There is not that much to celebrate this season, but the UCLA football team has had some small victories, and the latest one, a 34-27 win over USC, can help bring the attitude and positivity needed for the Stanford game.
After the UCLA football team’s memorable win over USC, I, like many of my UCLA friends and family, was in a state of sheer ecstasy. And why not? The Bruins just beat their crosstown rival and snapped their 3-game losing streak. It was also UCLA’s third win of the season, so getting a victory in this autumn of frustration, simply felt good.
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UCLA next faces Stanford, a team they have lost to 10 consecutive times. Imagine if UCLA beats them, how crazy will that fan reaction be? But that is not the point. The point is not for UCLA to go into the game against the Cardinal thinking they just beat a champion and will slaughter Stanford, because they didn’t and they won’t. They beat 5-6 USC.
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Still, with UCLA only winning three out of their first 11 games, Bruins fans cheer when they can.
Here is the thing, it is not that UCLA played a bad team or finally won their third game, it was the way they defeated USC. In previous weeks, the Bruins had some dumbfounding mistakes, many of which cost them a few games.
Against USC, they were not perfect, but they cleaned up their act and played a solid game for 60 minutes. Even when USC would go ahead in the game, the Bruins never looked like they were defeated or the game was over. They continued to fight, fight, fight until the end.
That is what UCLA needs to bring into this game against Stanford. Chip Kelly basically stated that what happened before this season does not matter. What matters is how the Bruins play this coming Saturday at noon against the Cardinal at the Rose Bowl.
This season is not over, though we wish it could be a little longer, at least for me and my Go Joe Bruin writers. We have seen how this team has steadily improved over the course of the season and if we could see how they evolve in at least two more games, that will continue to help us analyze and predict the direction this team is going.
All the same, we do have one more chance to watch these Bruins in action and there is no doubt Chip Kelly will have them laser-focused on this game. There was a lot to celebrate in the USC game, but that should not morph into cockiness. The good vibes of playing a good game against USC should.
The Bruins should be proud of that win and take that confidence in with them against Stanford. Win or lose, take note that this UCLa football team is getting better.