STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- Playing its first home game since Nov. 2020, Stanford's comeback fell short in a 35-24 loss to No. 24 UCLA on Saturday night at Stanford Stadium.
Stanford (2-2, 1-1 Pac-12) had played its last seven games away from home because of COVID-19 protocols last season and a tough opening schedule. The Cardinal managed to win six of those games but came up short against the Bruins (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12).
UCLA broke out to a 14-0 lead and then, after letting Stanford battle back to tie it, got the biggest play of the game when Thompson-Robinson found Kyle Phillips open deep over the middle for a 75-yard TD on the next play from scrimmage.
The Bruins sealed the win when Thompson-Robinson threw a 5-yard TD pass to Phillips after briefly leaving the game with an injury.
Stanford started the game with five straight three-and-outs and trailed 14-0 on short TD runs by Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet before the offense even got going.
McKee then started to find some open receivers downfield as the Cardinal worked its way back into the game. Brycen Tremayne made a toe-tapping 19-yard TD grab to get Stanford on the board in the second quarter.
Then, after the Bruins went back up by 14 on Thompson-Robinson's second TD run late in the first half, McKee connected on a 56-yard TD pass to Elijah Higgins in the third quarter and a 52-yarder to Bryce Farrell early in the fourth to tie the game at 21.
But Thompson-Robinson answered on the next play and UCLA held on for the win.
Stanford faces No. 3 Oregon on Saturday at Stanford Stadium.