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

The UCLA Football Bruins played their regular season finale at home Saturday night against the Cal Golden Bears. Here is Go Joe Bruin’s recap and analysis of a game between two teams with plenty at stake.

All indicators at the beginning of the second half were somber to start the second half. UCLA Football QB Josh Rosen did not come out with the team to start the second half and was later seen in street clothes on the sideline. His status is unknown for a potential bowl game and the type and severity of his injury are also unknown. What is known is how ugly things can get for this team without their starting QB.

Rosen was replaced with Devon Modster but the UCLA Football offense wasn’t able to get anything going until their third offensive possession of the second half. Roller coaster offensive line play may have gotten Rosen hurt in the first half but they found ways to hold it together for Modster.

The young backup QB looked ineffective to start but began hitting deep bombs to Jordan Lasley who continued his dominance from the SC game. Lasley has come in following his late season suspension and really picked it up for a UCLA team that could have been hurting without injured Darren Andrews.

What didn’t help the Bruins’ chances of winning this game was the sudden disappearance of both Bolu Olorunfunmi and Soso Jamabo from the backfield. Brandon Stephens took over and was able to score his first TD but the uncertainty of a backup QB and backup RB put all kinds of stress on this offense early. It didn’t help that the UCLA defense had a real problem slowing the Cal backfield. Ross Bowers enjoyed a mostly pass rush free evening and Patrick Laird gashed the Bruins almost at will.

Not didn’t help that UCLA lost both Adarius Pickett and Greg Rogers to injury in the fourth quarter.

When the defense did make plays they came in the form of a big fourth down sack courtesy of Jaelan Phillips who was able to come in sack Bowers forcing a turnover on downs. Next play the UCLA Football offense went deep to Lasley.

While those plays are all well and nice, the Bruins struggled to consistently move the ball downfield without chunk plays. That meant there were either quick three and outs or a quick score that didn’t give time for the defense to rest. Either way it’s not a sustainable model.

The defensive plays that we mentioned before were also few and far between. Mostly it was the Bruin defense giving up big gain after big gain either due to poor coverage, poor tackling, poor run fits or just shooting themselves in the foot with penalties.

Case in point? The Bruins forced Cal into a 3rd and 13 with 3:45 left in the fourth quarter. The coverage was strong and Bowers threw it away. Why was the coverage so strong though? Because the Bruins were holding and what was 4th and 13 became first and 10.

The lack of a pass rush also became a major issue late in the game when UCLA could barely make offensive linemen move their feet.

By the time there was 2:20 left in the game the Bruins had allowed Cal to get right back in it and was looking at a two minute drive to win the game. Did they have enough to finish this game with a win?

After two quick plays for minimal gain the Bruins finally hit the WR screen to Lasley for almost 20 yards before Stephens game in and picked up a first down in two carries. The once big play driven UCLA Football offense seemed to find ways to not only get yards on every play they burned clock doing it.

However it was a panic attack inducing FG attempt with only :08 seconds remaining that the Bruins decided to opt for. Bruin kicker J.J. Molson came on and drilled a gorgeous 37 yard FG to win the game.

Molson Ice Ice baby. UCLA wins 30-27 in nail biting fashion.

Next: UCLA Football: Reports indicate Florida has backed out of the Chip Kelly race

Now bowl eligible the UCLA Football Bruins face plenty of questions as they wait to find if they will get a bowl invite. As of right now it looks like the Independence Bowl in Louisiana but once details become clear we will break down the Bruins’ bowl matchup. GO Bruins!