It’s a tradition unlike any other, one that UCLA would like to mercifully end as quickly as possible.
A backup quarterback, making his first career start, proves unstoppable against the Bruins.
It happened again Saturday at the Rose Bowl, Nebraska’s TJ Lateef joining a group that over the years has included Utah’s Kendal Thompson, Arizona State’s Mike Bercovici and Arizona’s Grant Gunnell, among others.
It was a heartwarming story for Lateef, the Compton native and former Orange Lutheran High star.
Not so much for the team he repeatedly befuddled.
With its defense continually missing tackles and appearing a step slow, UCLA put up little resistance until the final minutes of a 28-21 loss before a season-high home crowd of 44,481 that featured as much red as blue.
Filling in for the injured Dylan Raiola, Lateef completed his first 11 passes and finished throwing for 205 yards and three touchdowns in a sparkling debut.
“For their quarterback to come out here, first start, almost was perfect, you tip your hat to that kid,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said.
Meanwhile, it was another step backward for the Bruins (3-6 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) after they had spent the last two weeks pledging to get back to basics and pay more attention to details in the wake of their 50-point clobbering by Indiana.
UCLA’s bye week did not yield the needed answers for a team that has lost two consecutive games for the first time since starting the season 0-4.
Nebraska fans cheer after running back Emmett Johnson scores on a 56-yard run in the first half against UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins’ defense gave up 361 yards and their offense was once again overly reliant on quarterback Nico Iamaleava, whose singular brilliance has not been enough to lift his team against quality opponents. In his latest gritty performance, Iamaleava completed 17 of 25 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns while also running for a team-high 86 yards.
“It felt close, man,” Iamaleava said. “I thought if we got one more stop we were going to go back down and score and go for two and try to win the game.”
Iamaleava created some late drama when he completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to running back Anthony Frias II, pulling the Bruins within seven points with 4 minutes 54 seconds left.
But the Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-3) picked up enough first downs on their final drive to run out the clock on UCLA’s comeback hopes.
Looking as overmatched as it had early in the season, when it had trouble getting stops, UCLA’s defense was the biggest culprit. The Bruins failed to account for Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, who ran for 129 yards and one touchdown while catching three passes for 103 yards and two more touchdowns.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) celebrates with quarterback TJ Lateef (14) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“If you can run the ball on offense, it makes things a lot easier,” Skipper said. “So their ability to run settled their whole offense down.”
This was the kind of showing that might make one recontextualize that three-game winning streak that momentarily made UCLA the talk of the college football world. Those three victories — over Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland — came over teams that are now a combined 1-17 in Big Ten play.
Next up for the Bruins: top-ranked and unbeaten Ohio State on the road.
There was a foreboding feeling before kickoff for a home team whose stadium was awash in the color of the visitors.
A “Go Big Red!” chant filled the air before the coin toss, the decibel level increasing when Nebraska scored on its opening drive. In what amounted to an instantaneous confidence boost, Lateef took off running on his team’s first play from scrimmage and spun his way for 14 yards.
Never appearing rattled, Lateef converted a third and goal at the two when he completed a pass to wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr., who barely crossed the goal line with the ball for the game’s first points.
Momentum briefly swung back in UCLA’s favor early in the second quarter. After taking a direct snap, Bruins running back Jalen Berger ran for a one-yard touchdown to tie the score 7-7.
Poor tackling haunted UCLA on Nebraska’s next drive when Johnson took a short pass out of the backfield, broke a tackle and ran down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown that put the Cornhuskers back ahead.
Some questionable playcalling surfaced on UCLA’s next drive. On third and one, Iamaleava threw a pass under pressure that fell incomplete. On fourth and one, the Bruins went to a jumbo package by bringing in 335-pound defensive lineman Siale Taupaki as a blocker but couldn’t pick up the first down after Iamaleava was dropped for a two-yard loss.
“They sent a corner crash and, you know, he mesh-charged it, and I thought pulling it was the best play to do,” Iamaleava said. “Should’ve just gave it, man, and let my running backs get that one yard. But that one’s on me and I gotta play better in that aspect.”
Nebraska capitalized on the turnover on downs, marching downfield before facing a third and goal at the UCLA one-yard line. Patiently waiting for an opening, Johnson surged ahead before spinning into the end zone for a touchdown to give the Cornhuskers a 21-7 advantage.
Things were going so poorly for the Bruins that the normally reliable Mateen Bhaghani missed a 49-yard field goal shortly before halftime, his kick sailing wide left.
Everything felt a little off for the home team once again in a season that might be beyond salvage.