PULLMAN, Wash. “”mdash; Sometimes when you make a mistake for the first time, they say it’s a fluke.
When you do it twice, it’s unlucky.
When you do it three times, well, then it’s becoming habitual.
So if there was anything surprising about UCLA’s 27-7 loss to Washington State, it might have been that screaming fans rushed the field and celebrated as if their victory at Martin Stadium had clinched a conference championship.
In reality, the Cougars had merely beaten a team that has developed a penchant for losing games it should win.
UCLA fell apart for the third time this year against an inferior opponent. The Bruins were outclassed in nearly every aspect of the game, and despite keeping the score close for much of the game, the Bruins never really threatened.
It was just another abysmal loss in a season that has begun to overflow with them.
And despite the flood of embarrassing games, the Bruins ““ starting with their coach ““ really have no explanation for their play.
“There is no rationale,” coach Karl Dorrell said about the losses.
“We planned and prepared hard for this game like we planned and prepared hard for every game. I really don’t have an answer for that.”
In UCLA’s three losses this season ““ to Utah, Notre Dame and now Washington State ““ the Bruins have scored a combined 19 points and allowed a total of 91.
The loss to Utah came after the Bruins rose to No. 11 in the country after a victory over a stout BYU team; the loss to Notre Dame came after UCLA crushed Oregon State in Corvallis 40-14; and now this loss comes on the heels of what senior defensive end Bruce Davis referred to as the “second biggest win of his career” ““ a 30-21 victory over Cal last weekend.
These letdown games have become a trend for UCLA, and their talk after each of them has even become tiring for the players themselves.
“We’ve said the same thing after every one of these games,” cornerback Trey Brown said.
“When’s it going to stop? It’s got to stop now. It doesn’t matter how fired up you are if you don’t execute out on the field.”
There was little execution to be found on the field. UCLA quarterback Pat Cowan missed a lot of throws, the running game found little running room after Kahlil Bell went down with a knee sprain in the first quarter, and even normally reliable kicker Kai Forbath missed a 43-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter that would have tied the game.
On defense, when the Bruins were not being called for pass interference, they were either letting Cougar running back Dwight Tardy pick up great chunks of yards at a time, or letting their receivers make plays on poorly thrown balls.
The Bruins even managed to squander opportunities created by the questionable decisions of Washington State.
After the Cougars’ first touchdown in the first quarter, Washington State inexplicably went for an onside kick. They did not get it, as the ball sailed out of bounds.
The game was tied at that point, and if anything, Washington State had the momentum after the loss of Bell.
But everything the Bruins did managed to make that onside kick seem like a reasonable decision.
UCLA brought only six wide receivers to Pullman, so after Brandon Breazell went down with bruised ribs in the second quarter, the Bruins had just five in their depleted receiving corps: Terrence Austin, Joe Cowan, Dominique Johnson, and the seldom used Jamil Turner and Ryan Graves. It put the Bruins in a position where Turner and Graves were on the field for meaningful snaps as they tried to cut into the Cougars’ lead late in the fourth quarter.
After getting 62 yards and a score on an opening drive that lasted 1:13, the Bruins were held scoreless, with only 205 yards of offense in the remainder of the game.
In all, UCLA gained just 267 yards, compared to a whopping 545 for Washington State.
“I don’t know (what happened),” Davis said.
“I wish I knew. We just didn’t execute, didn’t make the plays we’re supposed to make. We gave up too many rushing yards and too many passing yards.”
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