2021 UCLA Bruins football team
| 2021 Holiday Bowl, vs. NC State, Canceled | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Pac-12 Conference |
| South Division | |
| Record | 8–4 (6–3 Pac-12) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Justin Frye (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread option |
| Defensive coordinator | Jerry Azzinaro (4th season) |
| Base defense | 4–2–5 |
| Home stadium | Rose Bowl |
Uniform | |
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22 Oregon xy | 7 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington State | 6 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon State | 5 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 4 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington | 3 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stanford | 2 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Utah xy$ | 8 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UCLA | 6 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona State† | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USC | 3 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado | 3 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona | 1 | – | 8 | 1 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Utah 38, Oregon 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2021 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fourth-year head coach Chip Kelly and competed as members of the South Division in the Pac-12 Conference. Entering this season, Nike became the new apparel sponsor for the team, replacing former supplier Under Armour, and the Bruins' football uniforms bore the Jordan Brand.
In August, UCLA announced that digital tickets would replace printed tickets for entry to all games at the Rose Bowl.[1]
The Bruins finished their regular season with an 8–4 overall record, and accepted a bid to the
Overall, the Bruins outscored their opponents by a combined total of 438 to 321 for the season.
Offseason
Incoming transfers
The Bruins added 8 players via transfer during the offseason:
- LB Devin Aupiu – Notre Dame
- WR Kam Brown – Texas A&M
- RB Zach Charbonnet – Michigan
- QB Ethan Garbers – Washington
- LB Jordan Genmark Heath – Notre Dame (graduate)
- DB Cameron Johnson – North Texas (graduate)
- LB Ale Kaho – Alabama
- DL Jay Toia – USC
Preseason
Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars
- Shea Pitts
Preseason award watchlists
- Greg Dulcich (Lombardi Award, John Mackey Award)
- Quentin Lake (Lott IMPACT Trophy)
- Kyle Philips (Paul Hornung Award)
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Davey O'Brien Award, Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award)
Preseason All-Pac-12 team
- Kyle Philips (WR), First Team
- Greg Dulcich (TE), First Team
- Sean Rhyan (OL), First Team
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB), Honorable Mention
- Brittain Brown (RB), Honorable Mention
- Sam Marrazzo (OL), Honorable Mention
- Otito Ogbonnia (DL), Honorable Mention
- Caleb Johnson (LB), Honorable Mention
- Qwuantrezz Knight (DB), Honorable Mention
- Quentin Lake (DB), Honorable Mention
- Stephen Blaylock (DB), Honorable Mention
- Nicholas Barr-Mira (PK), Honorable Mention
Personnel
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Year at UCLA | Alma mater (year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chip Kelly | Head coach | 4th | New Hampshire (1990) |
| Justin Frye | Offensive coordinator Offensive Line |
4th | Indiana (2006) |
| Ryan Gunderson | Quarterbacks | 1st | Oregon State (2007) |
| Jerry Azzinaro | Defensive coordinator | 4th | American International College (1981) |
| DeShaun Foster | Running backs | 5th | UCLA (2014) |
| Jerry Neuheisel | Wide receivers | 4th | UCLA (2015) |
| Johnny Nansen | Defensive line | 2nd | Washington State (1997) |
| Don Pellum | Inside linebackers | 4th | Oregon (1985) |
| Brian Norwood | Defensive backs Passing game coordinator Assistant head coach |
2nd | Hawaiʻi (1988) |
| Jason Kaufusi | Outside linebackers | 3rd | Utah (2004) |
| Derek Sage | Tight ends Special teams |
4th | Cal State Northridge (2003) |
- Ikaika Malloe was hired on December 22 as analyst for UCLA through the Holiday Bowl, replacing Jason Kaufusi, who was hired away by Arizona. He will be a defensive assistant coach next season.
- Chad Kauha'aha'a was hired on December 24 as analyst for UCLA through the Holiday Bowl.
