UCLA Loses Heartbreaker to Utah with Oregon Looming

When UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley decided to return to school for what is certainly his last year before declaring for the NFL Draft, most Bruins fans expected the team to at least compete for a spot in the new college football four-team playoff. Especially after having seen the Bruins’ 2014 schedule–with match-ups against Arizona, Stanford, and Oregon ALL at the Rose Bowl–the Bruins faithful had one thing in mind after so many years of unfulfilled expectations.

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But as had happened every season in which the Bruins have faced Oregon since 2008, UCLA lost the game immediately preceding their showdown with the Ducks. Of course, the Bruins haven’t even defeated the Ducks since an ugly (emphasis on ugly) 16-0 win at the Rose Bowl in 2007, and I don’t even think that Bruins fans really count that one.

In any case, defeating Oregon has been near the top of every recent UCLA head football coach’s to-do list, so Jim Mora could really solidify himself as the best head coach in Westwood since Bob Toledo or even Terry Donahue with a win on Saturday afternoon. After last Saturday’s loss to Utah, however, expectations are running a bit low.

Oct 4, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley (17) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

As has been the case all season, the Bruins started off slow in the first half and found themselves trailing 17-7 at halftime. Utah switched quarterbacks early in the game, going to back-up lefty Kendal Thompson instead of starter, and righty, So Cal native Travis Wilson. While the two COMBINED to throw for exactly 100 yards, Thompson ran for 83 yards on 19 carries, and running back Devontae Booker rushed 156 yards on 33 carries, to lead the Utes’ offense.

While Utah was only 7-18 on third downs, it seemed that they were often in third-and-short, and they just kept running the ball over a tired Bruins defense. Late in the game, after UCLA took a 28-27 lead with just under five minutes remaining on a 40-yard touchdown strike from Hundley to Eldridge Massington, most of the near capacity Rose Bowl crowd expected the Bruins to be victorious. Unfortunately, Utah ran right back down the field and kicked a 29-yard field goal with 34 seconds to go. UCLA’s defense just couldn’t get a stop.

The Bruins, to their credit, made a valiant attempt to at least get a last-second field goal attempt for kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. The Bruins’ offense got as close as the Utah 37-yard line, and UCLA got bailed out by a running into the kicker penalty on Fairbairn’s 55-yard attempt. With no time remaining, Fairbairn was given a shot from 50 yards, and his kick certainly had enough distance, but missed just right.

Oct 4, 2014; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Eldridge Massington (82) runs away from Utah Utes defensive back Eric Rowe (18) to score a touchdown in the second half against the Utah Utes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Outside of the missed field goal, and the Bruins’ inability to stop Utah’s running game in key situations, the team played farely well. Hundley had an awful interception in the first quarter, leading to a 27-yard touchdown return, but otherwise played a solid game, finishing with 269 passing yards on 16/21 completions and two touchdowns. Paul Perkins also had another solid game, rushing for 99 yards on 17 carries.

The Bruins did get some good news over the weekend, however: Utah moved into the top-25, Oregon is still ranked in the top 15 teams, and future opponents Stanford and Arizona are also ranked in the top-25. The previous week’s opponent, Arizona State, also moved back into the top-25. With so many of the top 20 teams losing last weekend, the Bruins still find themselves with an opportunity to climb back into the playoff picture, but everything comes down to getting over the Oregon hump that has been standing in the Bruins’ way for far too many years.