Tag: BIG Ten Conference

Former Michigan State cornerback Eddie Pleasant III linked to UCLA

The Bruins are eyeing this Michigan State CB.

Transfer news is heating up. After the Bruins learned of the departure of Jay Toia to the portal, UCLA is in the mix for some big names. According to Adam Gorney of Rivals, one BIG 10 player has drawn the Bruins eye. 

Eddie Pleasant III, a cornerback for the Michigan State Spartans, saw no action in his first season. Entering the transfer portal earlier this year, the Bruins, Virginia Tech, Georgia Southern Cal, Rice, and FIU have all expressed interest in bringing Pleasant III in. 

Here’s what Gorney wrote:

The former three-star cornerback from Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day spent one season at Michigan State before hitting the portal, and right now, two teams – UCLA and Virginia Tech – are standing out the most. Cal, Rice, Georgia Southern and FIU and others are reaching out to Pleasant III as well.

A three-star recruit out of high school, Pleasant III remains a raw prospect. Not playing a single snap in 2023 means there is room for growth. But if the Bruins trust their process and believe the defensive back could reach, if not exceed his ceiling, Pleasant III should be a true target for them to bolster their secondary in the future. 

Huskers swept by Michigan in 11-3 defeat on Sunday

Nebraska falls to 25-19 on the season and 8-6 in Big Ten play.

Nebraska softball concluded its three-game series against Michigan. The Huskers fell to the Wolverines in the first two outings, and the trend continued following their 11-3 six-inning loss on Sunday.

This is the first Big Ten series of the season. Nebraska suffered a sweep, and it came in a struggling fashion. Michigan erupted in the third and fourth innings, scoring nine runs, before closing out with two runs in the sixth.

Kaylin Kinney suffered the loss in the pitching circle, allowing five runs in 3.0 innings. Caitlynn Neal pitched in the fourth inning and allowed four runs. Emmerson Cope pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed two runs on only one hit.

Offensively, the Huskers finished with six hits and two RBIs in the game. Peyton Cody and Bella Bacon produced Nebraska’s lone RBIs, with Cody hitting one in the fourth inning and Bacon producing hers in the sixth.

Nebraska falls to 25-19 on the season and 8-6 in Big Ten play. The Huskers will return home Tuesday to face off against Iowa in a doubleheader. Game one is set for 4 p.m., and game two is set for 6:30 p.m., and both games can be viewed on Big Ten Network.

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DeShaun Foster supports UCLA Tennis in recent video

DeShaun Foster is making a good impression so far.

UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster has always been a Bruins fan. From his time playing tailback for them to eventually becoming their newest head coach, Foster always reps UCLA blue. In a recent post by UCLA Football on X, Foster supported another team of Bruins this week.

Ranked #23 in the nation, the UCLA men’s tennis team took down rival USC for the second time this season. With Foster in attendance, the Bruins picked up a win in Pac-12 play, beating the Trojans 4-2.

The culture surrounding the UCLA Bruins has shifted since Foster’s hiring. With an emphasis on developing relationships and showcasing all that UCLA has to be prideful of, attending the match is just another example of Foster’s impact on the athletics culture.

There is still lots of work to be done for Foster and the Bruins on and off the field. But as it stands, the Bruins currently have a new life in them as spring practices continue and they head into their first game in the BIG 10.

UCLA Bruins a finalist for four-star safety Jadyn Hudson

UCLA a finalist for a big 4-star safety.

The UCLA Bruins are in the mix to land a highly-recruited safety. According to Hayes Fawcett, the Bruins join Tennessee, Ohio State, and rival USC as potential fits for Jadyn Hudson. 

Hudson, a class of 2025 safety, garnered a lot of attention from Power Five schools this season. A consensus four-star recruit, Hudson declined offers to play for powerhouses like Georgia, Michigan, LSU, and Oklahoma. 

In what has been a busy offseason for the Bruins, taking big swings at top-tier talent, the Bruins hope the Pittsburgh-born defensive back will make Westwood his new home. 

The 6′ 2″, 185 lb free safety Hudson has a knack for tracking the ball, making him one of the best ballhawks in his class. With freaky closing speed, even over-throws and under-throws are within his grasp to pick off. As a result, it is no wonder why teams are looking to add the interception-making machine to their secondary. 

For the Bruins, Hudson should be a priority in the BIG 10, where defense is king to make them a contender for years to come. 

Nebraska kicker says ‘nothing like kicking the Big Ten’

Alvano was 9-of-15 kicking in 2023 with a perfect 27-of-27 on extra points.

One of Nebraska’s kickers is talking about kicking in the Big Ten Conference. Sophomore Tristan Alvano met with the media on Tuesday afternoon.

During his availability, he was asked about adjusting to the conditions in Memorial Stadium and the Big Ten entering his second season.

“Kicking in the Big Ten is hard. It’s the hardest conference to kick in. In the SEC, those guys complain when it’s 50 degrees out. It’s November here, and it’s 20, and there are 30-mile-per-hour gusts in my face or a crosswind. There’s nothing like kicking in the Big Ten. At the end of the day, I’m from here. I got to deal with it, and I have to put the ball through the pipes.”

Alvano was 9-of-15 kicking in 2023 with a perfect 27-of-27 on extra points. His long kick during the season was against Purdue on October 28, when Alvano hit a 55-yard field goal.