Roster
| 2021 UCLA Bruins Roster | ||||||||||
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Quarterback
Running back
Receiver
Tight end
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Offensive lineman
Defensive lineman
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Linebacker
Defensive back
Punter
Kicker
Long snapper
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Sources: [1] | ||||||||||
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 28 | 12:30 p.m. | Hawaii* | ESPN | W 44–10 | 32,982 | ||
| September 4 | 5:30 p.m. | No. 16 LSU* |
| FOX | W 38–27 | 68,123 | |
| September 18 | 7:45 p.m. | Fresno State* | No. 13 |
| P12N | L 37–40 | 50,698 |
| September 25 | 3:00 p.m. | at Stanford | No. 24 | P12N | W 35–24 | 47,236 | |
| October 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Arizona State | No. 20 |
| FS1 | L 23–42 | 40,522 |
| October 9 | 7:30 p.m. | at ESPN | W 34–16 | 43,258 | |||
| October 16 | 5:30 p.m. | at Washington | FOX | W 24–17 | 62,266 | ||
| October 23 | 12:30 p.m. | No. 10 ABC | L 31–34 | 55,675 | |||
| October 30 | 7:00 p.m. | at Utah | ESPN | L 24–44 | 51,922 | ||
| November 13 | 6:00 p.m. | Colorado |
| P12N | W 44–20 | 36,573 | |
| November 20 | 1:00 p.m. | at USC | FOX | W 62–33 | 68,152 | ||
| November 27 | 7:30 p.m. | California |
| FS1 | W 42–14 | 36,156 | |
| December 28 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. No. 18 Holiday Bowl ) | FOX | Canceled | |||
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Game summaries
vs Hawaii
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Warriors | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Bruins | 24 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 44 |
at
- Date: August 28, 2021
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 93 °F (34 °C) Clear, Sunny
- Game attendance: 32,982
- Referee: Scott Campbell
- TV announcers (ESPN): Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
In his fourth season at UCLA, head coach Chip Kelly earned his first nonconference victory and first season-opening win with the Bruins after defeating Hawaii, 44–10. Prior to this, he had been 0–6 in nonconference games, including 0–4 against Group of Five schools, at UCLA. Running back Zach Charbonnet, a fresh transfer from Michigan, ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns in his UCLA debut. Charbonnet carried the ball six times and scored on runs of 21, 47 and again on 21 yards, helping the Bruins establish a 31–3 lead early in the second quarter. With the Bruins ahead by a wide margin, he did not carry the ball again in the game. Brittain Brown ran for 78 yards on 13 attempts, combining with Charbonnet to run for 184 yards and four touchdowns.[5]
The Bruins built a 44–3 lead early in the second half before sending in the reserves. In all, UCLA's defense held Hawaii to 269 total yards and without a touchdown until late in the third quarter. Bruins linebacker Ale Kaho blocked a punt and teammate David Priebe recovered the ball in the endzone for a touchdown, which also ended the Rainbow Warriors’ streak of 154 game without a blocked punt, which had been the longest in the country. Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 10-of-20 passing for 130 yards and did not commit a turnover for the Bruins.[5]
The game was played before an announced crowd of 32,982, the second-smallest ever at a UCLA home game at the Rose Bowl, ahead of only the 32,513 for an Oregon State game in November 1992.[5]
vs No. 16 LSU
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Tigers | 0 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
| Bruins | 0 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 38 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: September 4, 2021
- Game time: 5:30 P.M PDT
- Game weather: 93 °F (34 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 68,123
- Referee: David Smith
- TV announcers (FOX): Joe Davis (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), and Bruce Feldman (sideline)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
In a prime-time nationally televised game, the Bruins defeated the No. 16 LSU Tigers, 38–27. It was the first time since 2017 that UCLA began the season 2–0. Thompson-Robinson completed 9 of 16 passes for 260 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Charbonnet had his second consecutive 100-yard game, finishing with 11 rushes for 117 yards and a touchdown.[6] Brown also ran for 96 yards on 17 attempts and a fourth-quarter score.[7]
UCLA evened the score 7–7 in the first quarter after Thompson-Robinson threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Dulcich,[6] who had three catches for 117 yards in the game.[7] The Bruins took the lead for good on a 12-yard touchdown run by Charbonnet with 9:49 left in the second quarter. In the third quarter, UCLA's Caleb Johnson intercepted LSU's Max Johnson and returned it 34 yards to the Tigers' 17. The Bruins scored in three plays on a Thompson-Robinson 12-yard pass to Chase Cota for a 21–10 lead. Midway into the fourth quarter, Thompson-Robinson threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Philips to make it 38–20,[6] virtually sealing the game.[7]
The Bruins held the Tigers to 48 yards rushing on 1.9 yards per carry. Johnson was 26 of 46 passing for 330 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while being pressured into mistakes by the UCLA defense.
