South Alabama was up two points in front of a near-empty Rose Bowl on Saturday against UCLA.
@UCSBathletics will get a better turnout tonight for the @UCSBMensSoccer game 💯 https://t.co/L2fzMuRTvO
— James (@BlinCJames) September 17, 2022
The Jaguars had a chance to kick a field goal that would have forced the Bruins to score a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Instead, South Alabama went with the fake field goal, which saw the kicker actually move into formation as an eligible receiver while holder Tanner McGee readied for the snap.
McGee took his time surveying his option.
Bruins LB Carl Jones Jr. took off, sacked McGee and the Bruins had the ball with a chance to win.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING pic.twitter.com/iW05Kcbbr6
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 17, 2022
The Bruins made good on their chance, driving into field-goal range, where Nicholas Barr-Mira hit a 24-yard field goal to win the game, 32-31, as time expired.
… 𝙏𝙊 𝙒𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀.
Take a look at Nicholas Barr-Mira's game-winning 24-yard field goal, as time expired at the Rose Bowl.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/Ip65bzHKP5
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) September 17, 2022
The Bruins are 3-0 but they shouldn’t be overconfident after struggling to beat a Group of Five teams.
UCLA attendance at the Rose Bowl: 29,344.
It's the second-smallest home crowd ever for the Bruins (behind season opener against Bowling Green) and leaves them with a season average of 30,071.
UCLA drew 90,214 for its entire nonconference slate of three games.
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) September 17, 2022
Former UCLA QB and current ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman was displeased.
This is an embarrassment but we couldn’t fill the Rose Bowl in 1988 when we were the #1 team in the country. Anyone else at UCLA think it’s time for an on-campus 30,000 seat stadium? Of course, if we can’t play better than we did today, it would be half-empty too. pic.twitter.com/jteVU8XV76
— Troy Aikman (@TroyAikman) September 17, 2022
