PASADENA — All night Saturday, the UCLA defense got stop after stop on third down.

The Bruins' offense, however, wasn't able to create enough separation and the mobility of USC quarterback Jayden Maiava produced one fourth-quarter throw that UCLA wasn't able to bat away in a 19-13 loss to its rival in front of 59,473 fans at the Rose Bowl.

The Bruins (4-7, 3-6 Big Ten) let their bowl-eligibility hopes and control of the Victory Bell slip away — and lost Maiava in the process on the go-ahead 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Ja'Kobi Lane to fall behind 16-13 with 6:55 remaining.

Maiava slithered around the pocket to extend the play before finding Lane along the left sideline of the end zone.

The Trojans (6-5, 4-5 Big Ten) then produced a fourth-and-1 stop on Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers' sneak at the UCLA 34-yard line with 4:59 remaining.

After limiting USC to kicker Michael Lantz' fourth made field goal, UCLA got the ball back with 2:09 remaining.

However, four consecutive incompletions from Garbers, including a fourth-down pass under heavy pressure intended for tight end Moliki Matavao, turned the ball over on downs and dashed the Bruins' hopes of playing in a bowl game with one remaining.

USC, meanwhile, earned bowl-eligible status and continued a trend of the home team failing to win the past five games in the head-to-head series.

First quarter

11:37, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 51-yard field goal, 3-0 UCLA

4:12, USC: PK Michael Lantz 19-yard field goal, 3-3 tie

Second quarter

9:25, USC: PK Michael Lantz 23-yard field goal, 6-3 USC

0:21, USC: PK Michael Lantz 22-yard field goal, 9-3 USC

Third quarter

9:37, UCLA: QB Ethan Garbers to TE Moliki Matavao, 10-yard TD pass (PAT GOOD, Mateen Bhaghani), 10-9 UCLA

0:04, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 29-yard field goal, 13-9 UCLA

Fourth quarter

6:55, USC: QB Jayden Maiava to WR Ja'Kobi Lane, 4-yard TD pass (PAT GOOD, Michael Lantz), 16-13 USC

2:09, USC: PK Michael Lantz 30-yard field goal, 19-13 USC

USC went into the halftime break with a 9-3 lead.

UCLA's defense was able to limit the Trojans to three made Lantz field goals thanks to as many third-down stops. The Bruins' secondary — cornerbacks Kaylin Moore, Devin Kirkwood and Jaylin Davies — forced incompletions at the 2-, 6- and 5-yard line, respectively.

With the clock at zeroes, however, the teams had to be separated after exchanging words and UCLA was flagged for three unsportsmanlike penalties as a result.

The flurry of flags forced the Bruins to kick off from their own 5 to open the second half.

UCLA's pass coverage came through once more, though, forcing another incompletion and a turnover on downs on fourth-and-3 around midfield to begin the third quarter.

The Bruins then capitalized on the ensuing drive for the first touchdown of the night produced by either side. Garbers dumped off a 10-yard pass to Matavo, who rumbled ahead and dove into the end zone to give UCLA the 10-9 lead with 9:37 left in the third.

After another key third-down stop by the secondary from nickelback K.J. Wallace, the Bruins' offense got a 23-yard catch from running back T.J. Harden and a diving 45-yard grab from J.Michael Sturdivant to get inside the red zone.

Despite getting to the 5, a false start and sack forced UCLA to settle for a 29-yard Mateen Bhaghani field goal to push the lead to 13-9 before the end of the third.

USC was unable to answer after Maiava was unsuccessful trying to dance around and buy time in the pocket. UCLA edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo swooped in for a sack to force a fourth-and-22 and the Bruins took over after a punt with 11:08 remaining.

Yet, the Trojans were able to pull out the victory thanks to ideal field position. All three USC drives in the fourth quarter started in UCLA territory and produced 10 points.

UCLA was shut out over the final 15 minutes.

The loss spoiled a strong performance from Harden, who averaged 7 yards per carry and finished with 98 yards rushing.

The junior, who had a long of 40 yards, helped the Bruins extend drives early and helped give the hope of a balanced attack in a season that the run game has otherwise struggled mightily.

One of the standout defensive backs throughout the evening, Wallace had five tackles and 3 1/2 tackles for a loss to go with his pass break-up.

But it was an all-around strong effort from a UCLA pass coverage that knocked down seven passes.

The Bruins were unable to finish supporting a strong defensive effort that limited the Trojans to 86 yards rushing and a 4-of-14 night on third down.

UCLA generated just 32 of its 376 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter.

Passing

Ethan Garbers: 20 of 29 for 265 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

Rushing

T.J. Harden: 14 carries for 98 yards

Ethan Garbers: 8 carries for 7 yards

Keegan Jones: 4 carries for 6 yards

Receiving

Titus Mokiao-Atimalala: 6 catches for 49 yards

J.Michael Sturdivant: 5 catches for 117 yards

Kwazi Gilmer: 3 catches for 38 yards

T.J. Harden: 3 catches for 37 yards

Moliki Matavao: 2 catches for 15 yards, TD

Defense

Carson Schwesinger: 12 tackles

Oluwafemi Oladejo: 7 tackles, 1 1/2 TFLs, sack

K.J. Wallace: 5 tackles, 3 1/2 TFLs, PBU

Kaylin Moore: 4 tackles, 2 PBUs