UCLA football becomes bowl eligible for first time since 2017

PASADENA — The UCLA shot programme has officially go vessel eligible for the archetypal clip during Chip Kelly’s coaching tenure.

While the Bruins person had an accidental to unafraid eligibility since they obtained a 5-2 wide grounds pursuing the triumph implicit Washington connected Oct. 16, the Bruins had mislaid the past 2 games against Oregon and Utah.

If UCLA continues to win, it would amended the team’s chances astatine a prime vessel and hostile astatine the extremity of the season.

It would beryllium the archetypal vessel crippled quality for astir of the Bruins’ roster, including elder backmost Dorian Thompson-Robinson, antiaircraft lineman Otito Ogbonnia, receiver Kyle Philips, who each joined the programme arsenic members of the 2018 recruiting people for Kelly’s archetypal year.

UCLA has not played successful a vessel crippled since the 35-17 nonaccomplishment to Kansas State successful the 2017 Cactus Bowl. Current Arizona shot manager Jedd Fisch was the interim caput manager for the vessel game, aft Jim Mora was relieved of his coaching duties earlier that season.

“It would beryllium huge,” Ogbonnia said. “Anytime you get to spell to immoderate benignant of vessel crippled it’s truly important from what’s present and is an highly chill acquisition and thing unforgettable. Having the accidental to bash that, particularly successful my 4th twelvemonth would beryllium amazing.”

Ogbonnia believes it would beryllium large for the seniors and others who haven’t had a accidental to play successful a vessel crippled during their assemblage careers.

The Bruins person 22 players listed arsenic seniors connected the two-deep extent illustration for this week. Some of those players see “super seniors,” aft the NCAA granted an other twelvemonth of eligibility due to the fact that of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The Bruins roster does person a tiny radical of players who did play successful vessel games with their erstwhile programs earlier transferring to UCLA.

Linebackers Jordan Genmark Heath (Notre Dame), Ale Kaho (Alabama) and antiaircraft backmost Qwuantrezz Knight (Kent State) are among players who person vessel experience.

Kaho joined the Bruins earlier this play aft playing for Alabama successful the Rose Bowl Game (in Texas) against Notre Dame, and against Ohio State successful the National Championship Game successful 2020.

“Obviously, it’s different,” Kaho said. “It’s a antithetic acquisition for maine but I’m conscionable focused connected getting my teammates amended and controlling what I can. What we tin power is getting that sixth win.”

Barr-Mira struggles again

UCLA kicker Nicholas Barr-Mira had a 47-yard tract extremity effort spell wide near connected fourth-and-12. He has present missed tract goals successful 5 of the past six UCLA games, including the past 3 games.

The redshirt sophomore would avenge his missed tract extremity successful the 2nd 4th against Colorado, making a 41-yard tract extremity earlier halftime.

Barr-Mira would proceed to struggle, missing an other constituent effort aft moving backmost Zach Charbonnet scored a touchdown connected the opening thrust of the 3rd quarter.

Barr-Mira was voted arsenic the Pac-12 Conference peculiar teams subordinate of the week past period erstwhile helium made tract goals of 23 and 43 yards and made each 4 of his other constituent attempts against Arizona.

He joined punt returner Kyle Philips arsenic the 2nd Bruin to triumph the grant this season.

Barr-Mira joined the Bruins arsenic a walk-on and hasn’t been awarded a scholarship. He took implicit the starting relation aft J.J. Molson’s last play successful 2019. Molson is presently a subordinate of the Green Bay Packers.

AVAILABLE

Right tackle Alec Anderson and linebacker Caleb Johnson did play for the Bruins, aft some were unavailable and didn’t question with the squad for the Oct. 30 crippled against Utah. Their wounded presumption was not disclosed.

Anderson was seen arsenic a constricted subordinate successful signifier to commencement the week.

Defensive lineman Jay Toia participated connected defence and peculiar teams against Colorado.

Kelly announced earlier this week that Toia would inactive beryllium a afloat subordinate aft a video surfaced connected societal media of the freshman lasting successful beforehand of an elevator doorway and verbally threatening a radical of people.

Kelly and UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond decided not to disclose the disciplinary enactment and volition grip it internally with Toia.

The freshman concisely deactivated his Twitter relationship but reactivated it astatine the opening of the week to merchandise a connection apologizing for the incident.

HONORARY CAPTAIN

Brendon Ayanbadejo was UCLA’s honorary skipper Saturday astatine the Rose Bowl.

The erstwhile UCLA linebacker was a subordinate of 2 Pac-10 title teams and an all-conference subordinate for the Bruins earlier graduating successful 1999.

He went undrafted successful the 1999 NFL draught but went connected to person a 13-year vocation and played for respective teams, including the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens. Ayanbadejo was a subordinate of the Ravens’ Super Bowl XLVII title team.

GARCIA HONORED

Pitcher Rachel Garcia was recognized by UCLA during the 2nd 4th for receiving the Honda Cup and being named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year for a 2nd consecutive year.

Garcia, who led Team USA to a metallic medal successful the 2020 Olympics, joins hoops subordinate Maya Moore (2010, 2011) and swimmer Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984) arsenic the 3rd student-athlete to person the grant twice.

Previous winners of the grant see swimmers Simone Manuel, Katie Ledecky and hoops subordinate Breanna Stewart.

Garcia was named the Pac-12 softball subordinate of the twelvemonth successful 2018, 2019 and 2021 (most of the 2020 play was canceled owed to the pandemic.)