SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Nebraska's 37-29 victory over UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl on Saturday night left the Cornhuskers wondering just how successful their season was.

Nebraska overcame an early 21-7 deficit, then held off a late UCLA charge before an announced crowd of 33.257 at Levi's Stadium to capture its third win in its last four games, including a victory over Michigan State and the bowl success against the Bruins (8-5).

"The last month, month and a half, we played our best football," first-year Nebraska coach Mike Riley said, "and I think we played our best football today."

However, the Cornhuskers (6-7) still finished with a losing record for just the third time since 1961, and might still be kicking themselves for their five losses by five points or less, including three by two points.

The Cornhuskers won Saturday the way they did in their glory days, by controlling the clock and the line of scrimmage and running over the opposition. They rushed 62 times for 326 yards and held the ball for 38:15 compared with 21:45 for the Bruins.

"Football goes a lot better when you impose your will physically," Riley said. "The line of scrimmage was moving in our favor really nicely."

The Bruins rushed for just 67 yards, and running back Paul Perkins, who ran for 1,275 yards during the regular season, was limited to 68.

No Nebraska player rushed for more than 90 yards, as the carries and yards were spread around. Running back Devine Ozigbo was the leading rusher with 87 yards and quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. had 76 on the ground.

Armstrong was 12-of-19 passing for 174 yards and one touchdown. He also had no interceptions after throwing nine picks in his previous three games. But he entered the game knowing the Bruins would be vulnerable to the run.

"Watching film, we saw a lot of good things with the running game against certain teams they played," Armstrong said.

UCLA coach Jim Mora noted that Stanford, which beat UCLA 56-35, and Nebraska were both able to dominate physically up front and with the running game.

"We're working on getting bigger guys so we don't get pushed around," Mora said.

"I feel it was our responsibility to hold the ball a little longer and give the defense a little bit of a break," said UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen, who was 26 of 40 for 319 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Despite Nebraska's physical domination, it looked like the Cornhuskers might wind up on the losing end of another close game when the Bruins made a late run.

Nebraska took the lead for the first time at 27-21 early in the third quarter when wide receiver Stanley Morgan Jr. made a one-handed grab of Armstrong's 22-yard touchdown pass. Drew Brown missed the extra point try, however.

A 20-yard Brown field goal increased the Nebraska lead to 30-21, and when Armstrong scored on a 3-yard run with 14:11 left in the fourth quarter, the Cornhuskers led by 16 points at 37-21.

UCLA cut the margin to 37-29 on Rosen's 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordan Payton and two-point conversion pass to wide receiver Thomas Duarte.

On UCLA's next possession, it had a first down at the Nebraska 17-yard line. But two incompletions and a bad snap on third down that pushed the ball back to the 28 led to a 46-yard field-goal try that kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed with 5:49 left in the game.

UCLA got to the Nebraska 32 after that, but Cornhuskers defensive back Chris Jones intercepted Rosen's fourth-down pass in the end zone.

NOTES: Nebraska S Nate Gerry was ejected after being penalized for targeting on his hit to UCLA RB Paul Perkins with 33 seconds left in the first half. "I was stunned he got thrown out of the game," UCLA coach Jim Mora said. "I thought it was a good football play." ... Nebraska junior DT Maliek Collins announced after the game that he will forgo his final season of college eligibility and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. ... UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone was hospitalized last week because of a blood clot in his lung, according to Bruin Report Online, but he was able to call the offensive plays on Saturday. "His voice got weaker and weaker as the game went on," Mora said. "We struggled to hear him at the end." UCLA QB Josh Rosen said he took on more responsibility in the play-calling. ... Nebraska was one of three 5-7 teams that received a bowl berth based on Academic Progress Rates.