The last time the UCLA Football team played a home-and-home with Notre Dame, it did not go well, so the Bruins should schedule another series… and get their revenge!
There are some things you look back on in life that just make you cringe. One of those things, in regards to UCLA Football, is remembering the home-and-home series with Notre Dame a decade ago.
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UCLA and Notre Dame, which has a small rivalry in basketball, has nothing to do with each other in football. It seemed like this could be a new and exciting series, but it kind of fell short of expectations. At least the second game did.
UCLA and Notre Dame met during the 2006 season at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN for the first time since 1964. The year after, they would meet at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. It would be Notre Dame’s second visit to the Rose Bowl ever after defeating Stanford back in the 1925 Rose Bowl Game.
The 2006 game in South Bend was much anticipated, but the end was nothing less than deflating for UCLA fans. The 2007 game was even more painful seeing as how both teams were set up heading into that game.
We all know that UCLA lost both games, but it was the way in which they lost that makes it a very, very bitter memory to look back on.
That is why UCLA should schedule another home-and-home series with Notre Dame. Times have changed and now it’s time for some payback!
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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.
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Notre Dame at UCLA, Rose Bowl, 2007
The next season, UCLA was looking for some payback and it could not have been more perfectly set up for a Bruin victory. Notre Dame was in a bad spot. If they lost to UCLA, they would match their the worst losing streak in program history of eight straight losses. The Irish entered this game 0-5 on the season.
UCLA Bruins
Though the Bruins were a little inconsistent to start the season, they were looking promising with a 4–1 record. Behind QB Ben Olson, the Bruins were predicted to run over the Fighting Irish.
That didn’t happen.
Instead, with quarterback Patrick Cowan out with an injury, the Bruins were instantly screwed when Olson went down at the end of the first-quarter with a knee injury.
That prompted Head Coach Karl Dorrell to insert walk-on quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. It did not go well.
With Bethel-Thompson making a series of mistakes, the Notre Dame fighting Irish swarmed the inexperienced QB and inflicted their will on the Bruins.
With the UCLA offense unable to do anything and the defense barely holding back Notre Dame’s offense, a plethora of UCLA turnovers (9) and penalties (11) were the deciding factors on this game. Notre Dame found a weakness and they attacked it for a 20-6 win. Their first of the season.
On top of that, this was an unbearable game to watch because of the circumstances surrounding both teams. Not only did this game leave a bad taste in Bruin’s mouths, but the series in general lost its lustre.
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Time For Revenge!
But now plenty of time has passed and with that I say, it is time for payback!
With current UCLA Football Head Coach Jim Mora scheduling some eye-opening and revolutionary games with some top FBS opponents, why not bring Notre Dame back into the mix?
Ten years ago, it seemed like such a radical move to put UCLA and Notre Dame up against each other, but with the way Mora has been scheduling teams, it seems perfect to put them in a future schedule.
In the next 10 years, the Bruins will have home-and-home series with Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU and Georgia (just to name a few) so a battle with Notre Dame in the near future would only add to this illustrious collection of future opponents. If Mora wants to grow the brand, why not do it against the most recognizable team in college football?
Plus there is that whole revenge thing.
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As I stated in the previous two slides, the last series was forgettable, so with a new matchup against ND, Mora will not only get a chance to take on the Fighting Irish, but UCLA Football can right the wrongs from a decade ago. At this, point, it is a must.