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Late start, weird ending? Five things to watch in UCLA vs. Oregon

Late start, weird ending? Five things to watch in UCLA vs. Oregon

Vaseline 1 week ago

Tom Petty might as well have been singing about UCLA football’s final ordeal when he delivered one of his most famous lines.

The waiting is the hardest part.

These lyrics, written more than four decades ago in reference to an artist eager to take the stage, will also apply to the Bruins (1-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) on Saturday as they wait… and wait… and awaiting an 8 p.m. PDT kickoff against No. 8 Oregon (3-0, 0-0) in the Rose Bowl.

It will go down in history as UCLA’s last start on the West Coast since 1990. Players can have a leisurely breakfast at their Pasadena hotel, lay by the pool and watch a full day of college football before boarding the team bus.

“A little bubble bath, foam roll, but I don’t think it changes much,” Bruins tight end Jack Pedersen said of his routine. “You push everything back a few hours and get ready. Put on your cleats, put on your helmet and go play, you know?

Traditionally, late starts have led to strange things, sometimes favoring the underdog. But Oregon has reason to be confident about what will transpire as both the first Big Ten game and the “Big Ten After Dark” debut.

The Ducks are 4-0 under coach Dan Lanning and have won twelve straight games entering play at 7:00 PM Pacific Time or later. Oregon has also dominated series against UCLA in recent years, winning the past four meetings and 10 of the last 11.

Here are four things to watch in a Fox-broadcast game: