Bruins

By midweek, as a handful of reporters watched his every move, Nico Iamaleava looked like someone on the verge of the offseason, not a rivalry game.

In the early stages of practice Wednesday, the UCLA quarterback threw one pass softly before shifting into observer mode for the rest of the open viewing period.

Three days later, as thousands of probing eyes watched his every move, Iamaleava was slinging passes with considerably more zip.

His efficiency in completing one pass after another against No. 17 USC on Saturday helped the Bruins take a halftime lead, silencing a Coliseum crowd and triggering a brouhaha between the teams on one corner of the field as they headed for the tunnel.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) scampers for a first down against USC at the Coliseum on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

It was the kind of moment Iamaleava had dreamed of growing in Long Beach and attending the cross-town rivalry as a kid.

“Meant a lot, man,” Iamaleava said of being able to compete against the Trojans.

But in keeping with the trajectory of a down-and-up-and-down-again season, the dream ended amid a flurry of sacks and failed third- and fourth-down conversions. There was no way Iamaleava could grit his way to victory, the Bruins eventually succumbing during a 29-10 loss to the Trojans in which their quarterback was sacked four times — all in the second half.

And so a season that started with Iamaleava being the talk of the college football world after his contentious departure from Tennessee ended with him taking a solitary walk up the Coliseum tunnel toward an uncertain future.

“It was a great learning year for me,” Iamaleava said after completing 27 of 38 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against the Trojans. “You know, a lot of firsts for me throughout the season. Just the way we started off, and then dealing with little, minor injuries, there’s a lot. And I think, man, it just showed that I’m willing to go out there and put my life on the line for my teammates, man, whatever is needed.”

Iamaleava showed many sides in fighting to the end of a 3-9 season. There was accountability, Iamaleava facing reporters after every loss. There was leadership, Iamaleava telling teammates that if they wanted to leave amid the dismissal of their head coach and the departure of their offensive coordinator, go ahead. Nobody did.

Over the last few weeks, there was resolve, Iamaleava coming back from one injury after another. He missed only one game after sustaining a concussion against Nebraska and sat out only a few practices after taking a crunching hit against Washington last weekend that led to neck spasms.

“Every day he got better and better,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said, “and then today he went out there and gave it his all, so I love that kid, he’s a battler. He fought and he kept leading us all the way to the end. … He’s a tough dude, man, and he’s a competitor. That’s what I’ll say about him.”

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 29, 2025: Southern California Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) tackles UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) for a loss in the second half at the Coliseum on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

For more than a half, it appeared that Iamaleava might go down in rivalry lore.

Orchestrating a short, efficient passing attack, Iamaleava pulled UCLA into a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter when he found wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer for a two-yard touchdown on a crossing route.

Then came a rarity from someone usually happy to absorb contact as the Bruins drove for a go-ahead score. On third-and-seven at the Trojans’ 26-yard line, Iamaleava scrambled before sliding into a ferocious hit from cornerback Alex Graham.

Coming up a yard short of the first down, Iamaleava tried to draw USC offsides with a hard count on fourth down before kicker Mateen Bhaghani trotted onto the field for a 38-yard field goal.

Little went Iamaleava’s way during the second half. One third down ended in an eight-yard sack. Another fell short on a pass that was broken up.

Things somehow deteriorated further. With UCLA having fallen behind 21-10 and clinging to faint hopes midway through the fourth quarter, the Bruins faced a fourth-and-15 at USC’s 45-yard line. A short pass to Gilmer went for only 10 yards.

Drive over. Game over.

That left Iamaleava to contemplate his future. Back in late July, he acknowledged wanting to go to the NFL if he put together a successful season. It was hard to say if this qualified after he finished the season completing 64.4% of his passes for 1,928 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

What’s next?

“I haven’t really even thought about that, man,” Iamaleava said. “I’m right here where my feet are, man. You know, we just lost a tough game and my mind is still on that one — what we could have done better to go out there and win that game.”

After answering a final question, Iamaleava glanced at a bottle of orange sports drink in front of him on a table.

“Can I have this?” he asked.

Granted permission to take the bottle, he grabbed it, rose from his seat and walked out the back of the interview tent, the offseason finally having arrived.

Nico Iamalealva is probably going to have a chance to go down in cross-town rivalry lore.

Barring a setback, UCLA’s quarterback is expected to play against USC on Saturday afternoon when the teams meet at the Coliseum, according to one person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly because of the sensitivity of health matters.

After being limited by neck spasms earlier in the week, Iamaleava was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday. If he continues to feel good in warm-ups, he’ll start the game for the Bruins (3-8 overall, 3-5 Big Ten) against the No. 17 Trojans (8-3, 6-2).

Iamaleava has sustained one injury after another in recent weeks. After missing the Bruins’ game against Ohio State because of a concussion, he returned to play against Washington the following week. Late in the game against the Huskies, Iamaleava absorbed a crunching hit and departed with neck spasms, forcing backup Luke Duncan to replace him.

Iamaleava has unquestionably become the Bruins’ top player since transferring from Tennessee, completing 63.5% of his passes for 1,728 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s also the team’s leading rusher with 641 yards and four touchdowns in 101 carries.

The Bruins are also expected to have tight end Hudson Habermehl back after he was cleared out of concussion protocol. But tight end Jack Pedersen (high ankle), wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. (calf) and running back Jaivian Thomas (unspecified injury) are considered doubtful.

Cornerback Rodrick Pleasant will not play after undergoing surgery this week to repair a shoulder injury.

The nostalgia hit Ross Niederhaus in the grocery store as he stocked up for what might be his last Rose Bowl tailgate.

This has been nearly a lifelong tradition for the native of Linda Vista, starting in 2005 when he was 8 years old and UCLA romped over Oregon State. When he got his driver’s license in 2012, Niderhaus started throwing his own tailgates, bringing chicken-in-a-biscuit crackers because he couldn’t afford fancier fare.

He was back Saturday afternoon underneath a tent on the grass in Lot H, wearing his favorite No. 2 Eric McNeal jersey, possibly here for the last time as the Bruins contemplate whether they will remain at the place they have called home since 1982 or move to SoFi Stadium for the 2026 season.

“I wish we knew whether or not this was the last time,” Niederhaus said, “because if this was the last time for sure I could at least be saying my goodbyes to my favorite tradition. This is my favorite thing to do. My ashes are willed to be spread at the Rose Bowl.”

UCLA fan Ray Hoit sets up a tent while tailgating at the Rose Bowl before Saturday’s game against Washington.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

On the other side of the stadium, on the sprawling Brookside Golf Course, Nicholaus Iamaleava was prepping his pregame tailgate below four tents alongside his brother Matt, the siblings expecting about 60 family members to indulge in a potluck spread of burgers, hot dogs, wings, fries, hot links, sushi and fried rice.

