LOS ANGELES — For about 20 minutes, the Alabama State Hornets looked nothing like UCLA’s first HBCU opponent in program history.

The Bruins led, but only 14-7, and the Hornets were driving on UCLA with ease.

Plus, with arguably the two most important Bruins on the sidelines — running back Zach Charbonnet, who didn’t play at all, and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was injured early in the second quarter — the handful of UCLA fans in the stands were sweating it. And this week, the temperature wasn’t topping 102 degrees.

Ultimately, backup quarterback Ethan Garbers helped UCLA right the ship and the Bruins scored 31 straight points to seize control, moving to 2-0.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

It takes a while for UCLA to turn it on

Early in USC’s Week 1 blowout of visiting Rice, the Owls were actually moving the ball on the Trojans and, for a quarter at least, making things respectable.

And so it went with the Bruins on Saturday against Alabama State. Midway through the first half, the Hornets were out-gaining UCLA, had just cut the Bruins’ lead to 14-7 and quarterback Myles Crawley was dialed in against a UCLA pass defense that has had a rough few years.

Just like that, UCLA took over and turned a 14-7 lead into a 45-7 lead, despite losing Thompson-Robinson and with Charbonnet sidelined.

Bruins’ depth on display

Without their prodigious veteran backfield, UCLA still managed over 450 yards before taking its foot off the gas pedal.

Thompson-Robinson injured himself scrambling in the second quarter after starting the game 9-of-11 passing for 101 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Garbers entered and started 12-of-14 passing for 164 yards and one bad decision, an interception in the end zone that stalled UCLA’s second drive of the second half.

With Charbonnet out, the Bruins spread the wealth. Keegan Jones (10 carries, 33 yards, and a touchdown), T.J. Harden (seven for 56 and a score), Colson Yankoff (six for 35), Christian Grubb (four for 33 and a score), and Deshun Murrell (four for 26) all got significant run.

UCLA’s pass defense still showing holes

For a while at least, the Bruins looked like the Bruins of recent history, struggling to both contain and control an Alabama State passing game that had no business letting it fly on what is expected to be a top-four Pac-12 team.

But after destroying Bowling Green’s passing game a week ago in Bill McGovern’s first game as defensive coordinator, the Bruins struggled to contain Crawley early. The Alabama State quarterback started 13 of 20 passing for 146 yards and a touchdown before UCLA turned it on. The Hornets ultimately finished with 223 passing yards and had two passes intercepted.

UCLA has looked worse, but it should look better.