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UCLA Bruins offer talented 2026 wide receiver

UCLA offers a Class of 2026 WR.

With a brand new offense headed by offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, the UCLA Bruins hope to become more dynamic in the BIG 10. Following a receiver entering the transfer portal, the Bruins set their sights on a young wideout receiving lots of attention.

Kaue Akana, a 6′ 2″ receiver from Orem, Utah, has received offers from Baylor, San Diego State, Washington, and Auburn. The Bruins, looking to add more skill at the receiver position, offered Akana on Wednesday this week.

Akana, a class of 2026 two-way player at wide receiver and safety, already flaunts an impressive highlight tape. Playing on the boundary, Akana is more than just a “50-50” ball receiver. In his sophomore season, Akana displayed a varied route tree, breakaway speed, and the ability to make plays in the punt-return game.

Akana still has a lot of football to play before making it to the NCAA. The Bruins are smartly getting in on the ground floor on Akana, hoping they can secure an early commitment for a player whose star could be on the rise.

Nebraska softball falls to Penn State in low-scoring duel

It was a pitchers duel on Friday evening.

The Huskers commenced their three-game series against Penn State on Friday night. Nebraska battled the Nittany Lions in a low-scoring duel but failed to come out on top, falling 2-1 and snapping its six-game winning streak.

The Huskers finished the game with two hits, even scoring in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. But Penn State responded in the sixth inning, delivering a two-run home run to take the lead and the win.

Billie Andrews scored the Huskers’ only run. She reached first base on a leadoff error before Brooke Andrews delivered a double to bring her to third. A passed ball brought her home.

Kaylin Kinney started in the circle for Nebraska, pitching a complete game, tossing five strikeouts, and surrendering five hits and two runs. Bridget Nemeth also completed a full game for Penn State, throwing four strikeouts and surrendering two hits and one run to move to 16-1 on the season.

Nebraska falls to 22-14 on the year and 5-1 in Big Ten play. It will continue its series against Penn State on Saturday afternoon. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. and can be viewed on B1G+.

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Class of 2026 OT Colton Hogge to visit UCLA this week

The Bruins are hosting a talented Class of 2026 OT on a visit.

The UCLA Bruins have spent the offseason filling their recruiting board for 2025 along the offensive line. But the Bruins are set to host a player from the 2026 class this week.

Colton Hogge, an offensive tackle from Lincoln, California, will visit the UCLA facilities on April 5th. Hogge, who currently has no offers extended to him according to 247 Sports, makes the trip south to Westwood, where the Bruins will get an early crack at recruiting him. 

Hogge, who stands at 6′ 5″ and 260 lbs, is already the prototypical offensive tackle size at only 16 years old. With two more years of high school eligibility, Hogge has time to grow in size and as a player. 

Forecasting the future of the Bruins is not easy. With their move to the BIG 10 and their first season under DeShaun Foster set to kick off this spring, the Bruins could see surprising early success or take time to get up and running.

If the Bruins look like the latter, having prospects ready to come in for 2026 and make an impact could help move the program in the right direction when they are truly able to compete.

UCLA fan attendance declines most of Power-5 schools since 2016

Fan attendance has gone way down at UCLA.

Though the DeShaun Foster era at UCLA looks bright, the Bruins still have carry-over from their past regime.

In a graphic posted on X by sports analytics guru Tony Altimore, the UCLA Bruins have the sharpest decline in attendance at football games from any Power-5 school. Since 2016, the Bruins have seen a decrease of an average of 13,000 fans going into 2023.

In that span, the Bruins have gone 45-49 overall and 1-2 in bowl games. This occurred during the Jim Mora and Chip Kelly seasons. Though the Bruins have improved since the firing of Mora, they still fail to see notable improvements on the field and, in turn, in attendance.

But the Foster era feels different than Mora or Kelly’s. There is a new excitement and buzz surrounding the team. Players, coaches, and fans alike all appear to be hopeful and energized by the regime change.

With the Bruins now in the BIG 10, there is even more to look forward to as UCLA begins its tenure against some of college football’s finest programs.

Time will tell if it is reflected in attendance.

Class of 2025 receiver meets with DeShaun Foster on UCLA visit

Class of 2025 WR met with DeShaun Foster during his recent visit.

Another potential UCLA receiver visited Westwood this week. 

Tamatoa Semaia, a wideout from Oak Hills, California, made the trip west to visit UCLA. The 6′ 0″ receiver met with head coach DeShaun Foster at the Bruins facility. The recent swell of receivers the Bruins have had in on visits is an indication that they are looking to restock the position for the future. With senior Kyle Ford entering the transfer portal this week, the Bruins are smartly looking to maintain depth on their roster for the future. 

Though Semaia will be graduating in 2025, making sure they have a plan for the position is necessary for building a team in the new era of transferring players. 

Semaia has not made a decision on where he will attend, nor has an offer been extended to him, but the Bruins are doing their diligence and keeping their stokes in recruiting fire.

The Bruins remain eager to add talent to their team, now making the jump to the BIG 10, and Foster looks to want to be a serious part of it. By showing up for the visits, he is making a concerted effort to be a part of the recruiting process for all potential future Bruins.