Playing Dirty: UCLA

Welcome to the first 2021 edition of Playing Dirty! After we conduct or Playing Nice Q&A with each of LSU’s opponents, we’ll follow it up with a series of funnier, trolling questions.

Big thanks to Jon Christon of The Daily Bruin for playing along. Be sure to check out the Playing Nice Q&A he did with Zach earlier this week. Now onto the show.

1. The last time LSU opened the season against a Pac-12 opponent, they handily defeated Chip Kelly’s 2011 Oregon team in a Top-5 matchup. Would it reassure UCLA fans that Chip is finally bringing some of his Oregon magic to Westwood by losing to LSU to open the season?

As someone who grew up in Eugene as a die-hard Duck fan, that’s a low blow. But it’s all fair. I think UCLA fans are used to nonconference losses at this point (0-6 against nonconference teams under Kelly heading into this season) so it won’t change their thinking much. A win would be massive for the fanbase though.

2. This will be the first UCLA game with a full Rose Bowl after it was empty for the 2020 season. But really it’ll be the first UCLA game with a full Rose Bowl in several years thanks to LSU fans. How will Bruins fans feel about being in a sea of purple in their home stadium?

Eh. UCLA fans are used to it by now – if they cared enough they would simply just go to the games. But I do have to say that I think this game may actually be a good showing for the Bruin faithful. By all indications, UCLA has sold (and given away) a load of tickets that they weren’t able to sell for the season opener. I’m not saying there won’t still be a large portion of purple in the Rose Bowl, but I still have faith that UCLA’s somewhat desperate strategy to increase attendance will work.

3. The letters in Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s name can be rearranged to spell “No brainstorms on pinhood.” Please name another interesting fact about him.

He’s really bad at social media, particularly Tik Tok. He tries pretty hard at it which is cool but a lot of his posts are just cringey.

(Editor’s note: Jon wasn’t lying, this shit is mega-cringe)

Fun story: our Sports editor last year actually made it on his Tik Tok page for saying he was gonna have a bad year on a talk show he was doing. DTR then deleted the post after he struggled mightily in the season opener and proved Jack (our Sports editor at the time) right.

4. LSU recently announced a showcase game in Las Vegas against the USC Trojans in 2024. Does it sting that LSU felt UCLA coming to Tiger Stadium wasn’t a big enough deal for opening weekend and bumped it to mid-September?

Well, when USC is coming off its third coach in as many years in 2024 will they still be the same draw? That’s the main question.

But actually, no. The later matchup only benefits UCLA, who will have time to shake off the offseason rust, like they are able to do for this year’s matchup. Plus, it’s another opportunity for USC to get absolutely blown out on national TV the first week of the season as they did against Alabama in 2016.

5. If UCLA loses to LSU will they apply to join the SEC anyway like Texas and Oklahoma did?

I think the more likely scenario is LSU coming over and joining our exclusive “alliance” that everyone wants to be a part of. (I still don’t know what it is though)