[Oasis]

UCLA seems to have taken the offensive game plan straight from Arizona and San Jose State, and they have a quarterback who is accurate enough to pull it off.  Pass right, pass left, and when they tire the linebackers out by making them run sideline to sideline they popped their rb or qb up the middle for big yards.  As if that were not bad enough, they figured out how to stuff our power plays,  like Washington, leaving Stepfan at just 3.2 ypc.  They implemented Neuheisel's on-air prescription and nearly won.  I hope Wisconsin or Nebraska do not have the personnel to replicate this.

We won because we did not turn the ball over even one time, because the defense made a handful of critical plays when it needed to, and because we got offensive plays from names we might not have expected at the beginning of the year:  Hogan and Terrell chief among them.  Honorable mentions to Ryhne who filled in and punted admirably, to Williamson who hit both of his FGs, and to Stepfan, who made the plays he needed to make despite having the entire UCLA defense keying on him all night.  Now the #1 Stanford rusher of all time.

81 Alum's analysis is spot on.  We got spanked tonight.  I think we were out-muscled on both sides of the line of scrimmage.  Again and again we sent Stepfan to confront tacklers who had defeated their blocks and were swarming all over him.  Still he would find two or three yards when nothing at all was there.  He is the new Ernie Nevers.   

We also were out-coached.  You could see UCLA setting us up early, as 81 Alum describes.  They looked like Oregon.  Their scheme worked all night. On our last drive, the ultra-conservative and futile runs into the middle of the line had me coming out of my seat.  About the only really impressive the play-calling was the beautifully conceived and executed third and 15 TD pass to Terrell.  The timely fakes to Stepfan and outside runs by Hogan were clever too.  That was football worthy of Stanford, but mostly UCLA was able to handle our offense.  To paraphrase the Iron Duke, we came at them in the same old way and they stopped us in the same old way.  In the end, except for a slightly off snap and the holder's inability to get the laces facing forward, we go into overtime and who knows?  I was very happy to see the ball veer left.  As Garvin says, depending on the angle it looked either way off or perilously close. 

Our own kicking game should get some praise.  Rhyne's punting and holding for Williamson were decisive.  Kudos to Jordan for his cool under pressure.  Both kicks were beautiful.

Today Simers is saying UCLA "hoodwinked" Stanford by holding back last week and then unleashing on us last night.  This is of course ridiculous.  Mora's comments ring true.  UCLA just blocked better on offense and stood their ground better on defense. After Simers I didn't read Plaschke.

I watched the game at a bar with a big UCLA contingent and only a few Stanford fans.  When the UCLA fans started cheering my first thought was, "Who are these bastards rooting AGAINST Stanford?  This is an outrage."  I obviously have aged but not matured.

Now I'm ready for the ROSE BOWL!

[Oasis]

UCLA seems to have taken the offensive game plan straight from Arizona and San Jose State, and they have a quarterback who is accurate enough to pull it off.  Pass right, pass left, and when they tire the linebackers out by making them run sideline to sideline they popped their rb or qb up the middle for big yards.  As if that were not bad enough, they figured out how to stuff our power plays,  like Washington, leaving Stepfan at just 3.2 ypc.  They implemented Neuheisel's on-air prescription and nearly won.  I hope Wisconsin or Nebraska do not have the personnel to replicate this.

We won because we did not turn the ball over even one time, because the defense made a handful of critical plays when it needed to, and because we got offensive plays from names we might not have expected at the beginning of the year:  Hogan and Terrell chief among them.  Honorable mentions to Ryhne who filled in and punted admirably, to Williamson who hit both of his FGs, and to Stepfan, who made the plays he needed to make despite having the entire UCLA defense keying on him all night.  Now the #1 Stanford rusher of all time.

81 Alum's analysis is spot on.  We got spanked tonight.  I think we were out-muscled on both sides of the line of scrimmage.  Again and again we sent Stepfan to confront tacklers who had defeated their blocks and were swarming all over him.  Still he would find two or three yards when nothing at all was there.  He is the new Ernie Nevers.   

We also were out-coached.  You could see UCLA setting us up early, as 81 Alum describes.  They looked like Oregon.  Their scheme worked all night. On our last drive, the ultra-conservative and futile runs into the middle of the line had me coming out of my seat.  About the only really impressive the play-calling was the beautifully conceived and executed third and 15 TD pass to Terrell.  The timely fakes to Stepfan and outside runs by Hogan were clever too.  That was football worthy of Stanford, but mostly UCLA was able to handle our offense.  To paraphrase the Iron Duke, we came at them in the same old way and they stopped us in the same old way.  In the end, except for a slightly off snap and the holder's inability to get the laces facing forward, we go into overtime and who knows?  I was very happy to see the ball veer left.  As Garvin says, depending on the angle it looked either way off or perilously close. 

Our own kicking game should get some praise.  Rhyne's punting and holding for Williamson were decisive.  Kudos to Jordan for his cool under pressure.  Both kicks were beautiful.

Today Simers is saying UCLA "hoodwinked" Stanford by holding back last week and then unleashing on us last night.  This is of course ridiculous.  Mora's comments ring true.  UCLA just blocked better on offense and stood their ground better on defense. After Simers I didn't read Plaschke.

I watched the game at a bar with a big UCLA contingent and only a few Stanford fans.  When the UCLA fans started cheering my first thought was, "Who are these bastards rooting AGAINST Stanford?  This is an outrage."  I obviously have aged but not matured.

Now I'm ready for the ROSE BOWL!