1968 UCLA Bruins football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Record3–7 (2–4 Pac-8)
Head coach
Home stadiumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Seasons
← 1967
1969 →
1968 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 USC $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 1
No. 15 Oregon State 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Stanford 3 – 3 – 1 6 – 3 – 1
California 2 – 2 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
Oregon 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
UCLA 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Washington State 1 – 3 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Washington 1 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1968 UCLA Bruins football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their fourth year under head coach Tommy Prothro, the Bruins compiled a 3–7 record (2–4 Pac-8) and finished in a tie for fifth place in the Pacific-8 Conference.[1]

UCLA's offensive leaders in 1968 were quarterback Jim Nader with 1,008 passing yards, running back Greg Jones with 497 rushing yards, and Ron Copeland with 372 receiving yards.[2]

In a rebuilding year, the Bruins opened with two home wins: a 63–7 defeat of Pittsburgh, featuring a school-record 4 TD passes by QB Nader, relieving an injured starter Bill Bolden, and a ten-point win over Washington State.[3][4] The season ground to a halt at Syracuse,[5] and with QB Bolden in and out of the lineup due to injuries the rest of the season, plus several other starters eventually sidelined as well, UCLA won only once more, over Stanford 20–17.[6]

The Bruins gave #1 USC and Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson a scare in a 28–16 loss; UCLA, a near 2-TD underdog at the fog-shrouded Coliseum, trailed 21–16 deep into the fourth quarter and moved inside of USC's 5-yard line behind QB Nader before being stopped. A subsequent turnover near midfield set up a late Trojan drive for the clinching TD by Simpson with only 25 seconds to play. Though the brave effort vs. the top-ranked Trojans fueled optimism for the subsequent and successful 1969 season.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5Pittsburgh*No. 16
W 63–743,218[7]
September 28Washington StateNo. 8
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 31–2141,759[3][4]
October 5at Syracuse*No. 9
L 7–2037,367[5][8]
October 12No. 3 Penn State*
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
L 6–2135,778[9]
October 19at California
L 15–3948,000[10]
October 26Stanford
  • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  • Los Angeles, CA
W 20–1737,935[6][11]
November 2at No. 5 Tennessee*
L 18–4264,078[12]
November 9at No. 15 Oregon State
L 21–4541,361[13]
November 16at Washington
L 0–652,500[14]
November 23No. 1 USC
L 16–2875,066[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[16]

Roster

1968 UCLA Bruins football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB Bill Bolden
WR 88 Ron Copeland
WR 85 George Farmer
RB 43 Greg Jones
QB Jim Nader So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 57 Mike Ballou
DT 93 Ken Geddes
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 7 Zenon Andrusyshyn
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[3][17]

References

  1. ^ "1968 UCLA Bruins Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "1968 UCLA Bruins Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Brown, Bruce (September 28, 1968). "Cougars buck big odds". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 10.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Bruce (September 30, 1968). "Home game next for WSU after solid UCLA showing". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 17.
  5. ^ a b "Orangemen upset No. 9 Bruins in the Archbold Stadium mud, 20-7". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 6, 1968. p. 4B.
  6. ^ a b "UCLA stops Tribe". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 27, 1968. p. 3B.
  7. ^ "U.C.L.A. TROUNCES PITTSBURGH, 63-7". New York Times. September 22, 1968. ProQuest 118218768.
  8. ^ McGowen, Deane (October 6, 1968). "SYRACUSE UPSETS U.C.L.A. SQUAD, 20-7". New York Times. ProQuest 118257448.
  9. ^ Becker, Bill (October 13, 1968). "Penn state subdues U.C.L.A. by 21 to 6 for fourth straight". New York Times. ProQuest 118338789.
  10. ^ Prugh, J. (October 20, 1968). "Bruins wallow in misery as cal wins, 39-15". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 156089879.
  11. ^ "U.C.L.A. SETS BACK STANFORD, 20-17". New York Times. October 27, 1968. ProQuest 118213329.
  12. ^ Prugh, J. (November 3, 1968). "Vols demolish bruins with air blitz, 42-18". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 155971819.
  13. ^ Cawood, Neil (November 10, 1968). "Beavers rip Bruins, 45-21". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
  14. ^ "Huskies top Bruins, 6-0". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 17, 1968. p. 3B.
  15. ^ "Trojans regroup, overcome Bruins". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 24, 1968. p. 2B.
  16. ^ "2015 UCLA Bruins Football Media Guide Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  17. ^ "OSU expects large crowds". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). November 8, 1968. p. 4.


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