One loss didn’t eradicate UCLA from Pac-12 title rivalry, and it may not have had any bearing on a brand new thriller goal that emerged Monday.
“We've got approach greater objectives than that,” quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson stated when requested about competing for the convention championship, “and I personally assume we are able to nonetheless accomplish these if we simply do our jobs on a weekly foundation.”
The plain follow-up query: Does greater objectives imply the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals?
“I received’t get into the objectives, that’s extra of a crew, private matter,” Thompson-Robinson stated, “however yeah, it’s undoubtedly approach greater than that, I can let you know that for certain.”
Some guesswork left just a few potentialities.
A Pac-12 title comes with a Rose Bowl look — at a minimal — so it’s conceivable Thompson-Robinson meant profitable a Rose Bowl, one thing the Bruins haven’t carried out since 1986.
Extra doubtless, he meant making faculty soccer’s closing 4. That’s going to be significantly more durable after UCLA dropped to No. 12 within the Related Press ballot following its 45-30 loss to Oregon on Saturday at Autzen Stadium.
The Bruins (6-1 total, 3-1 Pac-12) are nonetheless in prime place to qualify for the Pac-12 title recreation on Dec. 2 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Assuming they don’t stumble in any of the video games by which they are going to be decisively favored, together with Saturday night time in opposition to Stanford (3-4, 1-4) on the Rose Bowl, the Bruins may doubtless get there with a house victory over No. 10 USC on Nov. 19.
UCLA has considerably extra work to do to make the Pac-12’s first look within the CFP since Washington did so in 2016. There’s no margin for error, and the Bruins would possibly want substantial assist. Six unbeaten groups are positioned forward of them within the rankings, and there’s all the time the specter one — or extra — of one-loss groups qualifying from the mighty Southeastern Convention.
UCLA coach Chip Kelly stated he reminded his gamers that they'd not misplaced in nearly a yr — 357 days, to be precise — earlier than the Oregon recreation, however now all that issues is what the Bruins do over the subsequent 39 days ending within the Pac-12 championship. Kelly identified that his crew responded to its final defeat with a nine-game profitable streak.
“It is a actually good soccer crew,” Kelly stated. “We didn’t play as much as what we must always have performed on Saturday and we’ll transfer on and we’ll see how the remainder of the season turns itself out, however our complete mantra because the starting of the season is, ‘Decide your head up in December and we’ll see if our physique of labor is sweet sufficient for us to have a chance to proceed to play after December.’ ”
There have been a number of nods to the urgency of the second Monday. Just a few hours after Van Halen’s “Proper Now” blasted over audio system in the course of the opening minutes of apply, Thompson-Robinson come across the same theme when talking with reporters.
“If there’s a time to make things better, it’s now,” Thompson-Robinson stated. “We all know that, we’re a mature sufficient group, we’re grown males to have the ability to go in there, take a look at ourselves within the mirror and say what we did incorrect and are available out right here and repair it on Monday. So I feel that’s the place we’re at.”
With out mentioning specifics, Thompson-Robinson stated the crew had slipped in its habits in the course of the week earlier than going through the Geese.
“It’s all the time a end result of issues and issues including up that you simply don’t actually discover till it will get you,” he stated. “So I feel that’s what we’ve gotta return to, is simply ensuring we’re doing each little factor proper, and if it nonetheless doesn’t work, then we’ll go from there. However, you already know, these six video games that we received, all the things that we’ve carried out earlier than these six video games actually, actually confirmed up on Saturday for us.”
Thompson-Robinson endured his worst recreation of the season whereas going through a relentless move rush, heaving one move into double protection that was intercepted and lacking just a few shorter throws that he usually makes, however far greater points emerged on the opposite aspect of the ball. UCLA’s protection was gouged for a season-worst 545 yards.
“Defensively, there have been breakdowns in any respect three ranges,” Kelly stated.
These failures had been maybe finest illustrated by free security Mo Osling III ending with a career-high 17 tackles, together with a handful that saved touchdowns.
“I don’t assume that’s a recipe for fulfillment as you progress ahead except you’re blitzing your free security each play and he has 17 tackles, then that’s a superb factor,” Kelly stated, “however we weren’t blitzing Mo each single play, so we have to get somewhat bit extra manufacturing [from others] and get these tackles evened out.”
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