Late start, crazy ending? Five things to keep an eye on in UCLA vs. Oregon

Tom Petty might as well have been singing about UCLA football’s recent ordeal when he uttered one of his most famous lines.

The waiting is the hardest part.

Those lyrics, written more than four decades ago in reference to an artist who couldn’t wait to get on stage, also apply to the Bruins (1-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) on Saturday, during They wait…and wait…and wait for an 8 p.m. PDT kickoff against No. 8 Oregon (3-0, 0-0) in the Rose Bowl.

It will be UCLA’s last start on the West Coast since 1990. Players can enjoy a leisurely breakfast at their Pasadena hotel, lounge by the pool and watch a full day of college football before boarding the team bus.

“A little hot tub, a foam roller, but I don’t think it changes too much,” Bruins tight end Jack Pedersen said of his routine. “You just push everything back for a few hours and just get ready. Put on your soccer cleats, put on your helmet and go play, you know?”

Traditionally, late starts led to strange things, sometimes favoring the underdog. But Oregon has reason to be confident heading into what will be both its first Big Ten game and its Big Ten After Dark debut.

The Ducks are 4-0 under coach Dan Lanning and have won 12 straight games when play begins at 7 p.m. Pacific Time or later. Oregon has also dominated its series against UCLA in recent years, winning the last four meetings and ten of the last eleven meetings.

Here are four things to keep in mind when watching a game broadcast by Fox: