The 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl proved to be a defensive struggle in the first quarter, as the UCLA Bruins and Illinois Fighting Illini are scoreless after 12 minutes of play at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Illinois averaged just 11 points per game during their six-game losing streak to end their regular season, and continued more of the same in the opening quarter against the Bruins.
UCLA held Illinois to just 66 yards and four first downs in the first quarter, but the problem for the Bruins was that their offense wasn't any better, with 44 yards and a single first down themselves.
Bruins' quarterback Kevin Prince hit Shaquille Evans for a 30-yard pass on their third play from scrimmage, but didn't do much else. Prince completed two of seven passes for 36 yards in the quarter, and to make matters worse he was sacked twice and hit hard at least one other time. Nick Crissman was seen warming up on the UCLA sideline as the quarter came to an end.
Linebacker Jordan Zumwalt, playing in place of the injured Patrick Larimore, provided the first turnover of the game with an interception of Nathan Scheelhaase at the Bruins' 21-yard line with 7:03 remaining in the first quarter. However UCLA wasn't able to capitalize as they were forced to punt after a three-and-out.
The star of the game so far for UCLA just might be punter Jeff Locke, who has punted four times for a 48.3-yard average.
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