I just got back from the game. This was a bittersweet game experience for me. Obviously, I was glad of the final outcome, a Cal victory. But I was also saddened that this was also likely the last time Cal will face UCLA in the Rose Bowl. I have friends and family who went to UCLA, so we've looked forward to these annual games. We're all pretty bummed that the games between the two are over.
I sat in the UCLA section with some friends near the UCLA end zone. There was a good sprinkling of Cal blue among the baby blue in the section. In fact, there were enough Cal fans for me to high five after every great Cal play and TD (including the scoop and score that got called back). There were definitely plenty of Cal fans in other parts of the stadium, especially by the Cal end zone, though.
My UCLA friends decided to leave the game early during the 4th quarter, when Cal was up 30-7 (and UCLA's offense stalled out on a 4th and 17). To leave, we walked by the UCLA bench. I loudly thanked Chip Kelly for the early Christmas gift of a Cal victory and called out a couple hearty "Go Bears!" as I departed. Oddly, the UCLA players and coaching staff didn't return my cheers.
Oh, and on the way out, we ran into three UCLA recruits in the tunnel. I advised them to go to Cal. 
On a side note, I did really appreciate Chip Kelly and the UCLA team for making me look so prescient at tonight's game. On UCLA's missed FG, I was calling out "Wide left! Wide left! Wide left!" as the kicker lined up. The UCLA kicker (on the other side of the field) seemed to take my advice and missed wide left. Later, as Cal was on my side of the field and had a 3rd and 9 at the UCLA 13 yard line, I called out "Touchdown Bears!" repeatedly (as the UCLA fans were oddly silent before the snap). The next thing you know, Nando threw a TD pass to Jeremiah Hunter.
Also, I really hope Ethan Garbers recovers from his injury. I saw him walking out of the medic tent and throw a pass on the sideline. The ball had little zip. That explained why Dante Moore wound up playing most of the game.
Speaking of Dante Moore, it looks like there's no chemistry between him and his teammates. When he was playing catch on the sidelines to stay warm, he was throwing to a trainer or some other civilian (i.e., not another UCLA football player) for most of the game. It wasn't until the 4th quarter that he finally played catch with another player. However, it still wasn't with any of his receivers. In all honesty, I felt bad for the kid. It seems like the team kind of ostracized him and the coaches aren't talking him out from getting inside his own head after bad plays. The kid's a true freshman; he needs some encouragement, which it doesn't look like he's getting from the sidelines.
Incidentally, it also looks like the UCLA fanbase has turned on him. Pretty much whenever he was in the game, the UCLA fans around me muttered, "Don't throw it!" or some variation. Some fans were even openly calling for him to hit the transfer portal. Personally, I think they may be selling the kid short. He needs to sit behind Ethan for another year, run the scout team, and get some reps as the backup QB in garbage time. After that, he should be ready to take the B1G by storm. Of course, I was also really high on Zach Kline when he was at Cal so I may not be the best evaluator of QB talent.
Finally, I still can't understand why J. Michael Sturdivant is so underutilized in UCLA's offense. It's not like he's not getting separation or running routes well. For some reason, Chipper keeps playing J. Mike on the QB's blind side. I asked the UCLA folks around me; they were as stumped as I. (They were also stumped as to why Chip Kelly kept trying to run the ball up the middle of the defense, not just in tonight's game but all season long.) If I didn't know better, I'd say Chip Kelly is in the equivalent of Tedford's latter-half Cal years.
I sat in the UCLA section with some friends near the UCLA end zone. There was a good sprinkling of Cal blue among the baby blue in the section. In fact, there were enough Cal fans for me to high five after every great Cal play and TD (including the scoop and score that got called back). There were definitely plenty of Cal fans in other parts of the stadium, especially by the Cal end zone, though.
My UCLA friends decided to leave the game early during the 4th quarter, when Cal was up 30-7 (and UCLA's offense stalled out on a 4th and 17). To leave, we walked by the UCLA bench. I loudly thanked Chip Kelly for the early Christmas gift of a Cal victory and called out a couple hearty "Go Bears!" as I departed. Oddly, the UCLA players and coaching staff didn't return my cheers.
Oh, and on the way out, we ran into three UCLA recruits in the tunnel. I advised them to go to Cal. On a side note, I did really appreciate Chip Kelly and the UCLA team for making me look so prescient at tonight's game. On UCLA's missed FG, I was calling out "Wide left! Wide left! Wide left!" as the kicker lined up. The UCLA kicker (on the other side of the field) seemed to take my advice and missed wide left. Later, as Cal was on my side of the field and had a 3rd and 9 at the UCLA 13 yard line, I called out "Touchdown Bears!" repeatedly (as the UCLA fans were oddly silent before the snap). The next thing you know, Nando threw a TD pass to Jeremiah Hunter.
Also, I really hope Ethan Garbers recovers from his injury. I saw him walking out of the medic tent and throw a pass on the sideline. The ball had little zip. That explained why Dante Moore wound up playing most of the game.
Speaking of Dante Moore, it looks like there's no chemistry between him and his teammates. When he was playing catch on the sidelines to stay warm, he was throwing to a trainer or some other civilian (i.e., not another UCLA football player) for most of the game. It wasn't until the 4th quarter that he finally played catch with another player. However, it still wasn't with any of his receivers. In all honesty, I felt bad for the kid. It seems like the team kind of ostracized him and the coaches aren't talking him out from getting inside his own head after bad plays. The kid's a true freshman; he needs some encouragement, which it doesn't look like he's getting from the sidelines.
Incidentally, it also looks like the UCLA fanbase has turned on him. Pretty much whenever he was in the game, the UCLA fans around me muttered, "Don't throw it!" or some variation. Some fans were even openly calling for him to hit the transfer portal. Personally, I think they may be selling the kid short. He needs to sit behind Ethan for another year, run the scout team, and get some reps as the backup QB in garbage time. After that, he should be ready to take the B1G by storm. Of course, I was also really high on Zach Kline when he was at Cal so I may not be the best evaluator of QB talent.
Finally, I still can't understand why J. Michael Sturdivant is so underutilized in UCLA's offense. It's not like he's not getting separation or running routes well. For some reason, Chipper keeps playing J. Mike on the QB's blind side. I asked the UCLA folks around me; they were as stumped as I. (They were also stumped as to why Chip Kelly kept trying to run the ball up the middle of the defense, not just in tonight's game but all season long.) If I didn't know better, I'd say Chip Kelly is in the equivalent of Tedford's latter-half Cal years.