In its final conference game of 2021, UCLA football (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12) routed California (4-7, 3-5) to the tune of 42-14. The Bruins went down midway through the second quarter but proceeded to score 32 unanswered points to secure their second-largest Pac-12 victory of the campaign. Here are the five main takeaways from UCLA’s regular-season finale.
Regular season: success
When the season is all said and done, many people will remember the losses.
And with nail-biting defeats to Fresno State and Oregon, it will be partially granted, as the Bruins should have more wins than they have now.
But, even so, this regular season should be considered an overwhelming success.
UCLA won eight games this season, marking its best regular season since 2015. The blue and gold will now be represented on a national stage in a bowl game for the first time in the coach Chip Kelly era, and, considering its status as one of the top teams in the Pac-12, the matchup will be of some significance.
Speaking of which, UCLA will finish third in the Pac-12 South, a step up after never finishing higher than fourth in the division under Kelly.
Beyond their win total, the Bruins seemingly turned the corner in a number of key areas. Kelly’s offense finally looks as advertised, and the team showed time and again a level of resiliency it had been lacking in past years.
UCLA has also swept its in-state Pac-12 rivals for the first time in more than 20 years, a feat that impacts its standing in the state of California – both in the eyes of fans and recruits.
Above all, this season marked the return of relevancy for a program that has been marred by mediocrity in recent years.
I know Kelly doesn’t like looking at the bigger picture, so I will – this season has been a big success for the blue and gold.
The Azzinaro conundrum
On the surface, Saturday’s victory was wholly positive, particularly when assessing the defensive side of the ball.
The contest marked the Bruins’ best defensive performance of the season by a wide margin. Although Hawai’i scored fewer points than Cal against UCLA, the Golden Bears represent a significantly higher-quality opponent than the Rainbow Warriors.
Against an offense that was flying high entering the matchup, UCLA completely took its opponent out of any rhythm. Cal gained 217 yards, the second lowest mark for the Golden Bears on the year and the fewest yards earned by a Bruin opponent all season.
UCLA forced two interceptions while tying its season high with four sacks to go, along with six tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.
However, all of that dominance on defense puts a spotlight back on the man in charge.
Defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro has been the subject of much scrutiny this season. Despite the better play as of late, the team still ranks dead last in the Pac-12 in passing defense while its 26.8 points allowed per game place it ninth in the conference.
It’s fair to wonder what UCLA’s ceiling is with Azzinaro leading the defense, especially considering the amount of experience the coach currently has at his disposal. Performances like the one we saw Saturday may give a sense of false hope to those in charge of his future.
Maybe Azzinaro has changed for the better, and this performance will become the beginning of a successful tenure for the 63-year-old coach.
More likely, however, is that Saturday was just a flash in the pan – one that could ultimately hurt the Bruins down the line if Azzinaro remains beyond this season.
If there’s a rush, there’s a way
The Bruins’ rushing game certainly had the deck stacked against it Saturday.
Up against the conference’s best run defense without redshirt senior running back Brittain Brown, Kelly’s signature offensive feature seemed to be in danger of being shut down against the Golden Bears.
But, even with everything going against it, UCLA ran the ball down Cal’s throat.
The Bruins ran for their second highest total of the season, rushing for 282 yards on 6.4 yards per carry. It started with junior running back Zach Charbonnet, who rushed 22 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, marking his second consecutive game of more than 20 carries and 100 yards.
The rushing game extended beyond Charbonnet, as Kelly and the offensive coaching staff clearly made it a point of emphasis to unleash senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson as a runner more, with Brown out. The signal-caller ran 13 times Saturday, eclipsing the century mark in yards on the ground for the first time all season.
Even redshirt junior running back Kazmeir Allen – who spends the majority of the time lined up out wide – got in on the action, scoring his second career rushing touchdown on a jet sweep before being the beneficiary of a long run between the tackles.
With the victory, the Bruins have ended the regular season a perfect 8-0 in games they have rushed for more than 200 yards and 0-4 when they haven’t reached that mark.
UCLA cultivated a run-first identity early and ended the season the way it started – on the ground.
Junior night
Saturday may have marked the end of one era of UCLA football, with the team celebrating a 20-player senior class before the game. But it also showcased the continuation of success for another crop of players – the juniors.
Of the five touchdowns the Bruins recorded Saturday, all were scored by juniors. Redshirt junior wide receiver Kyle Philips notched his fourth multi-touchdown game of the campaign, while redshirt junior tight end Greg Dulcich, Allen and Charbonnet all got in on the scoring action.
In fact, only two seniors touched the ball on offense Saturday – Thompson-Robinson and redshirt senior running back Ethan Fernea, with the latter’s touches coming with the outcome already decided.
While many of those offensive players have a decision to make for next year on whether or not to return – looking at you, Dulcich – UCLA’s offense will surely be lethal next year.
Defensively, it’s a different story, as the Bruins start all seniors or older on that side of the ball.
But, at least on the offensive side of the ball, Saturday proves this team will be loaded for the foreseeable future.
Closing time
After years of blowing late-game leads and failing in the final frame, UCLA has been nearly perfect in the second half – particularly on Saturday.
For the second time in their last three contests, the Bruins shut out their opponent in the final 30 minutes, blanking a hot Golden Bear offense. UCLA, on the other hand, scored 25 points in the half to give the blue and gold its second-largest conference win of the year.
The Bruins were dominant in the final two frames, gaining nearly 200 more yards of total offense than their opponent while deflating whatever kind of momentum the Golden Bears thought they had at halftime. After Cal ran for 82 yards in the first half, it was held to just 10 in the second.
In the first three years with Kelly at the helm, the Bruins went 1-9 in games that were within one possession at halftime. This season, UCLA has gone 4-2 in such contests.
Kelly has said repeatedly his halftime approach hasn’t changed from previous years, as his locker-room speeches are still limited.
Regardless – whatever he’s been doing, it’s working.
