In the end, USC came out with the win.
That’s what counts in the standings. That’s all that
matters when USC fans taunt UCLA fans about the streak next year.
And that’s what people will remember years from now.
But had it not been for a pair of controversial non-fumble calls
by the officials, the memories might be completely different and
the streak could be over.
Near the end of the first half, USC tailback Reggie Bush caught
a swing pass and broke up the sideline. UCLA linebacker Justin
London stopped him and wrapped him up at the UCLA 20. As Bush tried
to break free, the ball came loose and linebacker Spencer Havner
grabbed it in stride and appeared to have a clear path to the end
zone.
But the sideline official blew his whistle and ruled that
Bush’s progress had been stopped before the fumble.
Replays appeared to show that wasn’t the case.
“They didn’t call it a fumble and we didn’t
get the break,” London said. “A call like that should
go with us. We’re at home. We’re playing against the
No. 1 team in the nation. I felt like it was an obvious call.
“We didn’t get the break today and the game turned
out the way it did.”
The Trojans turned that break into a field goal to end the half.
If the referees had allowed play to continue and Havner had scored
a touchdown, it would have tied the score at 17-17. Instead, the
Trojans entered the break with a 20-10 lead.
“Oh yeah, I would have taken it to the house. I had
blockers too,” said Havner on the clear path to the end zone
had the referees not called the play dead.
Then in the fourth quarter, there was another debatable
non-fumble call that didn’t go the Bruins’ way.
USC tailback LenDale White took a carry up the middle and was
stuffed by a number of Bruins. As White and the Bruins struggled
for extra inches, White was stripped and UCLA recovered the ball.
But again, the officials ruled that the whistle blew and the Trojan
running back’s progress had been halted. A visibly irate
coach Karl Dorrell went far out onto the field to argue, but to no
avail.
Again, USC went on to kick a field goal.
“There weren’t good calls today,” Dorrell
said. “I don’t want to get in trouble by that, but in a
game like this those type of things shouldn’t happen.
It’s unfortunate it did. That’s the way the ball
bounces sometimes.”
In the end, the Bruins can only point to the game and wonder:
What if? That is something that may haunt the team and UCLA fans
for some time.
“I’m definitely feeling angry about
everything,” wideout Craig Bragg said. “If we could
have gotten one more break or something, who knows what could
happen?”
On the other hand, the Bruins can’t afford to despair
about the hypothetical. They will need to regroup and prepare for
Las Vegas Bowl near the end of the month.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to (dwell on
it),” quarterback Drew Olson said. “If we’re
sitting back and wondering “˜what if,’ I think
we’ll go backwards. I think we need to fix what we did wrong
and keep going.”
While a loss is still a loss and the two non-fumble calls
didn’t necessarily cost UCLA the game, they certainly have
left the Bruins with a sense of bitterness. And maybe UCLA will be
able to turn that anger into something positive for its last
game.
“It’s a tough loss. We’re going to be thinking
about this for a while,” London said. “When we find out
who we play in this bowl game (Wyoming), we’re going to take
it to them because now we have a lot of pent-up anger from another
game.”