The 1968 UCLA Bruins football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 1968 college 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 what was acknowledged to be a rebuilding year, the Bruins opened the 1968 season with a 63–7 defeat of Pittsburgh and a win over Washington State. The season ground to a halt at Syracuse and with the season-ending injury of quarterback Billy Bolden, and UCLA would win only one more game, over Stanford 20–17. The Bruins gave #1 USC and Heisman Trophy winner O. J. Simpson a scare in a 28–16 loss; UCLA trailed 21–16 late in the fourth quarter and had the ball inside USC's 10-yard line, but USC recovered a fumble and then used almost all of the remaining time in driving for their insurance touchdown.
Schedule [ ]
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance September 5 Pittsburgh * No. 16 W 63-743,218[3]
September 28 Washington State No. 8 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 31-2141,759
October 5 at Syracuse * No. 9 L 7-2037,367[4]
October 12 No. 3 Penn State * Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA L 6-2135,778[5]
October 19 at California L 15-3948,000[6]
October 26 Stanford Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA W 20-1737,935[7]
November 2 at No. 5 Tennessee * L 18-4264,078[8]
November 9 at No. 15 Oregon State L 21-4541,361
November 16 at Washington L 0-652,500
November 23 No. 1 USC L 16-2875,066
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[9]
Roster [ ]
1968 UCLA Bruins football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
WR
88
Copeland, Ron Ron Copeland
WR
85
Farmer, George George Farmer
RB
43
Jones, Greg Greg Jones
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
References [ ]
↑ "1968 UCLA Bruins Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ucla/1968-schedule.html . Retrieved December 17, 2015 .
↑ "1968 UCLA Bruins Stats" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ucla/1968.html . Retrieved December 17, 2015 .
↑ "U.C.L.A. TROUNCES PITTSBURGH, 63-7" . New York Times . 22 September 1968. https://search.proquest.com/docview/118218768 ? .
↑ McGowen, Deane (6 October 1968). "SYRACUSE UPSETS U.C.L.A. SQUAD, 20-7" . New York Times . https://search.proquest.com/docview/118257448 ? .
↑ Becker, Bill (13 October 1968). "Penn state subdues U.C.L.A. by 21 to 6 for fourth straight" . New York Times . https://search.proquest.com/docview/118338789 ? .
↑ Prugh, J. (20 October 1968). "Bruins wallow in misery as cal wins, 39-15" . Los Angeles Times . https://search.proquest.com/docview/156089879 ? .
↑ "U.C.L.A. SETS BACK STANFORD, 20-17" . New York Times . 27 October 1968. https://search.proquest.com/docview/118213329 ? .
↑ Prugh, J. (3 November 1968). "Vols demolish bruins with air blitz, 42-18" . Los Angeles Times . https://search.proquest.com/docview/155971819 ? .
↑ "2015 UCLA Bruins Football Media Guide Year-by-Year Results" . http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/uclabruins.com/documents/2015/8/13/FB_15MG_96_100.pdf . Retrieved December 19, 2016 .