Let me share a little bit of history.
Understandably lot of people are down about an 0-5 record in the Pac-10 conference. We have already heard the stat about how the last time UCLA lost 5 conference games in a row was in 2003.
However, did you know that this is not the first time Rick Neuheisel has found himself in this kind of situation as member of the UCLA coaching staff?
tasser10, insomniaclounge, and other BNers who were students in Westwood in the early 90s ... guys ... think back to our sophomore year (1992-93) in Westwood. Rick Neuheisel at the time was an offensive assistant under Terry Donahue. That year the Bruins started out with a record of 3-0. Unfortunately for us we lost Wayne Cook in the season opener against Cal State Fullerton. With a platoon of Ryan Fien/Rob Walker/John Barnes the Bruins then went on to lose 5 straight Pac-10 games which ended with a 12-48 destruction up in Strawberry Canyon.
So 17 years ago today, on November 1, 1992 Bruins were 3-5 and at last place in the Pac-10 (0-5). It was the lowest of lows for our guys. it was actually worse given the humiliating road trip the guys were coming back from Berkeley. Season was pretty much over and there was nothing left to play for. IIRC things were so desperate against Cal that Donahue put in the 4th stringer - John Barnes - the walkon/transfer from Santa Barbara. It was ugly. At that time there was nothing positive about the season. Well Oregon State came into town and the Bruins turned things around with a 26-14 win. Guess what the date of Oregon State's visit to Westwood was when UCLA ended its 5 game Pac-10 losing streak? You guessed it. It was on November 7th. Bruins used that victory to run off of three straight wins, ending the season on such a positive note that set up a Rose Bowl season the following year.
Now I am not saying we are going to get to the Rose Bowl next year. However, what I am saying is Rick Neuheisel does have the experience of being part of a UCLA coaching staff that was able to pull its team together after a brutal Pac-10 start to finish the season strong. We saw signs of life yesterday afternoon in Corvallis.
Let's hope CRN can now bottle that up and use to put together our first complete game and first Pac-10 victory of the season. He has been here before and has been part of a UCLA team that has gotten it done. Number of us have experienced it and we would love nothing more to have a repeat of that end of the season magic from 1992.
Let's get it started once again this November 7th.
GO BRUINS.