UCLA football (4-6, 4-3 Pac-12) had the longest winning streak of the Chip Kelly era cut short Saturday night with a 49-3 loss to No. 7 Utah (9-1, 6-1). The blowout loss was the Bruins’ worst since 2011. Here are the game’s biggest storylines, as well as a few things that lay ahead for UCLA down the stretch.
Red zone blunders early and often
The FOX broadcasters repeatedly called the red zone “The Bermuda Triangle” for the Bruin offense, and for good reason.
UCLA had scored on 19 of its previous 20 trips into the red zone entering Saturday’s game, and the offense’s ability to finish off drives had been a positive ever since the start of conference play.
Maybe it was the Utah defense, maybe it was the pressure that comes along with competing for a division title or maybe it was just the road jitters, but the Bruins seemed allergic to scoring in the red zone in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
UCLA came up short three of the four times it broke into the Utah red zone. All three of those failed opportunities ended in Bruin giveaways, and the one “success” was a 43-yard field goal on the opening drive.
Those points were the only ones UCLA would score all night, and that drive very well could have ended in seven points rather than three, considering the Bruins had marched all the way down to the 3-yard line on their opening drive of the game.
But sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson took two long sacks, and senior kicker JJ Molson had to kick from outside of the red zone.
So even when they turned a long drive into points, the Bruins refused to do so from the red zone.
The old Dorian Thompson-Robinson came to play
(Kanishka Mehra/Assistant Photo editor)
Thompson-Robinson had been having trouble with ball security all season long, even during the Bruins’ three-game winning streak.
But his performance Saturday resembled his games against Cincinnati, San Diego State and Oklahoma more than it did his solid outputs against Washington State, Stanford and Colorado.
Thompson-Robinson fumbled the ball away twice, with one of those fumbles being relatively unforced when he coughed up the ball without any contact. He did the same thing twice against Cincinnati on Aug. 29, so it has been a recurring issue for the sophomore signal-caller.
His two picks weren’t awful – with one coming on a third-and-long arm punt and the other getting swatted up in the air at the line – but they were giveaways nonetheless.
Thompson-Robinson’s season isn’t lost, since he has two chances to redeem himself on big stages, but he does have to reestablish himself down the stretch.
Lack of desperation in the second half
(Liz Ketcham/Photo editor)
When UCLA was facing a 32-point deficit on the road against then-No. 19 Washington State on Sept. 21, the offense switched into cruise control.
The Bruins were passing all over the field and Kelly got creative with his play-calling, and it all led to a record-breaking comeback for UCLA. But against Utah on Saturday, that offensive ingenuity was nowhere to be found.
When the Bruins were knocking on the door late in the third quarter, down by over 30 points, Thompson-Robinson handed it off on first and second down, with both attempts getting stuffed up the middle. The Utes certainly have a better pass defense than the Cougars, but when teams are on the verge of getting blown out, they typically take some risks and start slinging the ball around more.
The lack of desperation on offense is not encouraging considering the stakes of Saturday’s game – a Pac-12 South title is no longer in reach for the Bruins following the loss. Whether it was Kelly and company giving up on the game or the staff demonstrating its lack of confidence in Thompson-Robinson after his turnover-heavy game, it is hard to tell.
Regardless of the reason, retreating on national TV is never a good look.
The pressure is on – win out or bust
(Kanishka Mehra/Assistant Photo editor)
Last week, UCLA had to win two out of its last three to make a bowl – a tall order, but there was some built-in wiggle room.
Now, there are no more second chances for the Bruins.
UCLA has to beat both USC and California in order to finish 6-6 and make a bowl. The loss to Utah ruled out the possibility of its first winning season since 2015, and now the Bruins are on the verge of missing out on the postseason for the second year in a row.
Who knows what a one- or two-win improvement from year one to year two would do for Kelly’s job security with a new athletic director coming to Westwood next year. But considering how high fans’ hopes were just last week, it’s safe to say most of Kelly’s good faith will run out if UCLA doesn’t go bowling this holiday season.
Utah is a legitimate playoff team
(Kanishka Mehra/Assistant Photo editor)
Most of the talk surrounding the Bruins this week is bound to be about how inept their offense looked or how far their defense has fallen off, but the Utes were the real story Saturday.
They entered the game ranked No. 7 in the most recent College Football Playoff Rankings, and with previously undefeated No. 8 Minnesota losing and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa going down for No. 5 Alabama, Utah made a real case for a spot in the playoffs.
Blowing out a hot team like UCLA is no small feat, even if Utah was heavily favored to win. Playing in front of a national audience, the Utes’ defense that was ranked No. 3 before the game proved it was even better than advertised.
And outside of an early fumble – which didn’t even translate to a single Bruin point – the Utah offense continued to run like a well-oiled machine, taking care of the ball and stringing together long drive after long drive.
A lot of the talk in Westwood is bound to start shifting to the USC game and the importance of these last two matchups, but Utah established itself as a true threat to make a playoff appearance in January.