vs Fresno State
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldogs | 6 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 40 |
| No. 13 Bruins | 7 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 37 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: September 18, 2021
- Game time: 7:45 P.M PDT
- Game weather: 68 °F (20 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 50,698
- Referee: Francisco Villar
- TV announcers (P12N): Ted Robinson (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener passed for 455 yards and threw the winning touchdown with 14 seconds left in the game to upset the Bruins 40–37. Limiping from an injured right hip, Haener led a six-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a winning throw to Jalen Moreno-Cropper for their fourth straight win over UCLA. The Bruins trailed 23–10 at halftime, but rallied in a game that had four lead changes in the final 7:27.[9] UCLA went up 37–33 with 54 seconds left after Thompson-Robinson threw a 15-yard touchdown to Philips.[10]
Fresno State focused on stopping UCLA's running game, holding Bruins' running backs Charbonnet and Brown to a 42 combined yards rushing on 2.8 yards per carry. UCLA's offense was limited to 16 plays in the first half, while Haener completed 21 passes by halftime.[10] Down 26–17 in the fourth quarter,[9] the Bruins came back after forcing two fumbles in a 1+1⁄2-minute span in the middle of the quarter, converting both into touchdowns for a 30–26 lead.[10] The Bulldogs regained the lead after Haener's 19-yard touchdown pass to Erik Brooks put them ahead 33–30 with 2:55 remaining. After the play, Haener was on the ground, grimacing in pain, after suffering numerous hits in the contest.[9]
Thompson-Robinson threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, and he also led UCLA with 67 yards rushing on 13 carries. The Bulldogs' attention to the run opened up one-on-one coverage in their pass defense, contributing to Philips' seven receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow receiver Kam Brown finished with five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.
At Stanford
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 24 Bruins | 14 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
| Cardinal | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
at
- Date: September 25, 2021
- Game time: 3:00 P.M PDT
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C) Sunny
- Game attendance: 47,236
- Referee: Mark Duddy
- TV announcers (P12N): Ted Robinson (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Thompson-Robinson threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to lead UCLA to a 35–24 road win over Stanford.[12] Ten seconds after the Cardinal tied the game at 21, he threw a tie-breaking 75-yard score to Philips. Thompson-Robinson later left the game due to a shoulder injury, but returned on the next play to throw a five-yard touchdown to Philips, sealing the outcome with 2:35 remaining in the game.[12][13] Thompson-Robinson also ran for two touchdowns in the contest.[13]
Stanford won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening
Thompson-Robinson completed 18 of his 29 passes for 251 yards. Charbonnet had 118 yards rushing, and Brittain Brown added 66.[13] UCLA's defense held Stanford to 67 yards rushing on 22 carries for an average of three yards per carry.[14] The win was the Bruins' second in the last 14 meetings against the Cardinal.[12]
vs Arizona State
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Devils | 3 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 42 |
| No. 20 Bruins | 3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: October 2, 2021
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 40,522
- Referee: Michael Mothershed
- TV announcers (FS1): Chris Myers (play-by-play), Mark Helfrich (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
UCLA lost 42–23 to Arizona State, as both teams vied for a 2–0 conference record and sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 South.[15] The Bruins were down 32–23 early in the fourth quarter when Thompson-Robinson was stopped for a one-yard loss on fourth and one from the Sun Devils' two-yard line.[15][16] Arizona State followed with an 11-play, 96-yard touchdown drive that took 6:52.[16] UCLA committed 64 of their 89 penalty yards in the second half, and they were shutout in the second half for the first time since 2019 against Utah.[17]
In the first quarter, the teams limited each other to a field goal before a high-scoring second quarter.[17] After Sun Devils quarterback Jayden Daniels threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall, the two reconnected on their following for a 54-yard score,[15] giving Arizona State their first lead of the game with 2:44 remaining in the half.[17] The Sun Devils fumbled a punt return before the half ended, which the Bruins recovered, allowing Nicholas Barr-Mira to kick a field goal as time expired.[17] Early in the third quarter, Arizona State extended its lead to 32–23 on a 49-yard touchdown run by Rachaad White and a two-point conversion.[16] UCLA was scoreless on its last five possessions of the game after scoring on five of seven to start the game.[15]
Thompson-Robinson passed for 235 yards and ran for 93 in the game. Dulcich had a career-high nine catches for 136 yards, and Charbonnet carried 21 times for 89 yards.
