UCLA shows some second-half fight in loss to Northwestern

Tim Skipper basked in the what-could-have-been. It was harder to fall further than rock bottom; the fourth loss in four games “stings,” no matter how you put it, UCLA’s interim coach said.

But the Bruins (0-4, 0-1 Big Ten), despite their 17-14 loss in Evanston on Saturday afternoon, showed fight — a hunger that from the outside looking in had previously escaped the watchful eye.

On defense — after a first half which exploited much of their same inequities on the field, allowing 17 points and 108 rushing yards — UCLA turned a corner, shutting out Northwestern in the second half.

Almost 7 yards per rush turned into 3.5 yards per rush from the first to the second half, tackles struck Wildcats to the ground, and when senior defensive analyst Kevin Coyle (hired early last week) — who called