UCLA Football vs. USC 2017: Post game wrap up and thoughts

It was a valiant effort by the UCLA Football team but the Bruins fell just short of a huge comeback behind their QB against their biggest rival, the USC Trojans.

After an up and down first half in which the UCLA Football team was able to keep the score close, the second half didn’t start off with a great omen. Upon receiving the second half kickoff the Bruins drove downfield only to have their hopes to tie the game at 14 go up in smoke with a Josh Rosen interception in the endzone.

That throw was one of probably only three bad passes Rosen threw all night.

Alas an almost perfect game wasn’t enough. Despite a huge game from the stud QB the UCLA Football defense that stepped up big during this game eventually began to show signs of what we have seen all season long. Poor discipline, poor fundamentals and a banged up depth chart revealed itself.

Following the Rosen pick in the endzone the Trojans were unable to move the ball and UCLA forced an early punt. Everything was looking up at that point. Get the ball back, score and keep scoring. Things were looking up. Unfortunately the Bruins were forced to punt on their next possession and the Trojans made them pay with a score to make it 21-7 late in the third quarter.

Rosen was able to lead the Bruins back and they found the endzone on the arm of their QB to bring it to 21-14 USC.

It then became the punt it away game with the Trojans and Bruins unable to sustain drives until the Bruins finally drove downfield and made it 21-17 with a J.J. Molson field goal. It seemed like the comeback was on.

That feeling was short lived. The Trojans started moving down field on the next possession until a pivotal third down. It was third and two for the Trojans deep in their own territory and the Bruins were able to potentially force a FG and keep it a one score game when Darnold’s pass landed incomplete. That incompletion wouldn’t stand though as Darnay Holmes was flagged for holding and the Trojans got a first down and an eventual touchdown.

That holding play absolutely killed the Bruins but was also a culmination of the game for the UCLA Football team. The penalties, the poor special teams plays, the tired and thin defense were the story of this game.

Kick off returns and most notably the big punt return by Michael Pittman really hurt the Bruins when they needed to be perfect in all three phases of the game.

UCLA was able to respond with a gorgeous throw from Rosen to Jordan Lasley who had a huge game with 204 yards and three scores to bring it within one score but the Bruins failed to convert on a two-point conversion. That would be the last score of the night for either team. The UCLA Football special teams unit that had struggled much of the night failed to get the onside kick back and the Trojans ran out the clock.

Despite the strong performance from Rosen the Bruins still suffered in many areas in a continuation of this 2017 season.

The defense was unable to mount a pass rush and because of it we got to see what USC QB Sam Darnold can do with seven seconds in the pocket. Jaelan Phillips was unable to go for the Bruins but the fact that they still couldn’t mount a pass rush against this banged up Trojan offensive line is a damning fact against the Bruin pass rush.

We did get to the see the battle of Rosen vs. Darnold but it wasn’t the shootout that I expected. Instead this was a sloppy, heavily penalized, mindscratcher of a game. The Trojans knew the Bruins struggled to stop a nose bleed and yet we didn’t see much of stud Ronald Jones until the fourth quarter and by that time the Bruins had made this a contest too close for comfort.

Next: UCLA Football vs. USC Trojans 2017: Halftime Report

There is still one game remaining on the schedule for the Bruins to become bowl eligible but this loss to USC that many thought would be a blowout was close. That only means the sting is that much greater and the thought of this game next year potentially without Rosen has to give you goosebumps. He was surgical, precise and the leader of this offense against the Trojans. Could the Bruins keep this game that close without him? I think 2016 gave us our answer.