UCLA routs Virginia Tech 42-12 in Sun Bowl

photo Virginia Tech's Mark Leal prepares to hand off during the second quarter aganst UCLA in the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game in El Paso, Texas.

EL PASO, Texas - Brett Hundley threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores to help No. 17 UCLA rout Virginia Tech 42-12 on Tuesday in the Sun Bowl.

The Bruins (10-3) outscored the Hokies (8-5) 28-5 in the second half.

Hundley had an 86-yard touchdown run and finished with 161 yards on 10 carries, and completed 16 of 29 passes for 226 yards. He was selected the co-MVP along with linebacker Jordan Zumwalt, who had 10 tackles and an interception.

After Virginia Tech cut it to 14-10 on Michael Branthover's 22-yard field goal with 3:53 left in the third quarter, UCLA answered with a 12-play, 85-yard drive, capped by Paul Perkins's 5-yard run early in the fourth.

Hokies backup quarterback Mark Leal then threw a pass under heavy pressure that linebacker Myles Jack intercepted and returned 29 yards for a touchdown that made it 28-10.

Virginia Tech, which lost starting quarterback Logan Thomas to an injury in the second quarter, got its final points when UCLA punter Sean Covington stepped on the end line for a safety with 9:38 left.

UCLA pushed it to 35-12 on Hundley's 8-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Duarte with 7:31 to play. The Bruins stayed aggressive late, and Hundley fired a 59-yard scoring strike down the right sideline to Shaquelle Evans for another score with 5:49 remaining.

UCLA led 14-7 after the first half. Hundley had six carries for 168 yards in the half. He set the Sun Bowl record for rushing yards by a quarterback by halftime.

Worse for Virginia Tech, which entered the game ranked No. 4 in the nation in total defense, was that the Bruins rushed for 202 yards in the first half. That already was the most rushing yards the Hokies had given up in a game this season. UCLA finished with 250 yards.

The Bruins struck first on Hundley's 7-yard TD run in the first quarter. That capped a six-play, 74-yard drive that opened the game.

After an exchange of punts, Virginia Tech answered with J.C. Coleman's 1-yard scoring dive midway through the quarter.

Thomas, Virginia Tech's career passing leader, left after taking a big hit along the UCLA sideline early in the second quarter. The hit resulted in a 15-yard penalty on the Bruins.

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