EagleBank Bowl: U.C.L.A. (6-6) vs. Temple (9-3)

U.C.L.A. has backed into bowl play like no other, earning a trip to the EagleBank Bowl only after Army’s loss to Navy to end the regular season left the Black Knights a win away from bowl eligibility. The Bruins will take the bid, and do so happily, especially when considering last season’s brutal offensive showing and the youth of this year’s roster. Whether U.C.L.A. fans will make the trip cross country to frigid Washington, D.C., remains to be seen. (I would bet on a light showing.) While U.C.L.A. Coach Rick Neuheisel is still experiencing some growing pains in leading the Bruins back into the national picture, Temple’s rebirth is officially complete. Coach Al Golden, in his fourth year, has taken the Owls from 1-11 in 2006 to 9-3 this fall, and within one victory of playing for a Mid-American Conference championship. The regular season may not have ended perfectly for Temple, but the program will remain a major conference contender as long as Golden remains with the program. After winning nine games, it may not be long.
EagleBank Bowl
U.C.L.A.
It says much about just how poor the Bruins played in 2008 that a 6-6 finish, with the 99th-ranked offense in the country, resembles progress. But make no mistake: there’s a reason this was the final team selected for bowl play, and that’s because U.C.L.A. is simply not very good. Better days are surely ahead, and perhaps the struggles from 2008-9 can be traced to the youth and inexperience that has defined the roster. Only three seniors start on offense — receiver Terrence Austin, tight end Logan Paulsen and fullback Chane Moline — and the freshmen Kevin Prince and Johnathan Franklin lead the team in passing and rushing, respectively. The youth continues on the offensive line, which features a starting lineup of a freshman, a junior and three sophomores. The offense is still growing, but should be better next season and, maybe, better after the dozen or so practices leading up to this game. The defense has been up to the task of carrying this anemic U.C.L.A. attack, limiting eight opponents to 24 points or less and only once (the second quarter against California) experiencing any monumental collapse. There is experience on this side of the ball, with five seniors, including the talented cornerback Alterraun Verner, joining the junior defensive tackle Brian Price to form the nation’s 31st-best scoring defense.
Related searches:
eagle bank bowl, temple university, eaglebank, temple ucla, ucla bowl game