UCLA Football vs LSU: Biggest Takeaways as Bruins Drop Second Straight

The Bruins dropped their second straight game of the season.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

When LSU football quarterback Garrett Nussmeier threw his best pass of the day, he comfortably dropped back in the pocket and delivered a beautiful 45-yard strike down the sideline to wide receiver Kyle Parker. There was no defender within multiple feet of Nussmeier as he stepped up to launch the ball straight into the hands of Parker, who was facing tight coverage.

When UCLA football quarterback Ethan Garbers made his best play of the day, Garbers ran out of a collapsing pocket and threw the ball into the end zone while taking a massive shot to the chest. Wide receiver Logan Loya caught the pass in the end zone for the touchdown, with Garbers just getting rid of the ball before he was walloped by heavy pressure from LSU.

These two throws were a microcosm of one of the biggest storylines for UCLA's 34-17 loss to LSU — LSU's offensive line dominated while UCLA's offensive line was dominated. The Bruins' offensive line struggles once again headline the takeaways from what was otherwise a promising offensive performance for UCLA.

Offensive Line Holds Bruins Back

Like the first two games of the season, the opposing team simply beat up on UCLA's offensive line throughout the course of the game. UCLA's protection proved no match for LSU's defensive line, who finished the game with five sacks of Garbers, including a sack-fumble. These sacks resulted in multiple large losses and kept the Bruins from finishing several promising drives.

Unlike the previous two weeks, UCLA's offense did not make the same back-breaking errors they did against Hawaii and Indiana. They showed composure on offense, revealing the offensive line as the true problem in this game.

Sure, there were multiple sacks that Garbers could have arguably avoided, but he also evaded the rush several times and made plays that saved UCLA from a loss. Ultimately, the offensive line could not contain LSU enough which kept UCLA's offense from running at full speed.

Bruins Offense Shows Signs of Life In First Half

The offensive line might not have had success in this game, but the overall offense took massive steps forward. After saying they wanted to get off to a faster start, they did. The Bruins scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game and were able to drive the ball down the field through the first half and much of the game.

Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy seemed to call a game that worked well with his playmakers, and Garbers got the ball out to nine different receivers during the game. They lived up to their preseason declaration that everyone would eat in this offense.

The Bruins also saw a different gear and burst from several offensive players. Running backs Keegan Jones and Jalen Berger each made a few nice plays on the ground and through the air. True freshman Kwazi Gilmer made two impressive catches for 61 yards, and regular playmakers Rico Flores and J. Michael Sturdivant each added multiple receptions. If the offensive line were able to protect better, this is an offense with potential.

LSU Offense Overwhelms UCLA Defense

The Tigers' offense overwhelmed UCLA at all three levels of their defense. LSU's offensive line, led by offensive tackle Will Johnson, held the Bruins to no sacks on the day. UCLA could not get to Nussmeier, allowing the offense to easily make enough plays across the day.

Linebackers Kain Medrano and Oluwafemi Oladejo, who are two of UCLA's best defenders did not play quite as effectively as they normally do. While Medrano finished with seven tackles, he missed a few others during the game.

The secondary continued to get diced up in the passing game, with Nussmeier passing for 352 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. UCLA's secondary was regularly tested on deep passes, and LSU capitalized multiple times to earn the win.