A glance at the calendar

In looking at UCLA’s Fall Quarter calendar, it’s worthwhile to note that classes won’t begin until Thursday, September 27. So the student section at the Rose Bowl will most certainly not be filled for the BYU and Washington games on September 8 and 22, respectively.

UCLA faces another scheduling issue for the Washington game as it falls on Yom Kippur, the most important holiday on the Jewish calendar. While no starting time has been announced, many Jewish fans are unlikely to attend the game if it is another other than a night (7 p.m. or later) start.

Last week, the Boston Herald reported a similar problem for Harvard this season:

"Under pressure from their Crimson-crazy season-ticket holders and other fired-up football fans, Harvard’s pigskin poohbahs are thisclose to switching their first-ever night game on Sept. 21 to the following night.

"Word out of Haaaaaavid Yaaaahd is that the team’s boosters, many of whom are Jewish, expressed their disapproval of the historic game being scheduled on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest of holidays."

Harvard will now host Brown on Saturday, September 22, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The starting time for the UCLA-Washington game is slated to be announced 12 days prior to the game date and will depend on the broadcast choices of the Pac-10's television partners.

In the classroom, nine UCLA seniors on this year’s team are scheduled to graduate following Fall Quarter – Kevin Brown, Trey Brown, Brigham Harwell, Chris Horton, Michael Pitre, Brian Rubenstein, Matthew Slater, William Snead and Noah Sutherland.

Moreover, 73 of the 80 freshmen in Dorrell’s first four classes (91.3%; not including the 2007 class) are still in school and progressing towards a degree; 69 are still active players and four others are injured or retired, but still in school.

Comments

[RebbeBruin]

Yes, plenty of Jewish fans may miss the Washington game, but are any key players facing a tough decision?

Perhaps Brian Abraham, Brian Rubinstein, or Jimmy Rotstein?