Both brothers were hoping for more tailgates to come outside the century-old stadium. But just in case, they were preparing for the alternative.

“Today, we’re going to go in early,” said Nicholaus Iamaleava, the father of the UCLA starting quarterback by the same name. “Normally we go in right before kickoff but this time, we’re going to go in and soak it all in, man. It might be the last game, right, so we want to enjoy every bit of it and just hang out.”

Matt Iamaleava said he didn’t think moving to SoFi Stadium would solve the attendance issues plaguing the Bruins at their longtime home.

UCLA fan Nathan Nguyen sets up while tailgating outside the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

“There’s nothing like playing at the Rose Bowl,” Iamaleava said. “Hopefully, it works itself out.”

Added Nicholaus Iamaleava: “We’re praying on it. That would be great.”

Nearly 6½ hours before UCLA’s kickoff against Washington, Jamie Hickcox-Baker and Dee Fitzgerald-Cardello lugged a table across the pavement in Lot K, having already unfurled a couple of folding chairs. The UCLA graduates were awaiting the arrival of a massive ice sculpture that would hold margaritas for their group of 25 friends.

“I’m very sad because I live in Altadena and so this is in my backyard and I just hate to see it leave,” Fitzgerald-Cardello said. “It’s just such a tradition. I’m very saddened by it.”

Even though she’s been making the drive from Fresno to tailgate at the Rose Bowl since 1993, Hickcox-Baker was less wistful about a possible move to SoFi Stadium.

UCLA fan Leki Manu throws a football outside the Rose Bowl before Saturday’s game against Washington.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

“I kind of feel like we can talk tradition all we want,” Hickcox-Baker said, “but we left the Pac-12 and the Pac-12 is no longer, so if there’s no tradition in the Rose Bowl game anymore, think about how college football has evolved. I’ve been to a few games at SoFi, it’s a beautiful stadium. The last few years, because our team hasn’t been doing well, we’re stuck in that 100-degree temperature [at the Rose Bowl] and nobody’s coming to the games.”

Back in Lot H, the scene took on the feel of a state fair. The smell of burgers, brats and other grilled delicacies wafted through the air as children played football on the grass and a nearby patch of dirt. One kid kicked a football, commencing a mad scramble as a group of friends converged on the object of their delight.

“This is one of the reasons why people come now,” longtime fan John Anderson said, “is to be here with friends and be able to run around and throw a ball and stuff and if that can’t happen at SoFi, I think it will be a shame. So I don’t think they’re going to get the draw that they think they’re going to get — maybe a little bump for a couple of games and that’s it.”

UCLA fans tailgate before Saturday’s game at the Rose Bowl between UCLA and Washington.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Anderson said he missed one home UCLA football game over the last 16 years, and that was to attend a wedding. And if the Bruins move to SoFi?

“I’ll go to a game or two,” Anderson said. “It really depends on what the pricing looks like.”

Neiderhaus said he always would support the Bruins while conceding he might be in the minority.

“I’ll be there,” Niederhaus said, “but I know a lot of people that won’t — a lot of people I know who are season-ticket holders said they’re not coming back, which I think is a big issue that UCLA needs to be acknowledging throughout all of this. A lot of die-hards care about the Rose Bowl just as much as they care about Bruin football, so who knows” how attendance will go.

LAS VEGAS — Gabriela Jaquez scored 23 points and UCLA defeated Duke in the third-place game of the women’s Players Era Championship.

Handed their first loss this season the night before, 76-65 by second-ranked South Carolina, the Bruins came out red-hot even without star center Lauren Betts, who injured her left arm Wednesday.

UCLA (7-1) led 30-7 after shooting 60% (12 of 20) from the field in the first quarter, including 5 for 7 on 3-pointers. The Bruins also did a good job at the defensive end, forcing the Blue Devils (3-5) to commit six turnovers.

The Bruins shot 46.9% in the first half and took a 43-25 lead into halftime. Duke was 9 of 32 (28.1%) from the floor in the first 20 minutes.

Five players scored in double figures for UCLA. Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 20 points, six assists and five rebounds. Kiki Rice had 17 points and six rebounds. Gianna Kneepkens added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Angela Dugalic had 12 points and eight boards.

UCLA shot a season-high 59.1% from 3-point range, hitting 13 of 22 from beyond the arc.

The Blue Devils were led by Ashlon Jackson, who had 18 points. Toby Fournier posted her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Delaney Thomas scored 10.

Duke went 22 of 65 from the floor (33.8%) in its second-worst shooting performance this season.

No. 4 Texas edged No. 2 South Carolina 66-64 in the championship game earlier Thursday.

LAS VEGAS — Rori Harmon scored 26 points and No. 4 Texas held on to beat No. 3 UCLA 76-65 on Wednesday in the Players Era Championship.

After building a 23-point lead late in the third quarter, the Longhorns staved off UCLA’s late surge to advance to Thursday’s championship game.

Texas (6-0) will face South Carolina in Thursday’s title game, while the Bruins (6-1) will play Duke for third place.

Madison Booker finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Longhorns. Jordan Lee had 13 points and Justice Carlton chipped in 10.

The Bruins trailed by just four after a 24-7 run, sparked by Kiki Rice’s 12 points. But three failed possessions — a missed three-pointer and two turnovers — allowed Texas to pull away.

Gianna Kneepkens and Rice led the Bruins, each with 17 points. Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 13 points on 50% shooting.

Texas was superior defensively in the first quarter, forcing seven UCLA turnovers and turning them into six points. Despite going 0 for 4 from the three-point line, the Longhorns were nine of 15 (47.4%) from inside the arc in the opening period to take a 10-point lead after one.

The Longhorns doubled their lead in the second quarter, outscoring UCLA by 10 again, to take a 45-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. Texas shot a blistering 51.4% in the first half, while UCLA stumbled to a 44.4% clip after 20 minutes.

UCLA survived a scare when Lauren Betts left the game early in the third quarter with what appeared to be an upper-body injury.

Betts, an AP preseason All-American selection, collided with Booker and writhed in pain on the court, grabbing her arm as trainers tended to her. Betts returned to the game after spending several minutes in the locker room.

SAN FRANCISCO — Maybe it’s time to worry.

Some uneven play from UCLA over the season’s first few weeks could be shrugged off as a team filled with new players finding its footing.

But there was no reasonable explanation for what happened Tuesday night.

Playing a former Pac-12 rival in a matchup that should have stirred some intensity, the Bruins instead looked like they had little interest in being here.

Passion wasn’t a problem for California. The Golden Bears were the tougher and more determined team in handing the No. 18 Bruins an 80-72 loss in the Empire Classic at Chase Center.

