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The Third and Fourth Games of the 1954 Season

Now that I'm back from vacation, I want to continue my series on UCLA's magical 1954 season in which Red Sanders' team shared the national championship with Ohio State. But before I cover the games against Maryland and Washington — the only games in which UCLA was really challenged — I've got to tell a story about two Bruins of different generations who met on a ship in Alaska's Inside Passage.

My wife and I had decided not to go on a liner carrying 2,000 or more passengers. Instead we chose a smaller ship carrying only 76 passengers because it could get closer to the glaciers and I wanted to avoid being part of a "floating city."

But even with only 76 passengers it's difficult — actually, impossible — to get to know most of the people on board. We did make friends with other passengers, but one couple continually caught my eye. The woman seemed charming, and her husband seemed equally interesting. Yet aside from seeing them across the lounge and dining room, we never really had a chance to meet them (no space at nearby tables, people rushing to other activities after meals, etc.).

We never had a chance to meet them, that is, until the last full day when I finally got a chance to introduce myself. The woman and I did most of the talking; our spouses listened.

Me: Where are you guys from?

Her: We're from the Los Angeles area.

Me: Oh, we're from Southern California, too. I went to UCLA and later met my wife in Sacramento.

Her: What? You went to UCLA?

Me: Yeah, why? Did you?

Her: You bet, Go Bruins!

And our spouses watched as we high-fived in the dining room.

Later that afternoon, the ship provided the same opportunity it provides on the last day of all its cruises; namely, the chance to jump in the water for a "polar dip." At 73, I've come to know my mind well enough to say "hell, no" to that kind of adventure (the water was about 40 degrees). But my fellow Bruin alum was 20 years younger — she and her husband are both pharmacists, btw — and in she went. And before she jumped, this is what I heard her say: "Go Bruins!"

I guess there's something about being a Bruin; it kind of warms your soul for the rest of your life.

Now to the Maryland and Washington games, the two games that could have gone either way. And, of course, just one loss in that storied season would have made it just a good year, not a season that shines in UCLA's athletic firmament. And remember Maryland was the defending national champion, a tough opponent under any circumstances. Also, fwiw, I'm relatively sure that in the 1950s most players were used on offense and defense. I would assume that means player fatigue was a concern long before the no-huddle offense. And finally, I've had to swallow hard in quoting the word "Uclans," but it was common in the '50s and I don't want to distort the accuracy of remarks made then because my aesthetic sense is offended.

Again, whatever criticism you may have of the L.A. Times' coverage of UCLA teams in general, please don't include it in any comments on this series. The Times was incredibly generous with its time in providing this material to me, and I want to reciprocate that kindness.

It is evening on Oct. 1, 1954, in the Coliseum, and the Bruins have done more than survive the third game of the year. They have won a contest that will mark the character of each player for the rest of his life. It is, in fact, a triumph of willpower, courage and discipline.

By a 12-7 score, they have defeated Maryland, college football's champion the previous year, and if UCLA has a legendary (or soon-to-be legendary) coach in Red Sanders, Maryland has a coach of equal stature in Jim Tatum.

And yet beyond the single wing, beyond the players, Sanders has molded a team — chiseled may be a better word — that values one principle above all others: determination. In coming from behind, the Bruins summon the indefinable; they tap the undiscovered. It happens this way:

Taking advantage of a dropped snap as Maryland tries to punt from its 10 in the first quarter, UCLA takes a 6-0 lead on a touchdown and a failed conversion. But as Times sportswriter Dick Hyland writes, Maryland is a team that "has blanked seven of its last 11 opponents in regular season play." And they didn't win it all by quitting the previous year.

A resurgent Maryland drives 63 yards to go ahead 7-6 early in the fourth quarter. Aside from this lone score,UCLA has dominated the game. But the earlier success will count for nothing if the Bruins can't respond. Storming back, the Bruins take advantage of another botched punt attempt as Maryland's kicker, under heavy pressure, flubs a kick that travels only 11 yards and is downed on the Maryland 15.

The table is set, and Primo Villanueva delivers. Again quoting Hyland, "Villanueva then took over. His contribution was a terrific run to the Terps' 1-yard line when he went back to pass and found no one open. The Calexico Kid was really flying this time."

The Bruins score once more and again fail to make the extra point. But a coach named Sanders is a smart guy who recognizes a good thing when he sees it, meaning Villanueva has strengthened his claim as UCLA's starting tailback.

**************************

It is eight days since the muck and mire of the battle with Maryland, and nothing is easier in Seattle. In fact, although the word "greatness" is properly linked to the 1954 team, the Washington game shows how many mistakes this team is capable of making.

But let's start at the beginning or, specifically, Dick Hyland's lede: "The Bruins of UCLA played the Washington Huskies one of the wildest, weirdest games in Northwest history here today and barely came out alive." (UCLA won 21-20, its first conference victory of 1954.)

Again, referring to Hyland: "The Uclans looked anything but mighty the final 20 minutes of the game. Until then, Washington had not been able to move the ball into Bruin territory.

"The final 20 minutes, phew! Bruins ...fumbled, Bruins failed to tackle, Bruins couldn't find Husky receivers as (sophomore QB Bob) Cox brought his Huskies to life and the crowd screaming to its feet with point-a-minute football."

But it's a better story earlier in the game. At the half, UCLA leads 7-0 while missing four other chances to score. An example from the second quarter: A Washington fumble is recovered on the Huskies' 10; next, the Bruin gain five more as fullback Bob "Pogo" Davenport (I assume Hyland described him that way because he often vaulted into the end zone) pushes forward; but wait, the Bruins are offsides and lose five yards; Davenport tries to get it back, gaining four yards and 1 yard on the next two plays; we're now at fourth down, and we get zippo and nada.

And so it goes. But importantly, the Bruins survive their errors and continue apace (thanks to a missed extra point by Washington). The dream remains alive; they are building their hopes afresh.

Next up: Stanford and Oregon State.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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