Takeaways From Bruins' Disappointing Rivalry Loss

The UCLA Bruins had a lot to take from their crushing loss to the USC Trojans in their in-state rivalry matchup at the Rose Bowl this weekend. It was a completely different game from the Bruins on both sides of the ball.

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Duce Robinson (2) tries to run past UCLA Bruins linebacker Kain Medrano (20) during the second quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-7) have now lost back-to-back games after falling to their in-state arch-rival USC (6-5). They met on Saturday night in the Crosstown Showdown at the Rose Bowl, home of the Bruins.

There were a couple takeaways from the loss, with positives and negatives together. The Bruins were able to stay competitive in the game but did not create enough big plays to be able to gut out the victory. The loss eliminates the Bruins from bowl eligibility.

Strong Defensive Play

The Bruins' defense was very impressive and the main reason why they only lost by six points. The defense forced three field goals in the first half, holding the Trojans out of the end zone on three red zone trips. 19 total points from the Trojans was their lowest total since Week 5 against Minnesota.

Junior captain linebacker Carson Schwesinger led the team once again with double-digit tackles (12). He and the rest of the Bruins run stoppers held senior running back Woody Marks to just 76 yards on 18 carries. It was Marks' worst rushing game in the last seven contests.

The defense could not have done more to stay in this ballgame. There were numerous opportunities for the Trojans to score a touchdown, but were only able to punch it in once on their second-to-last drive of the game. The Trojans scored 10 points in their final two drives to come back and win.

Lack Of Offensive Execution

The offensive execution was some of the poorest it has been all year. One touchdown and two field goals are all that the Bruins could create, as they were awful in the red zone. Senior quarterback Ethan Garbers threw for 265 yards and one touchdown but was unable to make the key plays late.

Junior receiver J. Michael Sturdivant had a career-high 117 receiving yards on five receptions. The only touchdown for the Bruins came from senior tight end Moliki Matavao. Junior running back T.J. Harden had a great, rushing for 98 yards on 14 carries. The offensive production was solid.

The issue was executing when they were in the red zone. They refused to put together clutch plays when they needed them most and settling for multiple field goals and going 0-3 on fourth down was a major killer. The Bruins' final two drives ended in turnovers on downs.

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