Stars are Aligned (Again) for UCLA Football Revenge Tour
After Saturday’s dominating victory over Southern Cal, UCLA Football (once again) is in position to do something special . . . if they can finally vanquish a couple nemeses from the past. Yes Bruin fans, the path to UCLA greatness once again travels through the Stanford Cardinal and the Oregon Ducks.
A Change in Culture…
2012 was a semi magical year for Bruin fans. The hiring of Jim Mora (a consolation prize for fans that were listening to rumors about Chris Petersen and Jim Tressel) brought toughness and accountability that had not been seen in Bruin land since before the unraveling of the late 90’s teams under Bob Toledo.
…every time the Bruins have been primed to make a big leap, they’ve crashed into a redwood or drowned in a duck pond…
Mora’s reign started with a flash as Brett Hundley made his debut with a flashy 72 yard TD run on his first play from scrimmage against the Rice Owls. Impressive victories followed against Nebraska (ranked #16 at the time), Arizona (a 66-10 dismantling) and a cathartic disembowelment of Matt Barkley and the Trojans to end USC’s decade plus dominance in the “Cross-Town Show-Down”.
The 2013 Bruins continued to build on the success of the previous year with a 10 win season that included another impressive comeback win against Nebraska (this time on the road), the 1st win at the Colosseum against USC in over 15 years, a dominating bowl victory over Virginia Tech, and the unveiling of Myles Jack as a two-way force of nature (6 Games, 7 YPC and 7 TDs in spectacular fashion).
When was the last time the Bruins beat the Cardinal? 2008!?!?Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
… But Not Quite A Breakthrough
However the Bruin Breakthrough never fully came to fruition in either of Mora (or Hundley’s) first 2 years due in large part to a couple of familiar adversaries: the Cardinal and the Ducks. In 2012 the upstart Bruins dodged the Ducks but lost back to back games against Stanford (the 2nd game being the Pac-12 Title Game). The Bruins were no longer an undercover team in 2013, but their application to step into the national spotlight was denied by mid-season with consecutive losses to Stanford and Oregon. They Bruins then squandered a 2nd chance to win the conference when they lost the Pac-12 South to ASU.
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2014 started with a flood of hype for the Bruins with a top 10 National Ranking and a Pac-12 Network documentary chronicling the road to the College Football Playoff. The spotlight was firmly fixed on the Bruins October match-up with Oregon 6 games into the season. After some herky-jerky efforts to start, the Bruins demolished ASU 62-27 in Tempe to avenge the previous years loss. However, after an upset to the Utah Utes, the Bruins once again failed the test against the Ducks (instead they provided the springboard for Oregon to launch back into the playoff picture).
After two and a half years, it started to feel like Jim Mora’s Bruins might never get over the hump. UCLA under Mora is 0-2 against Oregon by a combined score of 84-44. They are 0-3 against Stanford by a total score of 86-51. Every time the Bruins have been primed to make a big leap, they have crashed into a redwood or drowned in a duck pond.
A Big Opportunity
Now 5 wins later, the Bruin’s season, goals, and destiny have all come full circle, and who is sitting there waiting for them? The Stanford Cardinal and the Oregon Ducks.
UCLA Football has so much to be proud of under Jim Mora.
…the Bruin’s season, goals, and destiny have all come full circle…
Three consecutive 9 win seasons for the first time in school history, 3 consecutive wins against USC, 33 weeks ranked (with a couple gaps) in the Top 25 are all indicators that the Bruins are back from the past decade of mediocrity. But those guys up north keep getting in the way of a full catharsis for this football program. The next two weeks once again present an opportunity for Mora and the Bruins to finally breakthrough.
Win the Day: Beat Stanford and Oregon
This guy wants another crack at the Ducks. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Bruins have already managed to serve up a little crow to Todd Graham this season, and they continue to punish USC for all those losses in the aughts. Next on the revenge tour is Stanford at the Rose Bowl the day after Thanksgiving. The circumstances of this game are eerily similar to those preceding the Utah/Oregon games earlier this season. Stanford comes into the Rose Bowl as a dangerous opponent, but they are unranked and finishing off their worst season since 2008. However the Bruins won’t lack for motivation; all they need to do is play the 2012 Title Game loss and the suffocating 2013 defeat on a loop. If that doesn’t get their attention, nothing will.
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Betsided
If the Bruins can finally make it past the physical test of the Cardinal, a showdown against the Ducks will be waiting for them in a Top 10 match-up with a College Football Playoff bid possibly at stake. Blue vs Green, Hundley vs Marriota, Mora vs Ulbrich. Regardless, with Hundley’s inevitable departure, the end of the 2014 season has the fell of a culmination. The next two games will likely determine the narrative of Mora’s first go around with UCLA and this group of players. Victories over the only foes that Mora and the Bruins have failed against would be sweet revenge indeed …
Will the Bruins be up for it?