At Arizona
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 34 |
| Wildcats | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 16 |
at
- Date: October 9, 2021
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 43,258
- Referee: Chris Coyte
- TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (play by play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Brown ran for a 48-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal a victory over Arizona in a 34–16 win by UCLA.[19][20] Charbonnet added 117 yards rushing, as the Bruins ran for 329 yard in the game on seven yards per carry. Thompson-Robinson accounted for three touchdowns, but his throws were inconsistent, totalling just 82 yards passing. The Wildcats' extended their losing streak to a school-record 17.[19]
UCLA ran for 165 yards in the first half, and Thompson-Robinson had a three-yard scoring pass to Dulcich in the first quarter and ran for a two-yard touchdown in the second. The Bruins led 14–13 at halftime, but their quarterback had completed just one of his eight passes for three yards.[20] Arizona settled for two field goals after drives that reached the UCLA 9- and 20-yard lines stalled. Up 24–16 late in the third quarter, the Bruins seemed to be taking control with the ball deep in Wildcats' territory. Brown ran for 11 yards on third and six but fumbled on the Arizona 18. UCLA's defense forced a turnover, and Brown atoned for his fumble with a score on his next run.[19]
Brown and Charbonnet became the first pair of Bruins to rush for a 100 yards in the same game since
At Washington
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
| Huskies | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at
- Date: October 16, 2021
- Game time: 5:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C) Partly Cloudy
- Game attendance: 62,266
- Referee: Francisco Villar
- TV announcers (FOX): Tim Brando (play by play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Thompson-Robinson had three touchdowns and freshman cornerback Devin Kirkwood had an interception late in the game to beat Washington, 24–17. Thompson-Robinson connected with Dulcich for a go-ahead, nine-yard touchdown pass with 8:19 left in the game.[21][22] Then with 4:50 remaining, Kirkwood recovered for his first career interception after the Huskies' Rome Odzune was open for a potential touchdown. Kirkwood bobbled the ball at first before pulling it away from the Washington receiver. The Bruins improved to 3–0 on the road, and won five games in a season for the first time under Kelly.[22]
UCLA led 17–3 late in the first half after Thompson-Robinson scored on a one-yard run on fourth and goal. Washington pulled to within 17–10 on a 26-yard touchdown catch by Odzune with 52 seconds remaining in the half. The Huskies tied the game at 17 on a fourth-and-goal one-yard run by quarterback Dylan Morris in the second half. On the Bruins' winning drive, Thompson-Robinson was a perfect 8-for-8 passing for 47 yards and ran for 10 yards, including a fourth-and-1 conversion.[21]
Thompson-Robinson completed 21 of 26 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 87 yards and another touchdown.[22] Charbonnet ran for 131 yards.[22] UCLA starting wide receiver Philips did not play for unspecified reasons. At the time, he had a team-high 24 catches for six touchdowns. Despite their rally, Washington had a season-low 267 yards on offense.[21] The Bruins won at Washington for the first time since 2014.[22]
vs No. 10 Oregon
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10 Ducks | 0 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 34 |
| Bruins | 14 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: October 23, 2021
- Game time: 12:30 p.m.
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
This matchup brought College GameDay to UCLA for the first time since 1998. Oregon was the opponent that time as well.
