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UCLA vs. Oregon Week 8: Social Media Reactions to the Bruins' Blown Lead, Failed Comeback

Fans were taken on another roller coaster ride Saturday, ending in a crash that had many left wondering what they expected.

SI Editorial

UCLA vs. Oregon Week 8: Social Media Reactions to the Bruins' Blown Lead, Failed Comeback
UCLA vs. Oregon Week 8: Social Media Reactions to the Bruins' Blown Lead, Failed Comeback /

The Bruins just cannot seem to bring people on board and keep them there.

Either UCLA football (5-3, 3-2 Pac-12) wins tight and incites arguments or they lose and do the same. The past two weeks, wins over Arizona and Washington, fit into the former category, while Saturday's loss to No. 10 Oregon (6-1, 3-1) fits squarely into the second.

The amount of second guessing, disbelief, sudden sparks of hope and immediate betrayal were ever-present over the weekend, and the Bruins lost 34-31.

It didn't start out all bad though, and there were bright moments sprinkled throughout the game.

UCLA scored touchdowns on two of its first three drives and opened things up with a 14-0 lead, and people were immediately on board.

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It wasn't just the offense that was in a groove earlier though, as the defense held the Ducks off the board in the first quarter.

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Bruin fans knew better than to expect their team's torrid start to continue, however.

It didn't take long for Oregon to get right back into it, scoring 14 unanswered to tie the game with a good chunk of time left in the second quarter. The Bruins got flagged for three offsides on one drive alone, and two of their offsides ended up costing them interceptions that got called back as a result.

UCLA may have slowed the bleeding by hitting a late field goal and heading into the half up 17-14, but the collapse resumed almost immediately after the break.

Oregon scored 20 unanswered points to open the second half, and both fans and media members were frustrated in the errors made on defense and special teams, especially considering how veteran this team was supposed to be.

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The Bruins answered Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown's long touchdown run by stringing together a long touchdown drive of their own, and after forcing a turnover and scoring again, they were right back in it down just 34-31.

It wasn't going to be like the Arizona State game, after all, but the community was hesitant to decide if this was UCLA truly turning it on or Oregon just imploding in its own right. 

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Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had been turning it on late to try and complete this comeback, and fans were truly put on notice despite his subpar stats that could mostly be attributed to having to bail on plays early and rush throws with the Ducks applying constant top-tier pressure.

Thompson-Robinson was getting beat up all day long, still earning praises along the way.

The UCLA quarterback took one hit too many, though, and he was forced out of the game on the potential game-winning drive after cornerback Jay Shaw got an interception in the end zone. Ethan Garbers took Thompson-Robinson's spot, and after converting a key fourth down, he threw a pick and the game was over.

The comeback was stopped short and the Bruins lost their third consecutive game at the Rose Bowl and ninth game in 10 tries to the Ducks.

There surprisingly wasn't as much vitriol as usual after the game – mostly disappointment, sadness and a whole other combination of less aggressive negative emotions. There were some calling for coach Chip Kelly's head again – and the Jerry Azzinaro hate certainly hasn't slowed down in the slightest – but the loss mainly stuck out on what should have been such a strong day for the UCLA program with ESPN's College GameDay in town.

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