CFB AM: Jim Mora drops F-bomb at UCLA rally to put USC on notice

Published Nov. 21, 2014 9:30 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Teddy Mitrosilis

Every year before the USC game, UCLA students have a “Beat SC” rally that includes lighting a bonfire. It seems to be a tradition Bruins students really enjoy.

This year, however, the bonfire portion of the rally was cancelled by school officials.

With about 50 protesters marching around the bonfire site Thursday evening, speaking out against potential tuition hikes, officials thought it would be unsafe to light the fire.

This was announced to the more than 4,000 students in attendance by head coach Jim Mora, who said it was cancelled due to “circumstances beyond our control.”

But instead of letting the disappointment hang in the air, Mora, like any coach would, immediately redirected the students’ energy and focus towards beating their rival.

“It doesn’t matter,” Mora told the crowd. “Because one thing about UCLA is we don’t need a frickin’ fire to get it f---ing turned up!”

Here’s a Vine so you can see it live (click the X on the audio icon in bottom right corner if you can’t hear).

I love Jim Mora. That’s how you put your opponent on notice without ever mentioning its name.

UCLA will try to beat USC for the third straight time this weekend and has a ton to play for since they control their path to the Pac-12 title game.

(h/t SB Nation)

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. North Carolina whipped Duke on the road, 45-20, to knock the Blue Devils out of the ACC Coastal race and bring the Victory Bell back to Chapel Hill. Tar Heels QB Marquise Williams accounted for four total TDs, as UNC registered its sixth win to become bowl eligible. “We just got outplayed,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said after the game. “I don’t think there’s anything to explain.”

The UNC win also means Georgia Tech clinched the Coastal division and will now go to Charlotte to play Florida State in the ACC  title game. That’s a sneaky game for the Seminoles — GT’s option attack won’t be easy to defend.

As a Carolina guy with some Duke friends — including our great CFB social media guy at FOX Sports Digital, who played football at Duke and watched the game with me in the green room on Thursday night — I have a great opportunity to gloat today. But I’m going to humbly let it pass, except for posting this Vine from a Duke grad assistant trying to fire up the team before the game. Given that Duke then went out and got its ass kicked at home by a team that hasn't stopped anyone on defense all year, it will never stop being funny.

2. No. 12 Kansas State beat West Virginia, 26-20, on FOX Sports 1 Thursday evening. The game was a sloppy one, with K-State committing two turnovers and 10 penalties and rushing for a single yard, but all that matters is the Wildcats won to improve to 8-2 (6-2 Big 12). Everything points to their game at Baylor in two weeks.

3. Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said he doesn’t “expect to hear from anyone” at Florida about the Gators’ coaching vacancy. Mullen has been linked as a possible candidate for the job given the success he’s having this year at Miss. State and that he is a former Florida assistant, but he could be right since there are questions about whether his personality would mesh with administration there. The Michigan job might be a more realistic possibility for Mullen than Florida even though he’s said he and his wife have no interest in shoveling snow.

THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

1. Florida State athletic director Stan Wilcox released a statement regarding the library shooting on campus Wednesday night that left three students wounded and the shooter dead. Of the three wounded, one is reportedly in critical condition, another in stable condition and another was treated at the scene after being grazed by a bullet. Thoughts with everyone at FSU and the families and friends of the wounded.  

2. Bruce Feldman has a feature on Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon and how, as a redshirt freshman, he’s become a leader within the Wildcats’ program. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if 2015 is a monster breakout year for Solomon and fans around the country become familiar with his name.

3. Michigan officially appointed Jim Hackett as the interim AD. A Michigan grad and former Wolverines football player, will remain in this role until the university selects a new athletic director, but there’s no timetable on that. It’s possible Hackett leads the search for Michigan’s next football coach (assuming Brady Hoke doesn’t return, of course).

THREE THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW

1. Jim Mora spoke on how Steve Sarkisian helped him out by letting him hang around the Washington program, which opened Mora’s eyes to the idea of coaching in college. Interesting connection between two rival head coaches.

2. USC students are being proactive about protecting Tommy Trojan and other statues this week before the UCLA game by preemptively duct taping them and camping out around the clock.

3. Purdue is running a promotion for students that gets them one free ticket to the Northwestern game this weekend if they ride the free student shuttle. I’m not sure if this is awesome or just kinda sad.

LASTLY

Have a great weekend, everyone. I want you to celebrate like this WVU fan doing wrestler Randy Orton’s signature move.

Teddy Mitrosilis is an editor and writer for FOXSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TMitrosilis and email him at tmitrosilis@gmail.com.

share