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

3. Bruin defense was a bright spot

This game ended with a scuffle at midfield, and the primary parties involved were UCLA defensive players.

It’s easy to understand why tempers were high for Bruin defenders. They played a tremendous game, and their efforts were completely unmatched by their offensive teammates. It’s tough to deal with a loss when you get outmatched, but it’s even tougher when you do everything right and still taste defeat.

UCLA’s defense held Nate Johnson to just 9-of-17 for 117 yards. They held the Ute running game to 102 yards on 48 attempts. They sacked Johnson four times and registered 11 tackles for loss.

The Bruin defense did everything right. They’ve been great all season, and if the offense can bounce back from this atrocious performance, UCLA could still make some serious waves in the loaded Pac-12.