Well, for first-year UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster, a win is a win.

It just wasn't particularly easy Saturday in his debut for his alma mater.

California transfer kicker Mateen Bhaghani converted three field goals, including the game-winner from 32 yards with 56 seconds left, to help UCLA escape paradise with a 16-13 win over Hawaii at T.C. Ching Complex in Honolulu.

The Bruins (1-0) never led until Bhaghani's final kick, overcoming a performance from a scuffling offense that generated just 94 of its 343 yards and failed to score in the first half.

The UCLA defense had its own slow start before recovering to produce 11 tackles for a loss and five sacks against the Rainbow Warriors (1-1), who blew a 10-0 halftime lead and turned the ball over deep in its own territory as time expired.

UCLA will have an open week before making its Big Ten Conference play debut Sept. 14 in the home opener against Indiana at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

First quarter

7:43, Hawaii: QB Brayden Schager to WR Pofele Ashlock, 19-yard TD (PAT GOOD, Kansei Matsuzawa), 7-0 Hawaii

Second quarter

0:00, Hawaii: PK Kansei Matsuzawa 28-yard field goal, 10-0 Hawaii

Third quarter

8:41, UCLA: QB Ethan Garbers to WR Rico Flores Jr., 39-yard TD (PAT GOOD, Blake Glessner), 10-7 Hawaii

4:12, Hawaii: PK Kansei Matsuzawa 28-yard field goal, 13-7 Hawaii

0:54, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 22-yard field goal, 13-10 Hawaii

Fourth quarter

14:05, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 37-yard field goal, 13-13 tie

0:56, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 32-yard field goal, 16-13 UCLA

UCLA's offensive line didn't look much different from the one that was among the worst units in the nation last season — and that was without allowing a first-half sack.

Quarterback Ethan Garbers didn’t help matters, throwing a pair of interceptions and a number of passes into crowded areas. One throw, in particular, was picked off in the end zone in the first quarter.

Trailing 7-0 but after Notre Dame transfer safety Ramon Henderson came up with a tip-drill interception for the UCLA defense, Garbers then tried to avoid taking a safety and wildly threw his second pick to Rainbow Warriors linebacker Logan Taylor at the UCLA 12-yard line with 20 seconds left in the half.

Hawaii kicker Kansei Matsuzawa connected on the first of his two 28-yard field goals to extend the advantage to 10-0 as time expired.

Rico Flores Jr., a receiver UCLA picked up in the transfer portal from Notre Dame, showed off his big-play ability in the third quarter to jump-start the Bruins. His 39-yard touchdown catch got UCLA on the board at the 8:41 mark.

Later in the quarter, Flores then drew a pass interference penalty against Hawaii's secondary followed by a 53-yard catch-and-run on the next play to get UCLA in territory for Bhaghani's field goal and pull within 13-10.

The defense got stronger as the game went on and nickelback D.J. Justice intercepted Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager late in the third quarter to continue the momentum.

Bhaghani's 37-yard field goal with 14:05 to play tied the game 13-13.

Brody Richter, a transfer punter from Northern Arizona, pinned Hawaii back on its own 9-yard line with a 32-yard punt with 5:51 remaining.

UCLA's defense then got a boost from Georgia Tech transfer nickelback K.J. Wallace, who nearly picked off Schager and then followed it up with pressure to force an incompletion and a Hawaii punt.

Garbers, without both of his starting tackles on the offensive line, engineered the game-winning drive with a 20-yard completion to tight end Moliki Matavao, an 11-yard throw to Arizona State transfer tight end Bryce Pierre and a 10-yard pass to Flores.

Garbers then danced out of the way of two potential tackles in the backfield, ran four yards and made a head-first dive to get to the Hawaii 14 to set up Bhaghani's game-winner.

On the final drive, UCLA linebacker Ale Kaho sacked Schager for a loss of 11 yards on the second play. As time expired, Bruins linebacker Carson Schwesinger forced a fumble after a catch by Hawaii receiver Pofele Ashlock, and Oregon transfer safety Bryan Addison scooped up the loose ball around the Hawaii 40 and set off the celebration.

UCLA avoided Hawaii extending a drive late in the first quarter and trailing 7-0.

Foster accepted a Hawaii penalty on a play that went for a Rainbow Warriors incomplete pass on third down. So, instead of setting up a fourth-and-4, Hawaii had another look on third-and-9 but UCLA was able to force another incomplete pass and the punt.

Still down 7-0 with 7:46 to play in the second, Foster then sent out Blake Glessner for an unsucessful 52-yard field goal attempt on a fourth-and-4 at the Hawaii 34-yard line. Glessner, the team's long-range kicker, missed wide right.

Both Glessner and Bhaghani were still locked into a battle for the starting job going into the week of preparation.

Flores saved the Bruins from a disastrous start to the Foster era.

He finished with three catches for a team-high 102 yards and the touchdown that got UCLA off the mat after halftime.

Flores' play helped a Bruins offense that produced just 71 yards rushing on 20 carries.

Wallace had a team-high seven tackles, including two for a loss, a sack and four passes deflected.

Early in the third, Garbers dropped back near midfield before unleashing a throw down the middle of the field to Flores. The 6-foot-2 standout pulled down the catch at the front of the end zone and over the top of Hawaii defensive back Peter Manuma in single coverage.

A combination of Flores igniting the offense, Garbers' adjustments under pressure in a collapsing pocket and slew of contributors on defense helped UCLA avoid an 0-1 start before opening Big Ten play.

Then, there's Bhaghani, who helped the Bruins chip away and reward three of the defense's five stops in the second half.

Hawaii generated just 120 of its 278 total yards after halftime.

Passing

Ethan Garbers: 19 of 38 for 272 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Rushing

Ethan Garbers: 7 carries for 47 yards

T.J. Harden: 9 carries for 9 yards

Keegan Jones: 3 carries for 13 yards

Anthony Frias: 1 carry for 2 yards

Receiving

T.J. Harden: 5 catches for 22 yards

Rico Flores Jr.: 3 catches for 102 yards, TD

Moliki Matavao: 3 catches for 42 yards

J.Michael Sturdivant: 3 catches for 36 yards

Titus Mokiao-Atimalala: 2 catches for 29 yards

Defense

K.J. Wallace: 7 tackles, 2 TFLs, sack, 4 PBUs

Carson Schwesinger: 6 tackles, TFL

Kain Medrano: 5 tackles, TFL, forced fumble

Ramon Henderson: 3 tackles, sack, TFL, INT

D.J. Justice: Tackle, INT