Oh, No! We Suck Again! UCLA Bruins Lack Any Boom, Fall to Nebraska, 28-21
It was another game filled with missed opportunities for the Bruins.
Well, the good news is that tonight’s loss has moved UCLA one week closer to the end of the Tim Skipper era in Westwood.
And, to be sure, the Bruins did become the first opponent to score two passing touchdowns in a game against Nebraska’s offense.
But there are no moral victories in that. And, the Bruins lost their sixth game of the season to the Cornhuskers, 28-21.
UCLA got the ball first in this game and the Bruins failed to “start fast” again as they went three-and-out on the opening drive.
The Huskers took over on their own 39-yard line and promptly drove 61 yards on nine plays for the game’s first score.
UCLA’s next drive was a long, slow drive where the biggest gain was a 13-yard pass from Nico Iamaleava to Jalen Berger which moved the ball from the Nebraska 26 down to the 13. They got the ball back after the Huskers’ touchdown with eight minutes left in the first quarter on their own 25. This drive took them all eight of those minutes plus 1:46 into the second quarter to get the ball into the end zone to tie the game, 7-7.
Nebraska scored on each of their next drives to move ahead, 21-7. In between, UCLA had a nine-play drive which moved 39 yards but it ended when Iamaleava was stopped short of the marker and dropped for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-one.
UCLA got the ball back again with 1:42 left in the half. They managed to run 13 plays on the drive and they moved the ball effectively, but that nine minute-plus drive left them short on time and Mateen Bhaghani came out for a 49-yard field goal attempt with four seconds left. Bhagani’s try was no good and the teams went to the locker room with UCLA trailing 21-7.
Nebraska got the ball to start the second half and immediately drove 75 yards on six plays. On the final play of the drive, TJ Lateef found Emmtt Johnson, who took it to the house for a 40-yard touchdown. As it would turn out, that would be Nebraska’s final score of the game and it was the game-winning touchdown.
UCLA’s next drive was a short and successful one. On the fourth play of the drive, Iamaleava found Anthony Woods out of the backfield and he evaded the Husker defense for a 45-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 28-14.
The Bruin defense forced a pair of punts on Nebraska’s next two drives, which sandwiched a UCLA drive that also ended in a punt.
After the Huskers’ second consecutive punt, UCLA took over on their own four, following an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Mikey Matthews, with 11:28 to go. The Bruins were able to finish a twelve-play 96-yard drive when Iamaleava threw a nine-yard TD pass to Anthony Frias, cutting the deficit to 28-21.
But, now, time was the Bruins’ biggest enemy.
They didn’t try an onside kick. Instead, they used a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff and the Huskers took over on their 24-yard with 4:47 to go.
Needing to get the ball back with the clock ticking, the UCLA defense gave up three first downs and couldn’t get the ball back as the Huskers went into Victory formation with 1:57 left and ran out the clock.
Overall, it was another lackluster performance from this team. They lacked the sense of urgency on their second drive and, ultimately, it cost them the opportunity to score a touchdown before the first half ended.
When the defense needed to step up and get off the field on Nebraska’s final drive, they couldn’t do it.
As a result of this sort of play on both sides of the ball, the crowd, which had enough red in it to feel like a Nebraska home game, left having witnessed another UCLA loss.
The fans didn’t even seem interested in sticking around for the postgame drone show. Speaking of the drone show, it was disappointing mostly because it lacked the boom of fireworks show, which seems fitting since the Bruins lacked any real boom in this game too.
Go Bruins.
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The news gets potentially much worse, imho.
It seems to be 💯 BS (I know that's not becoming 🤣) but 💯 BS it is, that UCLA cannot afford to buyout the slimiest Donut Head in the Universe, Jelly 2.0.
According to BRO, 247Sports, etc, UCLA allegedly plans to buyout the Rose Bowl lease at $60-$80 million... yes, $60-$80 million, and allegedly the deal is close to being done.
Add to that cool $60-$80 million, the financial damages that UCLA may be required to pay the Rose Bowl from the law suit, and of course this deal makes perfect sense.
And Inglewood is so much nicer than Pasadena 😠
Save a few miles, but not any time with traffic snarls, picnic on pavement on ONE parking lot - that will be fun in the heat, and then sit in a sterile corporatized stadium that has NO history, NO legacy, NOTHING connected to UCLA.
And Blockhead 2.0 is backing this??? If so, we are doomed.
If true, UCLA, it's Donut Heads, Donut Holes, Blockhead and Block Holes will have officially burned our greatness to the ground.
What's next, Basketball moving to Intuit?
This is worse than SMDH 😡
"Oh, No! We Suck Again!" This headline is wrong on so many levels. LOL. It's like being a dirty bird that never showers or baths, then putting on new clothes for a job interview, thinking you've achieved a whole new level of cleanliness/hygiene. The fact is that you're still a dirty bird underneath it all. Just like UCLA sucks, has sucked for the last 30 years, and sucks with the interim coach and JN as OC (don't get fooled by the meaningless W), doesn't change the fact that UCLA still sucks underneath it all. Until UCLA get serious about the value of sports by putting the rigth people in place, starting with the AD, getting the money right, and making a real commitment to being competitive, UCLA is finished/done as a respectable football program. No one in their right mind would come to UCLA - player or coach if things are not changed immediately - unless you are desperate for a chance or the only place to recruit you. UCLA is the joke of all college football .... the I-feel-sorry-for-my-friend-so-I-have-to-invite-him/her on the outting with me. I see Men's basketball going down the same path. At this rate, they will be embarrassed in the Big 10 if they don't get going. Fortunately, UCLA is one hell of an Olympic sport school - strip away those and we have 11 national championships for Basketball. Still respectable by a long shot. Wishing UCLA all the best, but I am no longer holding by breath. This train wreck has been in the works for the last 30 years.