UCLA jumped out to an early 14–0 lead after a rushing touchdown from Brittain Brown and a receiving touchdown from Kazmeir Allen. On the Ducks next possession, Anthony Brown threw an interception but it was negated due to an offsides penalty on UCLA. Oregon then scored a few plays later to make the score 14–7. On the ensuing drive, UCLA drove down the field but came away with no points because of a missed field goal. Oregon took advantage and scored a touchdown to tie the score, 14-14. Right before the half, UCLA was able to sustain a drive and make a field goal giving them a 17–14 lead.
The second half started with Oregon driving down the field, and scoring a touchdown giving them their first lead of the game at 21–17. On UCLA's first possession of the second half, they were forced to punt but Oregon blocked it. There was targeting on the play originally against the Ducks but it was overturned after review. The Ducks, with great field position, took advantage and scored another touchdown giving them a 27–17 lead. The Ducks would score one more time to make it a 34–17 game.
UCLA started their comeback with a rushing touchdown by Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and then getting the ball back due to a turnover by Oregon QB Anthony Brown, UCLA would score again to make it 34-31. Oregon would drive down the field with less than 4 minutes in the clock, all but icing the game if they’re able to score a touchdown. Oregon’s Anthony Brown ends up forcing another interception, giving UCLA the ball and a chance to win the game. DTR would get hurt on this ensuing possession, forcing backup Ethan Garbers to be the hero for UCLA. He would convert two 4th down plays in a row. Both to Phillips, the third time he would throw a game losing interception. Icing the game and giving Oregon the road win.
At Utah
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Utes | 7 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 44 |
at
- Date: October 30, 2021
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 51,922
- Referee: Mike McCabe
- TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (play by play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
vs Colorado
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffaloes | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Bruins | 0 | 10 | 20 | 14 | 44 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: November 13, 2021
- Game time: 6:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C) Clear
- Game attendance: 36,573
- Referee: Steven Strimling
- TV announcers (P12N): Ted Robinson (play by play), Yogi Roth (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
At USC
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruins | 7 | 21 | 14 | 20 | 62 |
| Trojans | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 33 |
at
- Date: November 20, 2021
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C) Sunny
- Game attendance: 68,152
- Referee: Francisco Villar
- TV announcers (FOX): Joe Davis (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst), Bruce Feldman (sideline)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
UCLA dominated their rivalry game at crosstown foes Southern Cal, 62–33, en route to re-claiming the coveted Victory Bell trophy. In a high-scoring contest, the Bruin offense was sparked by a handful of explosive plays from Kazmeir Allen, who accumulated 215 yards of total offense and scored three touchdowns. Allen hauled in touchdown receptions of 45 and 58 yards during the first half, as UCLA entered the break up 28–17.
Meanwhile, UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson recovered from a poor start–– his first two throws of the game were both interceptions–– and played exceptionally for most of the game, accounting for six total touchdowns (four in the air and two on the ground) and outdueling USC signal-caller Jaxson Dart. UCLA was also effective in the run game despite the absence of Brittain Brown. Tailback Zach Charbonnet rushed for a season-high 167 yards and added a score.
Later in the game, with the third quarter winding down and momentum swinging in favor of USC, who had just cut the deficit to 9 points, a pivotal moment occurred when Allen found paydirt for the third time, returning a USC kickoff 100 yards to the house. This restored UCLA's commanding lead, and the Bruins never looked back from there. Late in the fourth quarter, Thompson-Robinson added an 'exclamation point' when he hurdled over USC cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart near the goal-line to score his second rushing touchdown of the day, all but icing the game with the score at 55–33. The Bruins would go on to score one more touchdown before the game ended and hit the 60-point threshold in front of a mostly empty stadium.
