PASADENA “”mdash; A lot has happened to the UCLA football team in the last year, but when it came down to its annual rivalry game with USC, it seems like nothing has changed.
Once again, the Bruins were within striking distance of the chinks in the Trojans’ armor, but in the moments that counted, they failed to make the blow.
UCLA (4-8, 2-7 Pac-10) failed to take back the Victory Bell on Saturday at the Rose Bowl, losing 28-14 to USC (8-5, 5-4), the Bruins’ third-straight loss and their 11th of the last 12 contests against their foes from across town.
UCLA only trailed 14-7 at halftime but failed to score in the second half despite two interceptions by USC quarterback Matt Barkley.
Instead, the Trojans tacked on two more touchdowns to excite their fans who shared a good portion of the seats in the famous Pasadena stadium.
The Bruins’ own sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut wasn’t much better, participating in three turnovers and completing just 20 of 35 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt sophomore running back Johnathan Franklin provided UCLA’s first score, a 59-yard touchdown in the first half. Brehaut threw a 10-yard touchdown to redshirt sophomore tight end Joseph Fauria in the game’s final seconds.
Both teams ended their seasons, as UCLA failed to qualify for a bowl game, and USC is banned from postseason for two seasons for NCAA violations.