UCLA may have won their most recent battle, but they are certainly losing the war of personnel attrition.
Already dinged at several key positions throughout the early portion of the year, UCLA sustained a couple of more injuries in a 40-24 win over No. 20 Cal that ended a two-game losing streak. Just how severe the injuries are remains to be seen.
As previously chronicled, star running back Paul Perkins left in the first half with a left knee injury and didn’t return. Just as importantly on the other side of the ball, the Bruins’ leading tackler, linebacker Isaako Savaiinaea, was at first helped off the field then carted off for further evaluation as he could put no weight on his injured leg.
And finally on the injury front, Devin Fuller, the team’s third-leading receiver, went down with what was described as a neck injury. He too didn’t return.
The extent of the injuries likely won’t be known until at least Friday at the earliest.
As for the game itself, UCLA jumped out to a 26-10 lead at the half and never really looked back. True freshman Josh Rosen bounced back from three picks in the losses the last two games to complete 34-of-47 passes for a career-high 399 yards and three touchdowns. The completions were a single-game school record, breaking the mark of 33 previously held by Rosen’s successor Brett Hundley (2014 vs. Memphis) and Richard Brehaut (2010 vs. Arizona State).
Most importantly, though, he didn’t throw an interception for just the third time in his young seven-game career.
For Cal, it was the Bears’ second straight loss after opening 2015 at 5-0. Cal came into the game 12th nationally in points per game at 40.2, but equaled a season low in scoring. The Bears’ also scored 24 in the Week 7 loss to Utah after not scoring less than 30 the first five games.