This game marked UCLA's 33rd win over USC all-time, and their first win at the Coliseum since 2013. The total of 95 combined points were the most ever scored in a single game between the schools. UCLA's 62 points scored in the game were the most they had ever scored against their crosstown rivals in the history of the series, and it also represented the most points the Trojans had surrendered in a game since their 62–41 loss to Arizona State, in Lane Kiffin's final game before his firing, in 2013. It also marked the Bruins' largest margin of victory over the Trojans since 1954, when UCLA defeated them 34–0.
vs California
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Bears | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Bruins | 3 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 42 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
- Date: November 27, 2021
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. PST
- Game attendance: 36,156
- Referee: Mike McCabe
- TV announcers (FS1): Aaron Goldsmith (play by play), Mark Helfrich (analyst)
- Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
UCLA scored 32 straight points from the second to fourth quarters to win 42–14 over California. It was the third consecutive win for the Bruins, just the second such streak during Kelly's coaching tenure at UCLA.[23]
Rankings
| Week | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
AP | RV | RV | 16 | 13 | 24 | 20 | RV | — | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Coaches | RV | RV | 16 | 13 | 24 | 20 | — | RV | — | — | — | — | — | RV | RV | |
| CFP | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | Not released | |||||||||
Players drafted into the NFL
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 80 | Greg Dulcich | TE | Denver Broncos |
| 3 | 92 | Sean Rhyan | OG | Green Bay Packers |
| 5 | 160 | Otito Ogbonnia | DT | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 5 | 163 | Kyle Philips | WR | Tennessee Titans |
| 6 | 211 | Quentin Lake | S | Los Angeles Rams |
| 7 | 250 | Brittain Brown | RB | Las Vegas Raiders |
Statistics
- Updated through October 27, 2021
| Statistics | UCLA | OPP |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 175 | 168 |
| Plays–yards | 570–3328 | 546–3086 |
| Rushes–yards | 355–1647 | 235–759 |
| Passing yards | 1679 | 2327 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 127–215–4 | 200–311–8 |
| Time of possession | 03:55:54 | 03:57:17 |
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award (PAC-12 Conference) | Week # | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Charbonnet | Offensive Player of the Week | 1 | September 7, 2021 | [24] |
| Alec Anderson | Offensive Lineman of the Week | 1 | September 7, 2021 | [24] |
| Kyle Philips | Special Teams Player of the Week | 4 | September 27, 2021 | [25] |
| Nicholas Barr-Mira | Special Teams Player of the Week | 6 | October 11, 2021 | [26] |
| Kyle Philips | Special Teams Player of the Week | 11 | November 15, 2021 | [27] |
| Dorian Thompson-Robinson | Offensive Player of the Week | 12 | November 22, 2021 | [28] |
| Paul Grattan, Jr | Offensive Lineman of the Week | 13 | November 29, 2021 | [29] |
| Mitchell Agude | Defensive Lineman of the Week | 13 | November 29, 2021 | [29] |
- September 29, 2021 – Shea Pitts is a semifinalist for the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy
- October 19, 2021 – The offensive line is named to the 2021 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll.
- October 22, 2021 – Former quarterback Cade McNown will be honored with the naming of Tunnel 8 at the Rose Bowl
- October 22, 2021 – Thompson-Robinson added to the midseason Manning Award List
- October 23, 2021 – UCLA hosted ESPN College Gameday for the first time ever on campus. It was the second time ever (previous time hosting was at the Rose Bowl in 1998).[30]
- November 18, 2021 – Greg Dulcich, Quentin Lake and Jack Landherr IV named to the 2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Football Team (College Sports Information Directors of America)
- November 23, 2021 – Quentin Lake named the Lott IMPACT TrophyPlayer of the Week
- November 28, 2021 – Team Awards: Quentin Lake, the Bobby Field UCLA Captains Award; Obi Eboh, the Ed "Coach K" Kezirian Award (academic and athletic balance); Zach Charbonnet, the Henry R. "Red" Sanders Award (most valuable player); Brittain Brown, the Kenneth S. Washington Award (outstanding senior of the year); Qwuantrezz Knight, the Jerry Long "Heart" Award; Paul Grattan, Jr., the Iron Bruin Award; Hudson Habermehl, the Jackie R. Robinson Academic Excellence Award (highest grade-point average (GPA))
- December 22, 2021 – Shea Pitts is a final-six candidates for the Pop Warner College Football Award
- April 13, 2022 – Greg Dulcich, Ethan Fernea, Quentin Lake and Otito Ogbonnia were named to the Hampshire Honor Society of the National Football Foundation
2021 All-Pac-12 team
- Kyle Philips (WR) First Team, (RS) Second Team
- Greg Dulcich (TE) First Team
- Sean Rhyan (OL) First Team
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB) Second Team
- Zach Charbonnet (RB) Second Team