Things bottomed out with about two minutes to go when UCLA point guard Donovan Dent went down with an apparent lower leg injury and limped off the court.

The Bruins’ comeback hopes formally ended when Cal’s Dai Dai Ames unleashed a crossover move that he followed with a three-pointer to give the Golden Bears an eight-point lead with 1:24 remaining.

Most concerning for UCLA were the continued struggles of Dent. The transfer from New Mexico who arrived with great fanfare has hardly looked like a top-level player through the season’s first month.

His showing Tuesday represented a new low. He never looked comfortable on the court while making just one of eight shots on the way to three points and committing nearly as many turnovers (six) as assists (seven). His season-long shooting woes are particularly acute at the three-point line (10%) and free-throw line (56.7%).

UCLA’s Trent Perry scored 19 points and Eric Dailey Jr. had 17, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Bruins (5-2) allowed the Golden Bears (6-1) to make 11 of 22 three-pointers (50%).

Big trouble loomed for the Bruins when Chris Bell (22 points) rose for a corner three-pointer that gave Cal a 65-53 lead with 9:29 left, prompting UCLA coach Mick Cronin to go to his only reliable tool, a timeout.

His team rallied, pulling within 71-67 with a little less than five minutes to play on a corner three-pointer from Jamar Brown. UCLA center Xavier Booker then got the large contingent of Bruins fans roaring with a ferocious block. That was as good as it got for the Bruins.

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau, the team’s leading scorer, missed his second consecutive game with a knee sprain that could keep him out another week or so. But he appeared to be moving well while getting in some pregame dribbling work with assistant coach David Singleton.

An entertaining, if not crisply played, first half ended with UCLA holding a 41-36 lead. With Dent’s funk deepening with a one-point effort in which he missed all three shots, Perry stepped up with 12 points off the bench to lead the Bruins.

Aggressively attacking the basket, Perry rewarded fans who had unleashed a loud “U-C-L-A!” chant with an old-fashioned three-point play on a driving layup in which he was fouled. The Bruins went with a four-guard lineup for a stretch late in the first half that seemed to stabilize things after Dailey struggled with his shot selection and forward Brandon Williams picked up two fouls.

Dent, the guard that UCLA needs most, still has not showed up this season in the fashion expected. Now there’s an injury to add to the list of worries.

Dear Chancellor Frenk,

It’s time we talked.

Your predecessor, Gene Block, never granted me that courtesy, and look where UCLA athletics are now.

A football team adrift, an athletic director less popular than student fees locked up on a long-term contract and more questions facing your athletic department than the 466 yards the Bruins gave up to Washington on Saturday in what might have been their last game at the Rose Bowl.

(As a side note, if you’re contemplating not keeping your word with regards to the Rose Bowl lease, do you have to fulfill the terms of Martin Jarmond’s contract?)

I’ve heard from so many people who care so much about UCLA sports, and I’m wondering if you’re listening to any of them. They’re saddened and angered and want some answers — and deservedly so given the lack of transparency around here.

So let me start with some questions in the event your many public relations advisors and crisis management experts tell you to go the Gene Blockade route and remain mum or offer another statement that doesn’t say much of anything.

How did that Jarmond contract extension come about? It was signed by Block in the spring of 2024 and curiously announced the following November — in the wake of a three-game winning streak by the football team that took considerable heat off Jarmond for his questionable hiring of coach DeShaun Foster.

Why was there a rush to grant an athletic department boss with a shaky track record an extension before you took over and how do you feel about it? And what was the role of interim chancellor Darnell Hunt, if any, in pushing this thing through? Unless you make a bold move to part ways with Jarmond or he leaves for another job, you’re stuck with him through 2029.

Moving on from Jarmond would come with its own cost thanks to the absurd terms of his contract. (A yearly $300,000 retention bonus for an athletic director nobody else wanted? Really?) Unless you can find a way to terminate him for cause or negotiate a settlement, you’ll have to pay every dollar he’s owed through the end of his contract even if you bid him farewell. I can’t imagine you’re happy about that, but maybe there’s something I’m missing.

Let’s move on to your vagrant football team. Who’s driving the proposed move to SoFi Stadium and what do the numbers look like? There’s been lots of chatter about chief financial officer Steven Agostini trying to clean up the financial mess you both inherited within the athletic department. I’m assuming there have been extensive calculations about a Rose Bowl payout and how much more money you’d make playing at SoFi Stadium.

But how much of that is SoFi spin and aren’t you worried that a judge could make you pay so much in damages that the whole thing would be a net negative? Yes, you’d presumably get suite revenue at SoFi Stadium, but would anyone want to buy one given what we’ve seen from this football team over the last decade? Shouldn’t you just go back to the Rose Bowl, football helmet in hand, and ask for a lease renegotiation that satisfies both sides?

Are you sure a big enough chunk of the fan base is on board with a move to Inglewood to justify such a jarring and abrupt abandonment of the school’s longtime home? If you indeed left the Rose Bowl, how would you compensate donors who contributed major gifts to the stadium for capital improvements on the premise that the Bruins would be a tenant through the 2043 season? And why would any business entity ever feel comfortable signing a long-term lease with the school again?

Speaking of contracts, you’re going to be signing another one soon for the next football coach. Since the school has paid out so much money on so many bad deals over the years, here’s a free piece of advice: Do everything — and I mean everything — within your power to hire Bob Chesney.

The guy is a winner. He won big at Salve Regina and Assumption, and I’m wondering if you even knew those were football teams before this very moment. He went on to do the same at Holy Cross and now James Madison, the new cradle of coaches, lest you haven’t seen what’s happening over at Indiana under Curt Cignetti. Chesney has a proven system for success, not to mention the personality to win over recruits, donors and a fan base sadder than Bob Toledo’s final season.

Some of the Plan B options might work out, of course, but can you really take that risk? Chesney has won everywhere he’s been and there’s no reason to think he wouldn’t do the same in resuscitating UCLA football after bringing a decent chunk of his James Madison roster with him.

So if Jimmy Sexton, the superagent reportedly representing Chesney, does his thing and leverages you into a few more million dollars than expected to finalize a deal with his client, pay the man. Chesney will be more than worth it. This hire must go right not only for the football team but also the health of an athletic department that’s facing possibly the most pivotal moment in its history.

But don’t worry, I’m here for you and we can talk more about this soon. Right?

Best,

Ben

And another thing . . .

Any presumption that UCLA attendance will soar at SoFi Stadium might need further consideration.

Just look at what happened when the then-No. 15 men’s basketball team played Arizona at the nearby Intuit Dome earlier this month. Even with a crowd bolstered by a large contingent of Wildcats fans, attendance was a mere 7,554 — less than half of the arena’s 18,000-seat capacity. There were probably fewer than 5,000 UCLA fans in the building for a showdown between nationally ranked rivals.

