UCLA Football Should Schedule a Notre Dame Home-and-Home Series… For Revenge!

By Mike Regalado | Jul 24, 2016

Nov 8, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Detailed view of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet on the sidelines against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Arizona State defeated Notre Dame 55-31. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the first quarter of the Blue-Gold Game. The Blue team defeated the Gold team 17-7. Notre Dame Stadium is in the middle of a two year project to build classroom and student center space as well as media families and premium seating. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Apr 16, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the first quarter of the Blue-Gold Game. The Blue team defeated the Gold team 17-7. Notre Dame Stadium is in the middle of a two year project to build classroom and student center space as well as media families and premium seating. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

UCLA at Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, 2006

Let’s take a quick look at both of these games (because I am a glutton for punishment) to see why a new series with ND is needed.

In 2006, we had an up-and-coming UCLA Football team going against the #10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Head Coach Charlie Weis’s second season in South Bend.

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The build up for this game was intense. There was so much anticipation for this series to start that a large number of UCLA Football fans (who do not travel well) made the trek out to South Bend to watch the game. This was a contest against Notre Dame, and the Bruins might not get a chance go back to South Bend for some time. Which is funny because after the game ended, Bruin fans wanted to get out of Indiana as quick as possible. Here’s why…

The Bruins were shocking the Irish. UCLA fans were an awe. Not only did they travel cross-country to witness a potential victory over a top 10 team, but to do it in such dominating fashion would have turned some heads in their direction.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, after stopping Notre Dame on fourth and one with just under 2 1/2 minutes left leading 17-13, UCLA went ultra conservative. Three straight rushes were stuffed by Notre Dame forcing a UCLA three and out. The offense could lock it up so the defense had to try, but that did not happen.

Notre Dame needed only two plays to score. QB Brady Quinn connected with Jeff Samardzija for a 45-yard touchdown, giving Notre Dame the lead with 27 seconds left and stabbing Bruin fans everywhere in the heart.

UCLA could not score on their next possession and the Irish snatched victory out of the Bruin’s hands. Notre Dame won 20-17.

Oh, but it gets worse.

Next: Of Course Notre Dame's First Win of 2007 Is Against UCLA