Here are five key takeaways from the UA’s 31-30 loss to UCLA on Saturday:
Third not the charm
The game came down to three third downs on the final possession. UCLA converted all of them (one by penalty) and ran off the final 6 minutes, 28 seconds. Here’s what we saw on those plays upon closer examination: (1) On third-and-3 from the UCLA 32, the Bruins ran a basic zone read. Except QB Wilton Speight kept the ball – a total tendency breaker for Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s less-mobile backup. Selling out to stop Joshua Kelley, edge defender Tristan Cooper crashed in from the offense’s right.