Here’s wondering how many donors and season ticket holders would really prefer Inglewood for football games and how the actual time it takes to drive southbound on the 405 from Westwood on a Friday night, Saturday afternoon or Saturday night compares to the alternative commute to Pasadena.

It has been a rough season for UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Losing by 34 points in what might have been UCLA’s last game ever at the Rose Bowl generated the sort of grades you want to hide from your parents.

Quarterbacks: B-. Nico Iamaleava has nothing left to gain this season and should protect his health by sitting out the cross-town rivalry game. Meanwhile, Luke Duncan’s work as a backup continues to impress, putting him in line for a possible John Barnes breakthrough against USC.

Running backs: D. Jaivian Thomas didn’t play and those who did probably wish they didn’t considering UCLA rushed for a total of 57 yards.

Wide receivers/tight ends: C-. Mikey Matthews caught a touchdown pass, but all anyone is going to remember is Titus Mokiao-Atimalala’s drop that could have changed the trajectory of the game.

Offensive line: C-. Watching Garrett DiGiorgio walk off the field one last time after another tough day on the job was heartbreaking.

Defensive line: C-. Giving up 212 yards rushing means that there wasn’t enough resistance at the line of scrimmage, but the late sack by freshman Cole Cogshell was encouraging.

Linebackers: B-. Jalen Woods continued to emerge as a playmaker with two tackles for loss.

Defensive backs: B. Held up pretty well considering Rodrick Pleasant was out with an injury. Cole Martin’s interception was among the highlights on an otherwise bleak night.

Special teams: D. Cash Peterman certainly generated some viral social media content with his over-the-shoulder flip gone awry on the fake field goal leading to a Washington touchdown.

Coaching: C-. The initial infusion of energy from this staff seems to have gone missing in recent weeks.

Olympic sport the week: Men’s water polo

Chase Dodd

(Elijah Carr / UCLA)

With the exception of the men’s and women’s basketball teams winning every game as expected, it was a frustrating week for UCLA sports.

The men’s and women’s soccer teams saw their seasons end in the NCAA tournament. The women’s volleyball team lost to Washington in straight sets. The football team got stomped by Washington.

The final indignity came Sunday.

UCLA’s top-ranked men’s water polo team fell behind big early and couldn’t catch up during a 14-11 loss to second-ranked USC in the championship of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.

After trailing 10-4 late in the second quarter, the Bruins closed to within 11-8 late in the third quarter but could come no closer. Ryder Dodd finished with three goals and one assist for UCLA (24-2), which has suffered both of its defeats this season against the Trojans.

UCLA will open play in the NCAA tournament Dec. 5 at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.

Opinion time

In a rivalry oddity, the home team has not won since 2019 when UCLA has faced USC in football. Will that trend continue Saturday when the teams meet at the Coliseum?

Yes, UCLA will pull the upset

No, USC will snap the streak

Click here to vote in our survey.

Poll results

We asked, “Which possible football coaching candidate excites you most?”

After 701 votes, the results:

James Madison’s Bob Chesney, 76.8%
Washington’s Jedd Fisch, 11.3%
San Diego State’s Sean Lewis, 4.8%
Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, 4.6%
South Florida’s Alex Golesh, 2.5%

In case you missed it

UCLA loses in blowout to Washington in possible Rose Bowl swan song for Bruins

UCLA fans tailgating at Rose Bowl apprehensive about possible move to SoFi Stadium

No. 19 UCLA surpasses Mick Cronin’s challenge in blowout win over Presbyterian

Should they stay or should they go? UCLA greats weigh in on the Rose Bowl debate

Former head of UCLA’s football NIL collective denies wrongdoing alleged in report

Plaschke: Shame on UCLA for trying to ditch the iconic Rose Bowl for cash grab at SoFi Stadium

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Somebody should check with SoFi Stadium to see if it rescinded its offer.

In what could have been UCLA’s last game at the Rose Bowl after 43 years of calling the place home, the Bruins unfurled the kind of showing that no one would ever want to relive or put in a scrapbook.

If this was goodbye, it was a sad sendoff.

There were lost fumbles, a laughably bad fake field goal that resulted in a touchdown for the other team and a dropped pass that probably cost UCLA its own score. And that was just in the first half.

Adding injury to insult, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava took a crunching hit that sidelined him late in the third quarter, ending his gritty return from a concussion that had forced him to miss his team’s last game.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava passes in the first half against Washington on Saturday night.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

There’s mercifully only one game left for the Bruins this season after a 48-14 loss to Washington on Saturday night led to a fast-emptying stadium, no fond farewells in store for the home fans amid an announced crowd of 38,201 that was too depleted by game’s end to boo.

The site of UCLA’s next home game remains as big of an unknown as its next head coach. School officials have said they are still contemplating plans for where the team will play in the future, though that decision could be up to a court to decide given the Bruins have nearly two decades left on a Rose Bowl lease that doesn’t expire until the summer of 2044.

It’s believed that if school officials have their way, they will move to SoFi Stadium in time for their 2026 season opener.

Wherever the Bruins play, they have a lot of improvements to make. They looked lethargic in falling behind by 34 points Saturday while making one mistake after another on the way to a fourth consecutive defeat.

By the time he entered the game, there was little backup quarterback Luke Duncan could do except make the final score slightly more palatable. He succeeded on that front, firing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Mikey Matthews late in the third quarter that helped UCLA (3-8 overall, 3-5 Big Ten) avoid a shutout.

There was another highlight for the Bruins early in the fourth quarter when Kanye Clark forced a fumble on Washington’s punt return, allowing Jamir Benjamin to pick up the ball and run 13 yards for a touchdown.

But make no mistake: This was complete domination by the Huskies (8-3, 5-3), who rolled up 426 yards of offense while holding the Bruins to 207 yards, including just 57 yards rushing.

Washington alumnus and comedian Joel McHale performed a short recorded bit that was shown on the scoreboard before the game, but the real slapstick was about to come.

The Bruins coughed up two fumbles in the first half and would have lost a third had the Huskies not been called for defensive holding on the play, nullifying the turnover.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava watches as Washington players celebrate a defensive touchdown in the first half Saturday.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA wide receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala dropped what could have been a touchdown pass at the Huskies’ 38-yard line with nothing but open field in front of him.

But there was no blunder quite like what happened when the Bruins lined up for a 46-yard field goal late in the second quarter. Holder Cash Peterman took the snap and flipped the ball over his shoulder as kicker Mateen Bhaghani circled behind him, the ball hitting the turf instead of Bhaghani’s hands.

