Make no mistake about it ““ this was never a game UCLA was supposed to win.
With two quarterbacks out with injuries, a patchwork offensive line and unproven players at key positions, a Bruin victory over No. 18 Tennessee seemed to be the dreams only of the overly optimistic.
But as Vol kicker Daniel Lincoln’s 34-yard try sailed wide left in overtime, the Bruins capped a jaw-dropping turnaround and a fireworks-worthy 27-24 victory.
“Oh my God,” said senior defensive tackle Brigham Harwell. “I can’t explain it. That was a hell of a game, a team win.”
A team win must be the best way to put this one, as the Bruin defense proved itself on national television throughout the night by consistently stuffing the Vol’s high-powered running game. Even the special teams had its spot in the limelight when it came up with UCLA’s first score of the season on a blocked punt.
But it was the offense that stole the show. The late-game heroics of Kevin Craft, who went 7 for 7 on the final drive in regulation, put the Bruins up 24-21 with only 27 seconds remaining. Although the defense would lose that lead on a last-second Tennessee field goal, the momentum was already with the Bruins.
For junior cornerback Alterraun Verner, who finished the game with six tackles, two break-ups and a crucial interception, the confidence of the defense only grew as the game went on.
“We all knew that if we kept it close on the defensive end, the offense would pick it up,” Verner said. “We started off slow, but I didn’t lose faith at all.
“They had the big men, from the big conference, but getting the win and playing the way we did as a team ““ that just shows you our capabilities and our possibilities this year.”
Despite the occasional big play from the Volunteers, the UCLA defense repeatedly came up with game-changing plays such as Verner’s interception in the second quarter and Reggie Carter’s forced fumble on the UCLA 6-yard line.
“It was a great effort,” Verner said. “We didn’t break at all. We did our job. It could’ve been ugly at times, but overall we did what we wanted to do.”
It was an emotional victory for the Bruins ““ one member of the team staff was crying after the game ““ in part because of the remarkable performances of several lesser-known players who came up huge.
There was freshman receiver Taylor Embree who caught four passes, including a tough 21-yard snag that he took a huge hit for and which igniting the 1:23 touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
There was second-string tight end Ryan Moya, who hadn’t played a down since 2006 and who came in after the first quarter when Logan Paulson went out with a fractured right foot. Moya led UCLA in receptions with seven ““ none bigger than a 3-yarder from Craft to retake the lead with 27 seconds remaining in regulation.
“It felt really good, just because we showed a lot of heart,” Moya said. “So many things went wrong in the first half, and as a team we showed so much heart just to come back and be in it in the fourth quarter.
“I don’t know if it was a miracle at halftime. I just think we showed that we were going to keep fighting and be positive.”
But, above it all, the most unheralded part of UCLA’s victory may have been the performance of the offensive line, which forfeited only one sack and gave Craft the time he needed to work his second-half magic.
“The whole time I knew these guys (on the line) could play,” senior center Micah Reed said. “I think we turned some heads.”
For Harwell, the head-turning is no surprise as a leader of the defense that showed its resolve to the nation.
“The defense? We never stopped fighting,” Harwell said. “They got us a couple times, but we never stopped believing in ourselves. I’m going to soak this all in. It’s a great win for our program.”