UCLA’s first season in the Big Ten has been up and down. From a first-week win over Hawai’i to several Big Ten blowouts, the 2024 college football season has been a rollercoaster for the Bruins.
That said, as the season rolls on, one thing has become abundantly clear: UCLA’s season is hardly as bad as it looks on paper when in context.
The Bruins have lost to five teams this season: Indiana, LSU, Oregon, Penn State, and Minnesota. Those teams hold an astonishing 37-6 combined record. Though overmatched in each of these losses, the Bruins still showed effort, toughness, and fight.
Now at 3-5, the Bruins have strung together consecutive wins over Rutgers and Nebraska in the Big Ten, proving they can beat Big Ten opponents, not simply compete with them. Though not the most talented roster in the Big Ten, credit is due to DeShaun Foster and his coaching staff as they continue to show signs of improvement.
The Bruins have only four games remaining on their schedule, none of which are against ranked opponents. While it is unlikely the Bruins will win out, there should be cautious optimism for the direction of the program and their end-of-season win total.
Having faced a murderer’s row of opponents in their first season in the Big Ten, the Bruins are a better team today than at the beginning of the season. If those improvements can continue, by this time next year, the Bruins could have more than bowl aspirations in the Big Ten as they bring in another talented recruiting class.