Washington’s Alex McLaughlin picked up the ball and ran 59 yards for a touchdown that put the Huskies ahead, 20-0. It was the second straight game UCLA was held scoreless in the first half.

Things never got appreciably better, the Bruins left adrift without a haven in sight.

Nico Iamaleava is back.

The UCLA quarterback who sat out last weekend’s game against Ohio State because of a concussion has been cleared to play against Washington on Saturday at the Rose Bowl, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of health matters. Iamaleava was released from concussion protocol on Monday night.

The return of the Bruins’ best player should significantly enhance an offense that unveiled a conservative game plan against the Buckeyes under backup quarterback Luke Duncan.

UCLA’s offensive line will also be back at full strength with the expected return of guard Garrett DiGiorgio and tackle Reuben Unije from injuries. DiGiorgio missed the game against the Buckeyes because of back spasms and Unije departed the game with a lower-body injury.

Iamaleava has been far and away the Bruins’ top offensive weapon this season after transferring from Tennessee. He’s completed 63.7% of his passes for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also emerging as the team’s leading rusher with 474 yards and four touchdowns in 96 carries.

Iamaleava’s refusal to slide or run out of bounds might have contributed to his concussion because he’s repeatedly taken big hits as a result of his fearlessness. He absorbed several punishing hits against Nebraska earlier this month before developing concussion symptoms over the next week, forcing him to miss the game against Ohio State.

Duncan played admirably in Iamaleava’s absence, completing 16 of 23 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown without an interception. He appeared more comfortable as the game progressed amid play calls that increasingly allowed him to throw the ball farther downfield.

Now Duncan will happily cede his spot to Iamaleava as the Bruins (3-7 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) try to break a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Huskies (7-3, 4-3).

Those who want to stay at the Rose Bowl describe the place as iconic, an ode to everything that’s great about college football. They say it oozes history and tradition. Just the sight of the glowing neon sign is enough to give them goosebumps.

Those who want to go call the place a dump. They say it’s old and decaying by the day, a shell of its former greatness. Why hold on so hard when a futuristic stadium in Inglewood could provide not only a home closer to campus but also an infusion of cash as part of a more favorable lease?

Going into what could be UCLA’s last home game ever at its century-old stadium Saturday night, some with deep ties to the school say they understand each of the dueling perspectives in the debate over a possible move to SoFi Stadium.

“The concern is, are you gonna lose part of your identity, which has been in peril lately already?” said Kris Farris, a former All-America offensive tackle with the Bruins who was among the more than half-dozen former greats and current recruits who spoke with The Times about the situation. “So it’s like you’re taking away another special part of UCLA, but of course everyone understands the upside financially and what the program needs to do in the arms race of college football right now.”

Officially, nothing has been decided. School officials have released two statements in recent weeks, both acknowledging the uncertainty of the situation. It’s believed that if UCLA decided to make a move to SoFi Stadium, the Bruins would want to do so before the 2026 season.

But the courts could have the final say. The Rose Bowl Operating Co. and the City of Pasadena have commenced a legal battle with hopes of forcing the team to stay. Having called the stadium home since moving in before the 1982 season under legendary coach Terry Donahue, UCLA committed to a lease that doesn’t expire until the summer of 2044.

“I just really feel if Terry was here, I think he’d say, ‘What’s the hurry?’ ” said Pat Donahue, one of the late coach’s brothers. “You have a lease, why don’t you underwrite what the issues are and if you feel you made a bad deal, go renegotiate. You know, I just don’t know what the hurry is and it seems to me that UCLA has a lot bigger football problems than the Rose Bowl, right? I mean, the building’s on fire and you wanna remodel the garden.”

Only one thing seems certain: UCLA will not play home games on campus, as so many have proposed over the years. A movement to build a football stadium on the spot now occupied by Drake Stadium died in 1965 amid opposition from students, political leaders and local homeowners. Not only did the University of California regents rebuff the stadium bid, they also decreed that no structure built on the Drake Stadium footprint could later be enlarged into a football stadium.

Thus the current dilemma. Does UCLA keep its word and fulfill a Rose Bowl lease in which it loses millions of dollars annually in opportunity costs because it does not take in suite or sponsorship revenue? Or do the Bruins head to SoFi Stadium for a new beginning flush with cash, if not tradition?

“In the long term, if you look at the UCLA program, SoFi makes a whole lot more sense whether you like it or not,” said former Bruins quarterback Gary Beban, who led the team to an upset of top-ranked Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl and won the school’s only Heisman Trophy in 1967.

Beban played for UCLA teams that called the Coliseum home, long before the Bruins moved to the Rose Bowl. He said initially wasn’t a supporter of UCLA playing in Pasadena because of a 26.2-mile commute from campus, acknowledging the issue seemed to be largely offset by wild early success the team enjoyed while appearing in five Rose Bowl games between 1983 and 1999.

With the Bruins stuck in a decadelong funk, making that long commute has become more burdensome, leading to dwindling attendance at a stadium that’s roughly twice the distance from UCLA than SoFi Stadium.

“It’s a convenience issue for the people at the campus and over a longer period of time,” Beban said, “I think eventually SoFi just makes more sense than the Rose Bowl. … Right now, this is being looked at at a time when the program needs a lot of fresh air. Regardless of how big of a supporter you are, there are a list of things that need to be advanced and this is just one of them. Maybe it’s time to start all over in all directions and try to get going in the right direction.”

One of Beban’s teammates favors holding on more tightly to the past. Jim Colletto, co-captain of the 1966 Rose Bowl champions, said standing on that field makes one feel like he’s playing or coaching with the ghosts of legends.

Before his return to the Rose Bowl as UCLA’s offensive line coach in 2006, Colletto walked to the two-yard line, where former teammate Bob Stiles had made a goal-line stand 40 years earlier by stopping Michigan State fullback Bob Apisa on a potential game-tying two-point conversion.

“I closed my eyes,” Colletto said, “and it all came alive again.”

Which stadium do possible future UCLA players want to call home?

Kenneth Moore III, a wide receiver from St. Mary’s High in Stockton who has verbally committed to the Bruins, said he’d prefer to play at SoFi Stadium. As far as he’s concerned, the stadium that opened in 2020 is closer to campus and would create a better environment than the team has experienced at the Rose Bowl, where it’s averaging only 37,099 fans this season.

“I feel it’ll be more involvement from the fans after going to SoFi,” Moore said, “to have more packed-out stands.”

Cooper Javorsky has remained a constant presence at the Rose Bowl even after decommitting from UCLA in the wake of coach DeShaun Foster’s dismissal. The offensive lineman from San Juan Hills High who is still considering the Bruins has developed an affinity for the place based on his many weekends spent on the sideline watching games.

