Tag: BIG Ten Conference

UCLA football exposed by Washington Huskies in Big Ten loss

The Bruins lost an important Big Ten game to the Huskies.

The UCLA Bruins winning streak has come to an end. Losing to the Washington Huskies 31-19, UCLA drops to 3-5 in the Big Ten.

After three straight games of complementary football, the Bruins lost on the margins against Washington and reverted to early-season form.

From the jump, the Bruins were out of sync, punting on their first three drives and putting Eric Bieniemy’s offense behind the eight ball.

Unable to chew the clock and control the pace of play, the Bruins fell behind 7-0 early and faced an uphill battle against a talented Husky secondary. At the end of the first half, however, the Bruins looked to have life.

Quarterback Ethan Garbers orchestrated a ten-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, capped off with a one-yard touchdown pass to Kwazi Gilmer to bring the score to 10-14 entering the third quarter.

But in the second half, the Bruins broke down. UCLA’s stout defense allowed 17 points in the second half, and the offense stalled, save for a late touchdown pass to Moliki Matavo in the fourth quarter. Garbers finished with 267 yards on 27-44 passing with a pair of touchdowns and a fumble but could not boost the Bruins to a victory.

Now 4-6 on the season, UCLA’s chances of earning a bowl-berth look slim.

With USC and Fresno State on the slate to close out the season, the Bruins hope to win out and regroup for 2025.

Former Arkansas WR visits UCLA during win over Iowa

UCLA hosted a big transfer target for the Iowa game.

A former Arkansas receiver was in attendance at the 20-17 UCLA win last Friday over Iowa at the Rose Bowl, with redshirt junior Jaedon Wilson appearing in a Bruins jacket during an unofficial visit last week. 

“Everything was great,” Wilson said to UCLA Rivals’ reporter Tracy McDannald. “I loved the atmosphere, loved the fans and how the team played hard.”

Wilson played just one game this season with Arkansas, where he didn’t catch a single ball. Then in September, he announced he was stepping away from the team on his Instagram account. 

“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life as I will continue to dedicate myself to playing at the highest level of college football,” Wilson said in the message. “I love the sport and my passion to play is greater than ever.”

In early October, Wilson entered the transfer portal. In 22 career games with Arkansas, the former three-star recruit put up 18 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns. The Bruins’ leading two receiving leaders, tight end Moliki Matavao and wide receiver Logan Loya are both seniors, so UCLA will need help filling their roles in 2025.

If Wilson is looking to play at the “highest level of college football” then the Rose Bowl seems like it’d be an intriguing venue for him to call home, especially with the Bruins showing fight in the Big Ten, as DeShaun Foster’s team has now won three in a row.

Washington insider makes prediction for Bruins-Huskies showdown

Who will win this game?

The UCLA Bruins played against Iowa on Friday night at the Rose Bowl and got the third straight win. Now, they travel to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies in another Friday night contest.

This time, it marks the first-ever Big Ten Conference battle between the former Pac-12 schools.

Ahead of the game, Andy Yamashita of The Seattle Times made his prediction for the UCLA-Washington showdown.

“Washington certainly can’t breeze to bowl eligibility like it might’ve expected a month ago. It also has to deal with a scheduling nightmare following its late East Coast kickoff against Penn State, while UCLA gets a regular seven-day preparation window after playing Iowa on a Friday a week ago. But the Huskies are certainly a different team at home, where they have an active 19-game winning streak. Fisch’s squad is averaging 28.4 points per game at home against 15.2 points on the road or at neutral sites.”

Prediction: Huskies 27, Bruins 24

It is expected to be a close game, and the biggest question is whether or not UCLA can continue to play as well as they have over the past few weeks.

UCLA is 4-5 entering this game and suddenly, somehow, in the bowl game conversation. But, it is Washington’s final home game of the year, so it could mean more for the Huskies.

Is Niki Prongos playing today? Injury updates for UCLA OL

UCLA OL Niki Prongos suffered an injury against Iowa.

The UCLA Bruins got a big win against Iowa in Week 11 on Friday night. It was homecoming for UCLA, and it ended with a massive win and the third consecutive victory for UCLA.

However, there were injury concerns prior to the game with a shocking injury report that featured TJ Harden, although the Bruins running back did suit up.

Unfortunately, UCLA offensive lineman Niki Prongos was spotted on crutches in a concerning development for the Bruins, leaving his status for the rest of the season up in the air.

Niki Prongos injury update

Prongos was on crutches after he left the Iowa game, and his status has been a big question all week. However, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster gave an update earlier in the week, per R.J. Abeytia. Foster was asked if Prongos was out for the year.

“No, no, no. Nothing bad, we’re probably going to hold him out a week and then he should maybe be able to come back for that crosstown game,” Foster said.

Washington partnering with World of Warcraft for Friday’s game

An interesting twist!

UCLA will head north for a game at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington Friday night and they won’t just be facing the University of Washington, they’ll be taking on the University of Warcraft. 

The Huskies penned a deal with the multiplayer online role-playing video game World of Warcraft, which was produced by Blizzard Entertainment, to honor the 20th anniversary of the video game. While the Bruins won’t have to worry about going to battle against Akama or Velen on the gridiron, it should make for a unique experience for any UCLA fans traveling for the away game.

