These teams had met the previous week, with UCLA losing 35-17. The Bruins avoided facing Chip Kelly’s Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 championship game and instead traveled to Palo Alto to face Stanford on its home field.
The rematch was considerably closer but just as frustrating. The Bruins held a 24-17 lead entering the fourth quarter before the Cardinal rolled off 10 straight points, including a field goal with 6:49 left, to take the lead.
UCLA’s last chance ended with 34 seconds to go when Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 52-yard field-goal attempt fell short. Stanford was headed to the Rose Bowl as part of what would become an 11-game win streak against the Bruins.