“I don’t think I’m really in a position to have an opinion,” Javorsky said, “but who wouldn’t think it’s cool to run out at the Rose Bowl on a Saturday?”

One widespread lament is the possible loss of unfettered tailgating on a sprawling golf course and surrounding parking lots. Farris said throwing a football on the grass and cooking food in an open space was the part of the gameday experience that his kids looked forward to most when they were younger.

“At SoFi, just having attended some professional games there, they just don’t have the tailgating experience,” Farris said. “The tailgating at the Rose Bowl is special, it’s unique. You know, it’s not a paved parking lot with a small little stall.”

Hearing that UCLA’s game against Washington on Saturday could be the team’s last one inside the stadium he once called home has motivated Farris to make the drive from Orange County. It could represent one final memory for someone who was part of the last Bruins team to play in a Rose Bowl game.

“There’s nothing like it,” Farris said of the place. “I’ve played in a lot of different stadiums and obviously the backdrop and the size and scale of the Rose Bowl, the history of the Rose Bowl, the energy coming from the fans and just the history in that building and to be able to call it your home as a program and that’s your home field and being able to dominate in that time like we were able to do as a team, I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

Nearly everyone who weighed in the stadium debate agreed that winning would solve many of UCLA’s problems regardless of where it played, drawing more fans and revenue. But Dave Ball, a former Bruins All-America defensive end, said there was a caveat that should be attached to that sentiment.

“Yes, winning solves everything,” Ball said, “but it’s like to me, the resources are the thing, especially now, that are going to promote winning. It’s like, man, you need to have the players and to have the players you need big budgets and an environment that is like swooning over the kids and Ohio State has that, Alabama has that, a lot of the SEC schools have that, and so a great coach who starts to get the program going will instill more excitement and more money, but you do need a lot of the budget and the resources to get that top-tier coach and those top-tier athletes.

“This thing is a game of moving onto the next and what matters to everybody is, do you win football games, championships, bowl games or not?”

The former head of UCLA’s football name, image and likeness collective on Thursday denied any impropriety related to a report that revealed efforts by the school’s athletic department to funnel NIL donations through his non-profit charity.

The story published by the muckraking college football website foiaball.com showed email communications from UCLA athletic department officials directing payments intended for Bruins for Life, the onetime NIL collective of the school’s football program, through Shelter 37 Inc., a tax-exempt charity that purports to empower home ownership and help local youth through a variety of activities.

Donating through Shelter 37 would provide a tax deduction not available to those giving directly to Bruins for Life — a standard practice in the NIL sphere — but it also raised questions about a potential conflict of interest and the control of funds given James Washington ran Bruins for Life until recently and remains the president of Shelter 37.

The story also questioned Shelter 37’s charitable endeavors and suggested that UCLA athletic department officials encouraged the evasion of Internal Revenue Service guidance regarding so-called donor-advised funds, directing money to Shelter 37 that couldn’t go to other firms taking a more conservative approach with regard to NIL rules.

Emails obtained by foiaball.com through a public records request showed nearly a half million dollars of donations intended for Bruins for Life going through Shelter 37, with school officials requesting that anyone who sent their money through the latter organization to specify that it be earmarked for football NIL.

Washington said there was nothing untoward about an arrangement that was approved by UCLA and involved full transparency.

“There’s nothing that’s happening between Shelter 37 and UCLA and Bruins for Life that’s in the closet,” Washington, a former UCLA safety who went on to win two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, told The Times. “Everything has been discussed, every move, every act that I’ve taken toward the NIL, every step — bookkeeping and everything — has been handled and handed over to UCLA.”

In a statement, a UCLA athletic department spokesperson said that “UCLA athletics operates with integrity and transparency, in a manner that is consistent with industry best practices. Our development team educates potential donors on a range of giving opportunities, including avenues to support our student-athletes.”

In what Washington described as an unrelated move confirmed by an athletic department official, UCLA recently shifted its football NIL operations to new leadership, allowing Bruins for Life to pivot into an alumni club for football. Washington said the Bruins for Life website was temporarily inactive as part of that transition and that it would still have an NIL component providing community outreach opportunities for football players.

Alongside longtime UCLA donor John Manuck, James had spearheaded the fundraising efforts of Bruins for Life when it debuted in October 2024 as the new NIL arm of UCLA football.

“It’s really exciting,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said at the time, “because it’s going to support our football student-athletes in a real positive way.”

The foiaball.com story contended that the Bruins for Life website stated that it was not a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that any donations it accepted were not tax deductible. The website directed those wishing to donate to Shelter 37, a 501(c)(3) organization that said it could receive tax-deductible contributions.

The story reported that Shelter 37’s 2024 IRS 990 tax form, published by ProPublica, showed a revenue jump to $4.8 million in 2024, up from $800,000 the previous year. The document stated that $3.6 million had been raised for the Bruins for Life NIL program but only $200 for scholarships for at-risk youth.

Washington said that latter number was misleading because Shelter 37 was not a scholarship-based organization, even though it assisted at-risk children through a variety of community services. The Times reviewed one Shelter 37 tax document reporting nearly a combined seven figures spent on scholarships, education programs and housing.

“This is when people are not fact-checking,” Washington said, “and they’re just putting stuff out there and they’re just trying to make the story bigger than what it needs to be.”

Over the years, Washington said, Shelter 37 has held many community-based events such as turkey drives, football camps for inner-city kids and “I’m going to college” days in which the organization paid for buses to transport students to football games at the Rose Bowl.

The foiaball.com story contended that Shelter 37 was used as a workaround for donor-advised funds that were in limbo. One UCLA athletic department employee, informed of a denial of one donor-advised fund, forwarded the message to other internal fundraisers, along with a message saying, “Just as an FYI. Here is info for Shelter 37 for DAF gifts.”

A new home for donor-advised funds was needed after another NIL firm, Blue Print Sports, ceased its charitable operations in the wake of the IRS recommendation, its legal counsel citing “no path forward.” According to the documents reviewed by foiaball.com, a UCLA athletic department official sent an email to Washington not long after the IRS guidance was issued, informing him of a $15,000 donation through Bank of America that should be directed to Bruins for Life.

Washington said there was nothing illegal about accepting donor-advised funds and that every move made by his organizations was within the rules.

“Any dollar that was given to me, there’s a track record and we have a communication document that shows what came out and how it was received,” Washington said. “They [UCLA athletic officials] know exactly what came into accounts, they know exactly what came out because everything was disclosed and we were communicating and I was acting as a vessel during the time of the Wild, Wild West to try to help UCLA’s football program succeed in this new era of what we call the NIL.”

On the drive up to the Rose Bowl’s front door, underneath the legendary glowing sign, toward the picturesque purple mountains, there stands the most impactful symbol of the school that plays there.