“We are thrilled to unite interactive entertainment with the sports industry to celebrate 20 incredible years of World of Warcraft delighting millions of players worldwide,” said Monica Austin, the head of marketing at Blizzard Entertainment. “Our teams have been working together to create incredible in-person and broadcast experiences for fans, and we hope Husky Nation and World of Warcraft players alike are excited to WoW down to Washington.”

The game experience will feature a special World of Warcraft-themed graphic package, shirts for the student section, special logos, and NIL deals for 11 Husky players but it’s uncertain if they’ll gain any witchcraft superpowers. 

“We’re excited to partner with Blizzard Entertainment in a groundbreaking collaboration that brings together the worlds of sports and gaming, highlighting our shared commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Kurt Svoboda, Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations at the University of Washington. “We look forward to Friday’s World of Warcraft takeover at Husky Stadium, where two powerhouse brands will come together for an unforgettable experience.” 

Friday’s game will kickoff at 6:00p.m. on Fox as the Bruins search for their fourth win in a row against Washington and World of Warcraft.

UCLA football jumps sixteen spots in USA TODAY Sports ranking

The Bruins made a big leap after their win over Iowa last Friday.

After a sluggish start to the season, the UCLA Bruins are finally being recognized for their midseason surge. Starting 1-5 on the season, the UCLA Bruins sit at 4-5 today with a chance to even their record against Washington this Friday.

In this week’s college football re-ranking by Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports, the Bruins moved up sixteen spots from the 100th-best to the 84th-best after taking down Iowa. The biggest jump of any team on Myerberg’s re-ranking, the Bruins are finally being noticed nationally.

Though UCLA is not the most talented team in the Big Ten, their three-game win streak is proof that the Bruins are taking to coaching and leaning into their strengths. Winning on defense and in the passing game, the Bruins are in a good position to continue their success against their final three opponents, Washington, USC, and Fresno State.

If the Bruins can finish their first season in the Big Ten with a winning record and a bowl berth, they could find themselves in Myerberg’s top 50 and go into the 2025 college football season with some serious momentum.

Washington names starting QB for UCLA clash

Washington named its starting QB.

The UCLA Bruins look to continue the three-game winning streak with a Friday night game on the road against the Washington Huskies.

UCLA is fresh off a stunning win over Iowa, and all of a sudden, life is back in the football program.

The Huskies, on the other hand, have a 5-5 record but have lost three of the last four games with the win coming against the USC Trojans.

Washington lost to Penn State on the road, 35-6.

While questions swirled about the quarterback position, Jedd Fisch left no doubt, per Roman Tomashoff of UW Huskies Wire.

“Will (Rogers) will start Friday,” Fisch said.

Despite Demond Williams Jr. seeing some time against Penn State, Fisch is rolling with Rogers once again.

Rogers threw for just 59 yards with no score and an interception in the blowout loss.

On the year, Rogers has 2,343 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, although he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since October 12 against Iowa.

UCLA’s Friday night win over Iowa through the lens

Through the lens!

The UCLA Bruins hosted the Iowa Hawkeyes in a Friday night Big Ten Conference showdown. On top of that, it was a homecoming for UCLA. 

It ended on a good note as UCLA survived and got the 20-17 win on Friday night. It is the third straight win for UCLA as they get closer to bowl eligibility, somehow.

It was quite a performance from UCLA, which has wins over Rutgers, Nebraska, and Iowa in consecutive weeks as DeShaun Foster has turned things around after a 1-5 start.

There was a lot to like from this game, and here are some of the best photos from the Friday night clash.

Iowa vs. UCLA injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 11

The injury report for Friday’s game.

The UCLA Bruins and Iowa Hawkeyes face off in a Week 11 Big Ten Conference showdown. It’s a Friday night game for UCLA and the homecoming game for the Bruins.

All of a sudden, UCLA has back-to-back wins over Rutgers and Nebraska after a disappointing 1-5 start to the season. On the other hand, Iowa has a 6-3 record with wins over Washington, Northwestern, and Wisconsin over the past few games.

Ahead of the game, here is the injury report for UCLA.

UCLA injury report

As of Friday morning, UCLA has no injuries to report, which is terrific news for the Bruins.

Iowa injury report

Iowa has a pair of injury updates coming into this game.

  • QB Cade McNamara (OUT)
  • TE Luke Lachey (Questionable)

Cade McNamara injury update

Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara, the former Michigan transfer, is ruled out for the game, per an update from Kirk Ferentz earlier in the week. McNamara suffered a concussion in the game against Wisconsin.

Luke Lachey injury update

The Iowa tight end is questionable entering Friday’s game. Lachey missed the game against Wisconsin due to a quad injury.

Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz raves on Ethan Garbers

Big praise for Ethan Garbers.

The Iowa Hawkeyes travel to play the UCLA Bruins in a Friday night showdown at the Rose Bowl.

UCLA is coming off back-to-back wins and the play of quarterback Ethan Garbers has drastically improved.

As a result, Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferenz had some thoughts about Garbers ahead of the showdown, per Josh Helmer of Hawkeyes Wire. 

“He’s thrown the ball well, efficiently, and getting it to a lot of different people, including the backs. Doing a good job there. Then the last couple weeks he’s pulled it down and made some big runs, too. If you’re not sound in what you do defensively, he’s not afraid to do that. I wouldn’t describe him as a run primary quarterback, but he’s a guy who can do that. It’s one more way you can get hurt defensively. In the last two wins those were key plays.”

After a sluggish start to the season and some even calling for Justyn Martin to take over, Garbers has turned it around and UCLA is hoping for another victory.