MODSTER M*A*S*H

Money Modster — With Josh Rosen and many other walking wounded on the Bruin sidelines, UCLA’s backup QB Devon Modster — and record-setting WR Jordan Lasley — step up and lead the Bruins to 3 second half scores, including a J.J. Molson game-winning 37-yard Field Goal with 4 seconds left, to beat Cal 30-27

The Bruins are going Bowling.  It took a perfect Home record of 6-0, but after beating Cal at the Rose Bowl 30-27 on Saturday night, UCLA has ended the regular season at 6-6, which qualifies them for post-season play.

It wasn’t easy getting that last W, as the Golden Bears gave the injury-decimated Bruin line-up all it could handle.  It took a mighty effort from UCLA’s 3 “usual suspect” heroes and one totally unexpected hero.  Josh Rosen was his usual stellar self in the first half, going 13-18 for 202 yards and 2 TD’s, the second of which went to stud Receiver Jordan Lasley to make it 17-6.  But Rosen took a tumble right before halftime, and his head may have been jarred by the turf, because as a subsequent precaution, interim Head Coach Jedd Fisch held him out of the second half.

Replacing Rosen after the intermission was Devon Modster, whose first series was inauspicious.  But Modster settled down, and started to gel with the Offense, and especially with Lasley.  Modster went 14-18 for 191 yards, and led the Bruins on a Touchdown drive that made it 24-17, then a Field Goal drive (27-17), and finally, in the last minutes, the game-winning Field Goal drive.

Each of those drives included a huge pass play from Modster to Lasley.  Lasley ended up with 12 catches for 227 yards.  He’s the first Bruin EVER to have consecutive games with over 200 yards Receiving.  His 429 Receiving yards in these last two games is also a school record.  So is his THREE double-digit reception games.

On the Defensive side, the Bruins were vulnerable against the Run, like they had been against everyone but u$c (for some reason).  Cal gained 216 yards rushing, but the Bruins stiffened in the red zone, forcing 4 Field Goal tries.  Freshman D-Lineman Jaelan Phillips got a huge Sack on a 4th Down try by Cal, but the overall Defensive Hero was exactly who you would expect it to be:  Senior Kenny Young, who had FIFTEEN tackles — almost twice as many as anyone else.

All Bruin eyes WOULD now normally turn to December 3rd, when the Bowl invites go out, but that is currently the secondary issue.  Instead, Bruin fans are holding their breath, waiting for the announcement that Chip Kelly will be hired as the new UCLA Head Coach.  It was supposedly between Florida and UCLA, and it is now being reported that Florida is looking elsewhere, so all signs point to UCLA getting the best Coach they have had since Dick Vermeil, or maybe since Red Sanders.  That news is rumored to be coming in a matter or hours.

While you wait for that Program-changing news, here are 68 more game and cheer photos from Saturday night.

UPDATE:  It’s Official.  Chip Kelly is the new head coach of UCLA.  This a huge.  The man is a game-changer.