It is a statue of Jackie Robinson in a UCLA football uniform.

He is cradling the ball in his left hand and warding off impending tacklers with his right, a striking bronze symbol of a university’s resilience and strength. The most formidable figure in American sports history is standing where he grew up, where his team lives and where he forever will embody the epitome of the gutty Bruin.

Nobody represents the mission of UCLA more than Jackie Robinson.

UCLA fans cheer during the game against Penn State at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 4.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Nothing is more disgusting than the thought of UCLA leaving him in the dust.

The Bruins are trying to flee the Rose Bowl, did you hear? They’re trying to break a long-term lease and leave Pasadena on the next thing smokin’. Oh yeah, they’re all but gone, it’s all there in lawsuits and court filings and mounds of legal stuff that mask the real message.

UCLA values a quick buck over enduring integrity, fast cash over deep tradition and dollars over die-hards.

The Bruins want to leave the most storied stadium in America, a place where they have played for 43 years, a living monument to Bruins icons, a tailgating paradise with a postcard backdrop … for the shiny toy that is SoFi Stadium, an amazing professional football palace that has no business being the permanent home of a college football team.

This is no knock on SoFi. It’s Super Bowl cool. But it’s an NFL stadium with NFL vibes. It doesn’t work for a struggling university program that would be a third tenant viewed as a last resort.

The Bruins don’t want to move there for tradition. When it comes to college football, SoFi has none. UCLA played there once in a bowl game that drew what appeared to be a handful of fans, the quaint gathering dwarfed by the space-age surroundings.

They don’t want to go there for the increased convenience. There is none. You can’t sell me that 14 fewer miles going south on the 405 on a Saturday afternoon would be noticeably quicker than a longer trek going east on the 134. Especially if there also are events happening at the SoFi-adjacent Forum and Intuit Dome.

They don’t want to go for the game-day experience. There is none. They would be sacrificing lush Brookside tailgating for scarce parking lot tailgating, robbing UCLA fans of their one guaranteed victory every game.

Yes, SoFi has much better seats and bathrooms and amenities but, no, the Bruins want to go for one reason only, and we’ve known what that is from the moment they admitted their athletic department was in financial ruin.

UCLA offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel walks back to the sidelines after a timeout during a game against Nebraska at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 8.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

This is all about the money. UCLA long ago agreed to a lousy deal with the Rose Bowl from the outset — the school apparently sign leases like it hires football coaches — and thus the Bruins don’t receive any cut of suite or sponsorship deals, and get just a fraction of merchandise and parking. Some estimate they can make a few multiples of their current revenue by moving to SoFi, and that’s certainly a legitimate motivation, but it’s also the easy way out.

You know how else they could make more money? Win more football games! Did anybody think of that?

Since Terry Donahue retired in 1995, the UCLA football program frequently has dumped a steaming pile of garbage on Pasadena’s prettiest doorstep, and the poor decisions by the athletic department finally are catching up to it.

They’ve had losing records in seven of the last 10 years. They’ve gone through five coaches and endured countless disappointments. Not surprisingly, increasingly fewer fans want to devote their Saturdays to cheering for a team that too often finds itself plopping into a Brookside bunker.

The Bruins’ five worst attendance figures have come in the last five seasons not interrupted by COVID-19. They’ve ranked around the bottom of Big Ten attendance, and the hole just keeps getting deeper.

They’re averaging 37,099 this season entering the Saturday night’s home finale against Washington, a pace which would set the record for the lowest UCLA season attendance at the Rose Bowl.

And all this is the Rose Bowl’s fault? Not since Roy “Wrong Way” Riegels has someone in the Arroyo Seco been so misguided.

The City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Co. have lived up to their part of the lease, which still has 19 years remaining on it. Pasadena officials say taxpayers have invested more than $150 million in stadium renovations and they’re ready to write a check on an additional $130 million for improvements.

It shows. The Terry Donahue Pavilion is magnificent. The grounds are pristine. There are plans for a cool field club beyond the south end zone.

The Rose Bowl folks have done everything they agreed to do. That UCLA still is trying to walk out the front door smacks of an entitled, oafish spouse who demands their significant other improve themselves, then leaves anyway.

I’ve been covering UCLA games at the Rose Bowl for nearly 40 years, and I can confirm there’s no better place to watch college football in this country. It’s the Augusta National of football stadiums, a place where they should hold the national championship every year, with its breathtaking skyline and deep green surroundings and that crisp fall breeze that sneaks through the Arroyo Seco like an old friend reminding you of home.

UCLA tailback Derrick Williams celebrates with a cheerleader’s megaphone after defeating the USC 13-9 at the Rose Bowl on Dec. 2, 2006.

(Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)

No, it’s not on UCLA’s campus, but there’s no more room, that ship has sailed. And, no, UCLA doesn’t make an appropriate amount of money in the deal, but the school signed the lease, and those lost dollars can appear in other ways.

By playing at the Rose Bowl, the Bruins are paid in majestic beauty, timeless tradition and a sense of family that their alumni and fans can’t get anywhere else.

I was on the sidelines in the final seconds on that first Saturday in December 2006 for quite possibly UCLA’s greatest Rose Bowl moment. You remember. How could you forget?

The John David Booty drive, the Eric McNeal interception, the stunning 13-9 UCLA victory that denied USC a spot in the national championship game while giving the Bruins their only win over the Trojans in a 13-year span.

What stays with me from that afternoon is the deafening noise that seemed to fill every corner of Pasadena before morphing into arguably the loudest Eight Clap in Bruins history.

“U-C-L-A! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The Rose Bowl was magical that day. Shame on UCLA for not believing it still can be.

Ian Moore scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:35 to play, and Lukas Dostal made 36 saves in the Ducks’ 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night.

Jansen Harkins. Radko Gudas and Ryan Strome also scored for the first-place Ducks, who have won nine of 12 after sweeping their season series with the Bruins.

The Bruins dominated long stretches of play and tied it with 12:21 left with Morgan Geekie’s second goal on a power play just seven seconds after Harkins took an awful cross-checking penalty.

But after another handful of outstanding saves by Dostal, Moore got the second goal his NHL career when Leo Carlsson found the young defenseman for a quick shot at the top of the slot while Chris Kreider screened Joonas Korpisalo.

Michael Eyssimont also scored for the Bruins, who opened a four-game road swing with their third loss in four games following a seven-game winning streak. Korpisalo stopped 29 shots, and Hampus Lindholm had two assists against his former team for Boston,

Mason McTavish had two assists in a bounce-back performance by the 21-year-old center after being demoted to the fourth line during the Ducks’ win over Utah on Monday.