- Quentin Lake (DB) Second Team
- Qwuantrezz Knight (DB) Second Team
- Mitchell Agude (DL) Second Team
- Brittain Brown (RB) Honorable Mention
- Paul Grattan (OL) Honorable Mention
Source:[31]
AP All-Pac-12 Football Teams
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Greg Dulcich (first team); Kyle Philips, Sean Rhyan, Paul Grattan Jr., Jay Shaw and Quentin Lake (second team); Zach Charbonnet (newcomer of the year)[32]
References
- ^ "UCLA Athletics Moves to Digital Ticketing". uclabruins.com. August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
- ^ Schlabach, Mark (December 28, 2021). "Holiday Bowl between UCLA and NC State Wolfpack canceled due to COVID-19 issues in Bruins program". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ Adelson, Andrea (December 29, 2021). "Holiday Bowl unable to find replacement college football team, cancels game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
- ^ "2021 UCLA Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c Bolch, Ben (August 28, 2021). "UCLA routs Hawaii in season opener for Chip Kelly's first nonconference Bruins win". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Reedy, Joe (September 5, 2021). "Thompson-Robinson leads UCLA to 38-27 win over No. 16 LSU". Associated Press. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Bolch, Ben (September 4, 2021). "UCLA gives coach Chip Kelly a signature win with upset of No. 16 LSU". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ a b Bolch, Ben (September 7, 2021). "UCLA returns to national top-25 football rankings for first time since September 2017". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Haener lifts Fresno State to 40-37 upset of No. 13 UCLA". ESPN.com. AP. September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Bolch, Ben (September 18, 2021). "No. 13 UCLA stunned by Jake Haener and Fresno State in 40-37 loss". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Youmans, Matt (September 24, 2021). "UCLA vs. Stanford: College football betting picks, odds and analysis". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Thompson-Robinson leads No. 24 UCLA past Stanford 35-24". ESPN.com. AP. September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Bolch, Ben (September 25, 2021). "Dorian Thompson-Robinson wills No. 24 UCLA over Stanford despite shoulder injury". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (September 26, 2021). "UCLA's big win at Stanford might've shut up the Chip Kelly haters and saved his job". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bolch, Ben (October 2, 2021). "UCLA gambles and loses big to Arizona State, halting Bruins' Pac-12 resurgence". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Gardner, Michelle (October 3, 2021). "Sun Devils surge past No. 20 UCLA to take top spot in South". Arizona Republic. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Williams, James H. (October 2, 2021). "UCLA football stumbles against Pac-12 South rival Arizona State". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b "Daniels leads Arizona State to 42-23 win over No. 20 UCLA". ESPN.com. AP. October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Bolch, Ben (October 9, 2021). "Brittain Brown and Zach Charbonnet carry UCLA to victory over Arizona". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c Marshall, John (October 10, 2021). "Brown runs for 146 yards in UCLA's 34-16 win over Arizona". Associated Press. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c Booth, Tim (October 17, 2021). "Thompson-Robinson has 3 TDs, UCLA tops Washington 24-17". Associated Press. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Bolch, Ben (October 16, 2021). "Dorian Thompson-Robinson helps UCLA regroup late, defeat Washington". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (November 27, 2021). "UCLA dominates against Cal to enter bowl season on a wave of momentum". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ a b "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week One". Pac-12.com. September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- ^ "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week Four". Pac-12.com. September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week Six". Pac-12.com. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week Eleven". Pac-12.com. November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week Twelve". Pac-12.com. November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week Thirteen". Pac-12.com. November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ^ "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Travels to Los Angeles for Pac-12 Showdown – No. 10 Oregon at UCLA". espnpressroom.com. October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Pac-12 Football Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva, and All-Conference honors announced". pac-12.com. December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ^ Peterson, Anne M. (December 10, 2021). "USC's Drake London named AP Pac-12 offensive player of the year". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Retrieved December 20, 2021.