UCLA’s offense had an unfortunate performance against the Ducks in Week 6. UCLA continually had opportunities to score, especially in and around the end zone, yet missed far too many opportunities to put points on the board.
This was a game that, if executed correctly, could have resulted in a lopsided win for the Bruins.
Blocked Field Goal
The first of their most notable missed opportunities came at the nine-yard line, where the Bruins lined up to attempt a field goal in hopes of taking a 13-6 lead closing in on halftime. However, a powerful push from Oregon’s defensive interior made it possible for the Ducks to get a hand on it, blocking the field goal and keeping the Bruins with a four-point lead.
However, the Bruins would get a chance to redeem themselves from the blocked field goal. After a short 44-second drive by the Ducks that resulted in a punt, UCLA got the ball back near midfield. The drive wouldn’t last long as Nico Iamaleava threw an interception just 23 seconds into the drive.
In line with the chaos of this game, Dylan Raiola followed it up by giving the ball straight back to the Bruins, giving UCLA yet another chance to score before the half.
At the Ducks' 22-yard line with 23 seconds remaining, Nico Iamaleava threw a pass to the end zone that was picked off by Oregon safety Koi Perich, finally ending the Bruins' chances of increasing their lead before the half. Just a truly awful final two minutes for UCLA’s offense, and certainly something that will need to be cleaned up moving forward.
Fourth Down Failure
Skipping forward to the third quarter, with the game still 10-6, UCLA encountered another prime opportunity to put points on the board. UCLA’s defense was able to force a fumble, and the Bruins offense started their drive at the Ducks' 33-yard line.
After driving 30 yards in seven plays, UCLA was faced with a fourth down on the goal line and elected to try to punch it in for a touchdown instead of kicking a field goal to take a seven-point lead. The questionable decision ended up not panning out, as the Bruins were stuffed at the line and turned the ball over on downs.
UCLA must be better at making the most of their opportunities moving forward. The three scenarios I described above could have accounted for a minimum of an additional nine points that UCLA could have added to their total. If they want to continue to add to the win column, this is an area that they will need to improve in.
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