The UCLA Bruins won their first game at the Rose Bowl this season, knocking off the Iowa Hawkeyes 20-17. After an upset win over Nebraska, the Bruins proved themselves against a gritty Big Ten team and sent the Hawkeyes home empty-handed.
Though the Bruins picked up their third-straight win, the game did not look pretty from the jump. Quarterback Ethan Garbers threw an interception on the game’s first possession, setting the Hawkeyes up with great field position inside UCLA territory. Three plays later, a two-yard touchdown from tailback Kaleb Johnson put Iowa up 7-0, taking the air out of the Rose Bowl.
But the Bruins rallied, showing a level of poise and resiliency not yet seen by the team this season. After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, UCLA scored 17 unanswered points and capped off the first half with a 29-yard touchdown strike from Garbers to wideout Logan Loya to take a 17-10 lead.
In the second half, UCLA’s defense took over. Holding the Hawkeyes’ running game to only 80 yards on 2.6 yards per carry, UCLA won Friday night’s Big Ten showdown in the trenches.
Forcing an injured Hawkeye passing game to throw on them, UCLA’s opportunistic defense tallied three turnovers and proved they could weather an average performance from Garbers by capitalizing on Iowa’s mistakes.
In the end, the Bruins were the more complete team on Friday, demonstrating why they are an up-and-coming Big Ten team to be reckoned with.
Now 4-5 on the season, entering their next game versus Washington, UCLA has a chance to reclaim a .500 record and stay in the hunt for a bowl game berth.