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Fresno State gets $1.1M guarantee, and win, from No. 13 UCLA on bad night for Pac-12

An extremely rough Saturday night for Pac-12 Conference football culminated with then-No. 13-ranked UCLA giving up a touchdown with 14 seconds to play and losing to Fresno State, 40-37, in a game for which Fresno State will be receiving a $1.1 million appearance guarantee.

It was the second time in four seasons that the Bulldogs have visited the Rose Bowl and come away with both significant guarantee money and a victory. In 2018, they beat UCLA, 38-14, in a game for which Fresno State was paid $650,000.

The Bulldogs also became the third Group of Five conference team this season to win a game for which it is receiving a guarantee of at least $1 million. Texas-San Antonio defeated Illinois and will be getting $1.1 million; Northern Illinois beat Georgia Tech and will be getting $1 million.

Not long before UCLA fell Saturday night, Arizona was upset, 21-19, by Northern Arizona, a Football Championship Subdivision school that entered the game with an 0-2 record this season and is getting a $500,000 guarantee.

Fresno State place kicker Abraham Montano (48) celebrates with defensive tackle Dario Pizzuti (98) after a field goal against the UCLA Bruins in the third quarter at Rose Bowl.
Fresno State place kicker Abraham Montano (48) celebrates with defensive tackle Dario Pizzuti (98) after a field goal against the UCLA Bruins in the third quarter at Rose Bowl.

In addition, Utah lost on the road to San Diego State, 33-31, in triple overtime and then-No. 21 Arizona State lost at then-No. 23 Brigham Young, 27-17. BYU now has a 3-0 record, with all of the wins against Pac-12 South Division teams; it also has defeated Arizona and then-No. 18 Utah. San Diego State’s win will give coach Brady Hoke his second $10,000 bonus of the season for a win over a Power Five conference school. The other? Last week’s over Arizona in Tucson.

Arizona’s loss Saturday night to Northern Arizona was the second time this season a Pac-12 team has lost at home to an FCS team from the Big Sky Conference. Washington, then ranked No. 21, opened the season by losing to Montana, 13-7, in a game that will be giving Montana $675,000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fresno State gets $1.1 million and win from UCLA amid Pac-12 meltdown