BATON ROUGE, La. — Was it a step forward or another stride to nowhere? Depends on one’s perspective.
Some might see UCLA’s 34-17 loss to No. 16 Louisiana State on Saturday as a reprieve, a setback that felt like a sign of something better to come. The team showed sustained fight one week after being knocked flat. The offense scored multiple touchdowns for the first time this season. A shorthanded defense kept things competitive despite failing to mount any semblance of a pass rush.
Others could question whether incremental improvement is enough in an era when coaches make millions, some players pocket CEO money and fans are asked to keep funding the whole operation, win or lose.