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UCLA football: 3 takeaways from tough loss at No. 11 Utah

By Jake Mitchell

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 23: Chip Kelly head coach of the UCLA Bruins argues a call during the first half of their game agaist the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium September 23, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - SEPTEMBER 23: Chip Kelly head coach of the UCLA Bruins argues a call during the first half of their game agaist the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium September 23, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) /
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7. 836. 14. 843. Final

Chip Kelly’s high-powered UCLA football offense was completely shut down by Utah on Saturday, and the Utes did just enough offensively to come away with a victory. Here’s what we can take away from a difficult Bruin road trip.

1. Dante Moore struggled mightily

There’s no way around it, Dante Moore had a rough outing on Saturday. He finished the day 15-of-35 for 234 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

That interception was a pick-six on Moore’s very first pass.

Moore got no help from his offensive line during this contest. He was sacked seven times on Saturday, especially in pivotal moments. When UCLA had the ball at the end of the game, down seven points, the freshman quarterback dropped back to pass three plays in a row. On all three plays, the Utes were in the backfield immediately.

This was Moore’s first start against a Power Five opponent, so there’s obviously an expectation of growth, but this was a tough start to his career against elite competition. Without help from his line, that growth will be hard to come by.

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