January 1, UCLA Stuns Ducks in Defensive Battle and Shakes Up Big Ten Race

Wyatt’s Take

• UCLA’s gritty road win keeps the Bruins undefeated and sends a clear message to the rest of the conference.
• Oregon’s failed two-point attempt early on came back to cost them the game, proving once again that fundamentals decide championships.
• Big Ten standings just got a lot tighter, and hard-working teams like UCLA are proving heart and discipline still matter most.

UCLA picked up a huge 17-15 victory over Oregon on Saturday, staying perfect on the season and moving closer to a shot at the Big Ten title.

The 21st-ranked Bruins traveled to Eugene and took down the 13th-ranked Ducks in a low-scoring defensive battle.

Oregon was missing starting quarterback Dante Moore because of a concussion, so backup Dylan Raiola started under center.

The Bruins struck first with a field goal in the opening quarter, but Oregon answered with a touchdown.

The Ducks went for two points after the score and came up empty, a decision that would haunt them later.

UCLA added a touchdown in the second quarter and another in the fourth to build a 17-6 lead.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning then benched Raiola, who finished just 6-of-19 for 43 yards with two interceptions, and turned to senior Brock Thomas.

“That meant backup Dylan Raiola got things going under center.”

Thomas led a late drive that ended in a field goal, then threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Evan Stewart to make it 17-15 with just over two minutes remaining.

“So… remember that failed 2-point conversion in the first quarter?”

Oregon got the ball back needing another score to win, but the Bruins defense held firm and sealed the victory.

The win gives UCLA a massive boost in the Big Ten standings and College Football Playoff picture.

Wyatt Matters

Hard work, discipline, and sticking to the fundamentals still win games in America, and UCLA showed exactly that on the road in Eugene.