Anyone ought to verify with SoFi Stadium to see if it rescinded its provide.
In what might have been UCLA’s final recreation on the Rose Bowl after 43 years of calling the place house, the Bruins unfurled the sort of displaying that nobody would ever need to relive or put in a scrapbook.
If this was goodbye, it was a tragic sendoff.
There have been misplaced fumbles, a laughably unhealthy faux area aim that resulted in a landing for the opposite staff and a dropped cross that in all probability value UCLA its personal rating. And that was simply within the first half.
Including damage to insult, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava took a crunching hit that sidelined him late within the third quarter, ending his gritty return from a concussion that had compelled him to overlook his staff’s final recreation.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava passes within the first half towards Washington on Saturday evening.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
There’s mercifully just one recreation left for the Bruins this season after a 48-14 loss to Washington on Saturday evening led to a fast-emptying stadium, no fond farewells in retailer for the house followers amid an introduced crowd of 38,201 that was too depleted by recreation’s finish to boo.
The location of UCLA’s subsequent house recreation stays as massive of an unknown as its subsequent head coach. College officers have stated they’re nonetheless considering plans for the place the staff will play sooner or later, although that call may very well be as much as a courtroom to resolve given the Bruins have almost twenty years left on a Rose Bowl lease that doesn’t expire till the summer season of 2044.
It’s believed that if faculty officers have their manner, they are going to transfer to SoFi Stadium in time for his or her 2026 season opener.
Wherever the Bruins play, they’ve quite a lot of enhancements to make. They seemed torpid in falling behind by 34 factors Saturday whereas making one mistake after one other on the best way to a fourth consecutive defeat.
By the point he entered the sport, there was little backup quarterback Luke Duncan might do besides make the ultimate rating barely extra palatable. He succeeded on that entrance, firing a 37-yard landing cross to Mikey Matthews late within the third quarter that helped UCLA (3-8 total, 3-5 Massive Ten) keep away from a shutout.
There was one other spotlight for the Bruins early within the fourth quarter when Kanye Clark compelled a fumble on Washington’s punt return, permitting Jamir Benjamin to choose up the ball and run 13 yards for a landing.
However make no mistake: This was full domination by the Huskies (8-3, 5-3), who rolled up 426 yards of offense whereas holding the Bruins to 207 yards, together with simply 57 yards dashing.
Washington alumnus and comic Joel McHale carried out a brief recorded bit that was proven on the scoreboard earlier than the sport, however the true slapstick was about to come back.
The Bruins coughed up two fumbles within the first half and would have misplaced a 3rd had the Huskies not been known as for defensive holding on the play, nullifying the turnover.
UCLA quarterback Luke Duncan throws through the second half towards Washington on Saturday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
UCLA large receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala dropped what might have been a landing cross on the Huskies’ 38-yard line with nothing however open area in entrance of him.
However there was no blunder fairly like what occurred when the Bruins lined up for a 46-yard area aim late within the second quarter. Holder Money Peterman took the snap and flipped the ball over his shoulder as kicker Mateen Bhaghani circled behind him, the ball hitting the turf as an alternative of Bhaghani’s palms.
Washington’s Alex McLaughlin picked up the ball and ran 59 yards for a landing that put the Huskies forward, 20-0. It was the second straight recreation UCLA was held scoreless within the first half.
Issues by no means bought appreciably higher, the Bruins left adrift with out a haven in sight.
