21 Comments
User's avatar
Runfastandwin's avatar

Well we at least have a small chance in this game, that's why we line up and play...

Expand full comment
Joe Piechowski's avatar

Actually, I would argue we have two chances in this game: slim and none!

Expand full comment
Runfastandwin's avatar

Slim is still a chance right? We’ll know about 3 minutes in I think.

Expand full comment
Bruin4ever's avatar

I believe that "small chance" will have less to do with the Bruins' actual ability to coach and perform well enough to win, but more with how overconfident and lackadaisical PSU needs to get in facing such a bad team on the road. Last season's match almost exactly 1 year ago at #5 PSU wasn't an embarassing blowout (UCLA losing 27-11), but this time around I don't think it'll be that close.

Go Bruins anyway...

Expand full comment
UCLA4EVER's avatar

Joe, with all due respect, instead of your analysis of an elite team's coaches, offense, and defense against our sorry team, how about research to see if somehow there is a way to apply for a Mercy Rule for the game? Maybe suit up Jarmond as nose tackle to get him to resign?

I have one saying for this game: Oy vey!

Expand full comment
Tamara's avatar

Speaking of coaches...

Tino Sinseri mutually parted ways and is officially gone.

Jerry Neuheisel will be calling plays. And Noel Mazzone, former OC, is now the analyst once redtape is completed.

And Jarmond is still the AD.

Expand full comment
UCLA4EVER's avatar

Rats are departing the sinking ship.

Only hope Jarmond is next to climb down the ropes before the ship sinks.

What a shit show!!

Expand full comment
Henry Tse's avatar

My money is on Penn State beating us as our problems worsen.

Expand full comment
UCLA4EVER's avatar

Like betting that the moon will rise tonight.

Expand full comment
Henry Tse's avatar

He made the expedient hire. The buck stops at his desk. Jarmond needs to go.

Expand full comment
Jeffro_TBS's avatar

At least we’re unlikely to break the record loss (222-0), but we may see a score out of a PlayStation game.

Expand full comment
Tamara's avatar

🤣

Expand full comment
Joe Piechowski's avatar

My personal best score in a game of CFB 26 was 108. Now, that's playing at freshman difficulty with 5 minute quarters.

That's an average of almost 28 points per quarter. It would be hard to do much better than that.

I don't see this game being quite that ugly, but I do think the 25.5 point spread in this one is too low.

Expand full comment
Jeffro_TBS's avatar

I don’t think 35-0 after the first quarter is out of the question. I think PSU eases up and pulls the starters pretty early so a final score of 50 something. I doubt the Bruins reach double digits, so I’d take say PSU beats the spread. I can occasionally break the 100 pt barrier in CFB25, but really it depends on getting some defensive scores to reduce the time per TD.

Expand full comment
Henry Tse's avatar

In medical metaphor, the malignancy which is UCLA football can now be diagnosed as stage III transitioning into stage IV, the final and terminal one. They can replace anyone they deem fit but telltale signs of players themselves losing hope are ubiquitous. Some are merely going through the motion until the season mercifully ends.

The final nail in the coffin, I suspect, will be the Ohio State game at Columbus. That is why I previously joked about some players dreading to board the flight to Columbus, a real killing field awaiting them.

Who is culpable for this catastrophe ? Martin Jarmond. Who is complicit ? Gene Block

Expand full comment
Joe Piechowski's avatar

Round up the usual suspects.

Jarmond, Block and Guerrero all have a share in this devastation.

Guerrero for hiring Kelly in the first place.

Block, well, for being Block: keeping Dan, letting Dan hire Chip, and ignoring football, in general.

Jarmond because he has turn a dumpster fire into a full-blown wildfire.

Expand full comment
Henry Tse's avatar

Any wildfire, full blown or not, can be contained and extinguished. Your metaphor is less radical and severe than the malignancy one I used. To me, our dire situation cries out for a complete overhaul, thorough clean house.

From now on, even at the chancellor level, any new one must fit the profile of those, past or current, presidents at Michigan and the likes. Those programs win well and achieve well perennially. Yes, we can do that too.

Expand full comment
Martin Courtney's avatar

It seems appropriate that I will miss the Penn State game due to a funeral. Whatever is the spread take Penn State.

What is the over/under on UCLA having a lead any time this season?

Expand full comment
Bruin4ever's avatar

Folks back east will get a chance to see how bad the Bruins are by watching them play #7 PSU on CBS (assuming the Nittany Lions don't have a letdown). While the UCLA football program dumpster fire continues to burn, I don't think it's too early to start a holiday wishlist that includes a competent AD and a qualified HC to help fix the ugly and embarrassing mess.

Expand full comment
Joe Piechowski's avatar

You know, one thing I was thinking about in relation to this game has to do with the dreaded trap game.

We've spoken a lot about them during the decent years where we always get caught in the trap game.

If you think about it, we are now the trap game on everyone else's schedule. No one is going to want to play the Bruins and fall into the trap. And that is certainly the case for Saturday.

Expand full comment
Bruin4ever's avatar

I suppose that facing the Bruins could be considered a trap game if the Bruins' players and "new" coaching staff are actually capable of putting together and executing a decent game plan against an unsuspecting/unprepared opponent. So far, the lousy playcalling, absence of talent at most positions, the sloppy tackling, and penalty-prone play make me think otherwise. But with their HC, DC, and now OC gone, the Bruins really have nothing to lose and everyone is expecting them to just fold like a deck of cards, so I guess it's still possible for them to pull off an upset or two. If the Bruins were to eke out just 1 win this season, I hope it will be against U$C.

Expand full comment