Loss to Stanford really hurts the Bruins

PALO ALTO — UCLA left Saturday’s game in far worse shape than it arrived. Stanford not only beat the Bruins, 24-10, the Cardinal beat them up.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks, who left the game after taking a hit in the first half, was the biggest concern. He was taken to Stanford Hospital for tests on his kidneys.

“So far the tests they have done have come back negative,” Coach Jim Mora said after the game.

Kendricks returned to Los Angeles was the team and will undergo more tests.

The Bruins also lost two offensive linemen. Tackle Simon Goines left with a knee injury. Connor McDermott, his replacement, suffered a separated shoulder. UCLA lost starting tackle Torian White for the season two weeks ago.

That left two first-year freshmen next to each other on the right side of the line and guard Xavier Su’a-Filo playing out of position at tackle on the other side.

The guy getting squeezed in the middle Saturday was quarterback Brett Hundley. He was sacked four times and suffered through one of his worst games.

“I’ve got to take it upon myself to get the ball out of my hand quicker,” Hundley said. “I could do more to help them out. I’ve got to get better at feeling the rush and not seeing it. I have to still go through my progressions down field. That’s how I can help the line out.”

UCLA linemen had four false-start penalties.

Run down

UCLA was held to 74 yards rushing.

Malcolm Jones had a team-high 30 yards, 28 on UCLA’s first three plays. He had two carries the rest of the game.

Mora said that Jones was in at the start because “they had us backed up.” UCLA started at the four-yard line after Stanford downed a punt.

“Sometimes personnel groups are dictated by field possession,” Mora said.

Jones, who questioned his lack of playing time on Twitter recently, had nothing but good things to say after the game Saturday.

“That’s the way the game goes,” Jones said. “I just go in for certain situations. I’m just happy to get some playing time.”

UCLA played a second game without running back Jordon James, who was the nation’s second-leading rusher before suffering an ankle injury.

Give him a hand

The offensive play of the game was by Stanford wide receiver Kodi Whitfield, who reached up with his right hand to make a one-handed catch between two UCLA defensive backs on a 30-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

“He goes up and gets those balls when they’re in the air,” quarterback Kevin Hogan said. “I just try to take a little air out of it and give him a chance. I can’t wait to see it again on film.”

It was the only touchdown pass of the game for Hogan, who completed 18 of 25 passes for 227 yards.

Quick hits

Stanford safety Jordan Richards intercepted two passes. Both set up touchdown runs by Tyler Gaffney. … Stanford had a big edge in time of possession, 37 minutes 11 seconds to 22:49 … Stanford posted “Kings of Cali” on its official Twitter account. The Cardinal has beaten San Jose State and UCLA. It still has to play USC and California.

chris.foster@latimes.com

Twitter: @cfosterlatimes