Nebraska came to Los Angeles with nothing to prove but everything to lose.
It made for a great story — the No. 16 team with their star quarterback returning home to face the team that spurned him.
But it was UCLA that ended up rewriting the story in its own favor. It was Martinez that was seen hanging his head on the sidelines after being sacked in the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter, while the Bruin sidelines erupted with an enthusiasm that was felt throughout the stands at the Rose Bowl.
While the rest of the college football world might be busy talking about a certain area rival, it's the Bruins that will enjoy being the talk of the town after their 36-30 win over the Cornhuskers. A new-look UCLA team displayed its own identity on the field Saturday, and the team chemistry was hard to ignore.
"I'm loving playing with my guys right now," senior receiver Joseph Fauria said. "We're playing with a lot of energy. It's contagious. It starts at the top with coach (Jim) Mora. He instills it into his assistant coaches and they instill it in us."
While a culture change was never necessarily what the Bruins were looking for, the clean slate that is awarded at the onset of each new season looks as though it has invigorated this UCLA squad. And while it's easier for any team to have fun after opening the season 2-0, the team insists that this bond was developed before the first week of play.
Quarterback Brett Hundley feels that fall camp in San Bernardino brought the team together.
"In San Bernardino all we had was each other," Hundley said. "That's all we had to go to, to play the game with."
Franklin's Big Night
Senior running back Johnathan Franklin continues to tear it up on the ground, rushing for 217 yards to give him 3,100 career rushing yards and moving him into seventh on UCLA's all-time rushing list. Franklin amassed a career-high 217 yards for his third career 200-yard game.
"He's a tenacious runner," Mora said. "He's got a heart that just jumps out of his chest. He refuses to be tackled. He charges our team up."
Following Datone Jones' fourth-quarter safety that put UCLA up 29-27, Franklin opened the next drive with a sideline burst that saw him go for 54 yards. Franklin got some help from his quarterback on the play, when Hundley threw a shoulder into a Black Shirt. No one was more excited about the play than Hundley.
"I took off full speed, and when there's someone who's coming you have to lay a block, lay a shoulder out there." Hundley said.
Hundley's Progression
Hundley continued to play as if he had been a collegiate starter for more than just one game, throwing for 305 yards and four touchdowns on a 21-for-33 performance. Mora said he saw improvements in his decision-making and focus. However, Mora mentioned that Hundley will need more work sliding and learning to take a knee.
"I might have to bust out a Slip-N-Slid at practice," Hundley said.
Fauria has quickly emerged as one of Hundley's favorite targets. At 6-foot-7, he's certainly the most visible target for Hundley, who connected with him for two touchdowns against Nebraska.
"He so tall, he tells me, ‘Even when I'm covered, I'm open,'" Hundley said. "So I just throw to him."
Kicker Confidence
Freshman kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn went just 2-for-4 Saturday, missing an opportunity in the first quarter to give the Bruins a lead and again in the fourth quarter that would have extended the Bruins' lead to five points.
Mora is unconcerned, and more impressed with how he did in his first home game.
"He missed a couple of kicks and we'll get that squared away," Mora said. "He's a young kid, you know. He's 18 years old. He's playing in a huge game on national TV. I think today was a great growing experience."
