Mora: Bruins Have “Long Way to Go” After Holiday Bowl Defeat

UCLA's three-game losing streak to end the season -- capped by Thursday night's lop-sided Holiday Bowl defeat -- soured a nine-win season that included a win over rival USC.

"We've got a long way to go, and we know that,'' first-year head coach Jim Mora said after the Bruins' 49-26 loss to Baylor. "But we're on the right path. Tonight showed us how far we have to go but we're determined to get there and we're heading in the right direction. But we're a long ways off. We will fight our tails off to get there."

The Bears entered the game in San Diego leading the nation in total offense -- 578.8 yards per game. Running back Lache Seastrunk carved through the Bruins' defense, carrying the ball 16 times for 138 yards and a touchdown as Baylor outgained UCLA (9-5) on the ground 494 to 362.

"They played well up front,'' Mora said. "When we are at our best is when we can run the football. We couldn't find any room to run the football. They played physical."

Baylor's Glasco Martin ran for three touchdowns, and quarterback Nick Florence threw for two scores and ran for another. Florence completed 10 of 13 passes for 188 yards, giving him 4,309 for the season to break Robert Griffin III's school season record of 4,293 set in 2011.

Baylor (8-5) won its final four games and five of six.

UCLA trailed 35-10 at the half, and pressure on quarterback Brett Hundley thwarted a UCLA comeback Hundley was sacked six times as the Bears' defensive line pushed the Bruins around for much of the game.

Baylor led 21-0 early in the second quarter. The Bruins closed the first half with a drive to the Bears' 12 yard line, but settled for a field goal.

Hundley was 26 of 50 for 329 yards and three touchdowns to set UCLA's season passing record with 3,740 yards. The old record was 3,470 by Cade McNown in 1998.

The red-shirt freshman threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Shaq Evans early in the fourth quarter and a 34-yarder to Logan Sweet as the game ended.