VEGAS OY-VEY-CATION

No such thing as a sure thing — In a game that was supposed to be easy, 26-point favorite UCLA is taken to the limit by Vegas, who had the ball in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie, before two late Bruin Touchdowns make them fold

For the second week in a row, the Bruins failed to live up to their potential.  The final score was 42-21, but everyone in the UCLA locker room will tell you that they can play better.  The Bruins got off to a good start, and had a 28-7 lead in the first half, behind 3 rushing Touchdowns by Soso Jamabo and a Josh Rosen-to-Mossi Johnson TD pass.  But maybe with their first big lead of the season, they got a little soft?  They allowed lowly UNLV to score before halftime, and again in the 3rd quarter, cutting the deficit to 28-21.  The Runnin’ Rebels even got the ball back, down by only one score.  But the Bruin Defense held, despite missing several injured KEY players, giving the ball back to the Offense.  The Bruin Offense, feeling a new sense of urgency, converted for two 4th quarter TD’s — on runs by Bolu Olorunfunmi and Rosen — to put the game on ice.

With the Defense missing their MVP Eddie Vanderdoes, who suffered a knee injury, Jaleel Wadood, Deon Hollins and Takk McKinley, they needed someone else to step up… and someone did:  Randall Goforth, who snagged two HUGE Interceptions that turned the tide just enough to keep the Bruins on top.

Rosen and the Offensive Line played better than last week, possibly due to lighter competition, OR, due to better play calling, more rushing success, and more screen/quick passes.  The one regression was with penalties.  The Bruins incurred 9 flags — more than twice as many as last week, and about typical for a Mora team EXCEPT for last week.  Perhaps last week was a fluke, and not a trend.  At least Rosen didn’t get picked off this week.

Still no Nate Starks.  If you see 7 carries by Starks in the box score, that’s Jalen Starks, a Freshman, NOT Nate, who was supposed to contend for the starting job at RB this year.  While Jamabo gained 91 yards on the ground, and looked pretty good, the big surprise was supposed fourth-string RB Brandon Stephens, who had 11 carries (to Bolu’s 7) for 71 yards, with some real flashes of serious potential.  Ishmael Adams was active on Offense, catching a team-high 4 passes, for 41 yards.  WR Jordan Lasley made up for his big drop last week, gaining 61 yards through the air.  Also, highly-touted phenom WR Theo Howard got in the game, and made 1 catch, holding on to the ball despite a jarring tackle.

The Bruin Defense bent, but didn’t break, as by design, and may be ok if and when they get healthy.  But the schedule gets much tougher starting now, and the back-ups won’t be able to handle the load.  Let’s hope everyone recuperates in time for BYU in Provo next week.

OK, so before the photos:  The Bruins may have underachieved a bit this weekend, but at least none of them got in a physical altercation with a referee, like trojan Chuma Edoga, who got thrown out of their game on Saturday, after fighting with a Ref, who was trying to restrain him.  So let’s summarize:  For u$c this season, that’s two players suspended for a Rape/Forcible Sodomy case, another one for stomping on an opponent’s scrotum, and now, yet another one, for hitting an Official.  And the season is only two weeks old.  Well, at least they lead the Country in SOMETHING.

Speaking of being #1 in the Nation — Wait until you feast your eyes on our new rendition of the UCLA Spirit Squad.  As I looked at my 777 photos from the event, I must have said “OMG” twenty times.  I think I might have said a few “ILY’s” too, because they look so good, and they were so, so, so nice, and sweet.  When I finally get a shot where their stunning-ness is captured, I feel like I’m in love, and I verbally thank them in absentia for being so damn photogenic!  So, without further ado, here are 69 more photos from the game, and the pre-game rally.  AND PLEASE BE AWARE:  I HAVE AT LEAST 140 MORE CHEERLEADER PICS FROM SATURDAY THAT I WILL BE SHARING, ON TOP OF THE ONES I’M POSTING NOW.  So come back in a day or two to see the next batch.  You won’t be disappointed.  All 23 girls from Dance and Cheer will be featured.  P.S.  The Yell Crew girls are really cute this year too, and I am trying to capture that on “film” so I can show you.  I got 2 or 3 of the 7 yesterday; Next game I’ll try to get the ones I missed yesterday.  🙂

Ok, so this is the scariest part of the year for me.  I am so worried about mis-identifying someone.  If I got it wrong, please let me know so I can re-caption these pics, and so I can get the next batch right.  I NUMBERED EACH PIC SO YOU CAN BE SPECIFIC AND TELL ME WHAT TO FIX.  Again, I apologize for not getting everyone in today’s collection.  Any omissions will be rectified in the next couple of days.  Anyway, I’m SO SORRY if I screwed up.  I tried very hard.  I memorized all the names and studied the spirit squad website profile pics.  But the special/different hairstyles might have thrown me off.  I promise I will have it down pat very soon.  🙂