one play to score its next TD as Moore tossed a pass to Sturdivant, who ran 62 yards to the endzone. With the good PAT, the Bruins increased their lead to 21-13 with 13:59 left in the game.
 
On its next possession, the Bruins saw their scoring opportunity end when Isbell intercepted Moore's pass in the endzone for his third pick of the game. UCLA then responded and intercepted CCU on the next play of the game.
 
The Bruins closed the game's scoring with two more field goals late in the fourth quarter.
 
The Chants will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 9, when they open the home portion of their 2023 schedule versus Jacksonville State University at 7 p.m. in Brooks Stadium.
 
For complete coverage of CCU football, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalFootball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUSports.com.