The Bruins finished the 2021 college football season with an 8-4 record, reaching their first bowl game since 2017. However, a late December filled with controversy and cancellations surrounding the Holiday Bowl left many UCLA Bruins players and fans without closure. Merely hours before they were set to kickoff against North Carolina State, they were forced to forfeit. Many fans expressed their disappointment over Twitter and other social media platforms after hearing the news. The cancellation was related to the safety of players after multiple Bruins players could not play due to Covid-19.
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With the cancellation, the Bruins were not able to finish off their excellent season. With many declaring for the draft or moving on from the program in other ways, the team did not receive closure. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, along with many other Bruins, expressed their dissatisfaction over social media.
This is a terrible way to end such a great year for this team. This is a very special group of guys. Thank you to the Bruin community and everyone else who continually supported us. Forever đđđ»
— DTR (@DoriansTweets) December 28, 2021
An Opportunity for Closure
However, some UCLA players received their chance at closure this weekend. At the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, Obi Eboh, Brittain Brown, and Qwuantrezz Knight got their shot. The bowl is a college All-Star game designed to give players a taste of professional football while preparing them for their future. However, for the former Bruins participating, it served multiple purposes. They had the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl, the home stadium for UCLA’s football games, one last time. For Knight and Brown, they only partook in practice, but Eboh played on the big stage.
âThis is a great opportunity for me. Got to play with my teammates. It was great closure for us,” said Eboh after the game. Eboh was in San Diego working with his coaches before finding out he was a late addition to the bowl. He rushed down to Pasadena to play once he spoke to his agent. Eboh says the biggest thing he learned during the week was to be âready on the fly.â âThis is a big blessing man. To be able to finish this in the rose bowl playing with my [UCLA] helmet, I couldnât ask for anything better.”
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