For the BYU football team, after conference titles aplenty and bowl games galore the past 20 years, it was an odd scene.
The Cougars, after losing their home opener by 14 points, seemed, for the most part, genuinely pleased Saturday night."What we wanted to do tonight is show a lot of improvement and effort in all aspects of the game and I think we accomplished that," said Cougar coach LaVell Edwards after No. 12 UCLA beat BYU, 23-9.
Said linebacker Shay Muirbrook, "We're not down. We've got a good ballclub here and everyone knows it. I have no problem losing to a tough team like UCLA the way we lost to them tonight."
Indeed, the 0-2 Cougars were vastly improved over the previous week, when they were blown away by 26 points at Air Force. It was also much better than the last time they played the Bruins when they were embarrassed 68-14 two seasons ago.
But, then again, when did BYU start claiming moral victories?
Cougar running back Hema Heimuli, for one, had a hard time understanding why many of his teammates were less than livid after the game. "I don't know how you can be up after a loss, but a lot of our guys are," Heimuli said. "We have a lot of work to do. The offense, obviously, was the weak link."
Two key turnovers led to a pair of quick Briun touchdowns late in the third quarter, which proved to be the difference in the game.
UCLA led 9-3 when BYU quarterback Steve Sarksian had the ball stripped at his own 10 by Bruin linebacker Donnie Edwards. The fumble was recovered at the three and returned to the one by Tommy Bennett with 3:54 remaining in the third. UCLA running back James Milliner plowed in on the next play for the game's first touchdown.
Less than a minute later, after Ted Nwoke intercepted a Sarkisian pass, the Bruins scored on another one-play drive - a 30-yard reverse to receiver Derek Ayers. Bjorn Merten's extra point gave UCLA a 23-3 lead with 3:14 to play in the third.
BYU scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard pass from Sarkisian to Itula Mili to cut the gap to 23-9, but could get no closer.
"We moved the ball, but we had breakdowns that cost us," Sarkisian said. "We just have to eliminate the mistakes and keep working and we'll be a good team."
The statistics were virtually even. UCLA outgained the Cougars 403 to 368 and had 22 first downs to BYU's 20. The Cougars had most of their success in the air - Sarkisian went 21-for-38 for 305 yards - while the Briuns were more successful on the ground, rushing for 273.
The big difference came in the turnover department. BYU lost four fumbles and had a pass picked off for a total of five turnovers to just one lost fumble for UCLA.
"We played against a different team than Air Force played against," said UCLA coach Terry Donahue, whose team beat Miami 33-8 last week. "BYU was very inspired and extremely prepared for the game . . . But the truth was, every time you have an unbelievable high like we did last week, there is generally a corresponding drop. We had a hard time being as excited this week as we were last week, but that's not to take away from BYU or their effort."
The Cougar defense, which looked suspect in giving up 38 points and 523 yards to Air Force, came up big Saturday. UCLA, with running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar leading the way before being injured in the third quarter, moved the ball in the middle of the field, but the Cougars got stingy near the goal line.
BYU linebacker Stan Raass put a big hit on Bruin starting quarterback Ryan Fein as he rolled out to pass early in the first quarter. Fein had to leave the game with a concussion and a cut on his chin. Fein was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center for an evaluation. He was replaced for the remainder of the game by true freshman Cade McNown.
A pair of field goals by Merten, including a 45-yarder as time expired, were the only points the Bruins could muster in the first half. The Bruins led 6-3 at intermission.
Abdul-Jabbar was the Bruin workhorse in the first half and into the third quarter, gaining 147 yards on 22 carries. He had to leave the game with a back injury, however, with five minutes to play in the third. All-American wide Kevin Jordan didn't last that long. Jordan left the game with a neck injury after UCLA's first offensive play of the second half.
"The defense did an exceptional job," Sarkisian said. "They stopped a very good offense and a very good running back."
The Cougar offense, after an opening drive that netted a 34-yard field goal by Bill Hansen, moved the ball at times, but couldn't score until the fourth quarter. BYU still hasn't scored a first-half touchdown this season.
"We'd move the ball for awhile, but then we'd sputter and get stopped," Heimuli said. "We've got to remedy that disgusting habit.
The Cougars' kicking woes continue as well. After making his first field goal attempt, Hansen missed a chip-shot 30-yarder wide-right in the second quarter and hit the upright on the left side to miss an extra point.
Overall, however, the Cougar players and coaches were satisfied with the team's improvement.
"If you ask any guy on their team they'll tell you it was a much tougher game than the score indicates," Sarkisian said.
UCLA's Donahue agreed. "They have a lot better team than 0-2."
BYU will try to get their first win of the season when they face San Diego State on an ESPN-televised game at Cougar stadium.