Anaheim went ahead 2 1/2 minutes after the opening faceoff on Harkins’ second goal of the season. Gudas scored four minutes later from the blue line, hammering a slap shot that ramped off Fraser Minten’s skate for the Anaheim captain’s first goal of the season.

Geekie redirected a crossbar-high shot later in the first for his third power-play goal of the season.

Strome brilliantly redirected a pass from McTavish with two seconds left in a power play for his first goal of the new season after missing the first 16 games due to a preseason injury.

Eyssimont responded with his fifth goal late in the second.

It looked like a message sent with a bullhorn, a move made with all the subtlety of an elbow to the ribs.

UCLA coach Mick Cronin sent regular starter Eric Dailey Jr. onto the court for tipoff Tuesday night alongside four players who are normally reserves.

The regular starters weren’t sick or injured, they just hadn’t given the effort their coach wanted in practice. So in their place, Cronin started a group of players who had drubbed their teammates by 20 points the previous day in a game that didn’t count except in the mind of the Bruins’ coach.

Given a bigger role, that new group set an unmistakably energetic tone against Sacramento State at Pauley Pavilion, scoring the game’s first 13 points on the way to the No. 19 Bruins’ 79-48 victory.

“They pay me to win games and I thought that was the lineup that was ready to play tonight,” Cronin said, disputing the idea that he was putting his regular starters on notice. “I don’t believe in messages, I don’t believe in doghouses.”

He does believe in extracting whatever his players have to give.

Trent Perry, Jamar Brown, Brandon Williams and Steven Jamerson II played scrappy defense and unselfish offense in helping their team build that big early lead. A Williams steal triggered a fast break ending in a Brown driving layup in which he was fouled. A Jamerson block started another fast break that led to another Brown driving layup. Perry added a rare four-point play after making a three-pointer in which he was fouled.

Before some fans had reached their seats, UCLA was ahead 13-0. Cronin didn’t insert three of his regular starters until nearly five minutes had elapsed, Skyy Clark, Tyler Bilodeau and Xavier Booker finally entering the game. They were joined a few minutes later by point guard Donovan Dent, the last regular starter checking into the game with 12 minutes 37 seconds left before halftime.

It took Dent only 10 seconds to make his presence felt, driving toward the basket before flinging a pass to Clark for a three-pointer.

Dailey was especially active, logging a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead four players in double figures scoring. Booker added 12 points, Perry had 11 and Brown 10 for the Bruins, who held the Hornets to 24.1% shooting. Jamerson appeared on the way to a strong defensive game with three rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 10 minutes before twisting his ankle and never returning.

“Proud of the guys that started, proud of the guys that came in, too,” Dailey said. “They kept it going. So that just shows that our level of intensity has to be hard to start games off.”

This was UCLA’s most complete performance since its 30-point blowout of UC Irvine in an exhibition game late last month. The Bruins followed that with three flat performances against lesser competition before putting up a fight in a four-point loss to Arizona last week.

It didn’t seem to matter who was in the game for UCLA (4-1) given the talent discrepancy with Sacramento State (3-3). The Hornets became even more depleted midway through the first half when guard Jeremiah Cherry, their leading scorer, suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury and had to be helped to the locker room.

Cronin went with his normal starting lineup to start the second half but pivoted quickly. Perry replaced Clark after less than a minute when Clark committed a foul. Then, after the Hornets rolled off seven straight points, came more changes. Back into the game came Brown and Williams, replacing Dent and Booker.

“I gave the other guys a chance because they need to practice coming out of the locker room with more energy,” Cronin said, “and they didn’t get the job done.”

Cronin said his team logged 33 deflections — tipped passes, loose balls collected, steals and blocked shots — in the first half compared to only nine in the second, reflecting a dropoff in defensive effort.

Bilodeau was gone for good with seven minutes left, fouling out after only 18 minutes of playing time in which he collected six points, three rebounds and two steals. Dent had five points, seven assists, two steals and no turnovers in 24 minutes.

Cronin’s biggest concern was giving up 13 offensive rebounds, though that was partially a reflection of Sacramento State shooting so poorly and missing 41 shots.

“We’re not going anywhere,” Cronin said, “if we don’t get better on the defensive backboard.”

But will the coach go back to his normal starting lineup Friday against Presbyterian?

Depends.

“We’ll see how guys practice,” Cronin said. “Right now, we’re in a mode of trying to learn how to play hard enough to earn the jersey that they wear. I have great respect for the jersey. I left my hometown, coaching at my alma mater … because of how much respect that I have for UCLA basketball, and I try to demand that my players play with that kind of effort, show that same respect.”

Every college football team with a coaching vacancy wants the next Curt Cignetti. Maybe UCLA can land him.

He’s from the same school that Cignetti took to unprecedented heights before making Indiana a national power, and he’s doing similarly special things.

His name is Bob Chesney, and he was publicly identified by former Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel over the weekend as someone whom UCLA is targeting in a search that appears to be picking up considerable momentum.

If that’s true — and there’s no reason to believe it isn’t, based on Neuheisel’s connections and similar things heard by The Times from others close to the coaching search — then the Bruins might be among the Chesney suitors on the cusp of the coup of the coaching carousel.

Chesney has a profile similar to Cignetti’s. He won big at the Division III, Division II and Football Championship Series levels before taking over at James Madison prior to last season. All he’s done with the Dukes is guide them to a 9-4 record and Boca Raton Bowl victory in Year 1 before putting them on the fringes of College Football Playoff contention with a 9-1 start in Year 2.

He’s relatively young at 48 and has a dynamic presence. Go watch his introductory news conference at James Madison. Some descriptors that come to mind are driven, compassionate, gracious, humorous and principled.

“Transparency and communication are two very important things that every program needs to have,” Chesney said that day, providing a mantra that all organizations should embrace.

Chesney has the kind of personality that could land recruits, galvanize a fan base and drive donations at UCLA, even as someone who has spent his entire life on the East Coast.

Anyone who thinks that is an automatic disqualifier for the UCLA job doesn’t know history. Ever heard the name Red Sanders?

He was a North Carolina native who came to UCLA from Vanderbilt, going on to such massive success in Westwood that the Bruins still give out the Red Sanders Award to their most valuable player each year.

Chesney has to want to come to UCLA, of course, while also being pursued by others as his profile continues to rise, seemingly by the day. All it takes is one phone call from somebody else for even the best plans to get derailed. The surplus of coaching vacancies at Power Four schools and associated moves will make any pursuit a game of dominoes.

UCLA hasn’t hired a sitting head coach since Pepper Rodgers took the job before the 1971 season, leaving Kansas.

The last three times the Bruins made that move, it paid off handsomely. Rodgers went 19-12-1 over three seasons before departing for Georgia Tech, his alma mater. Tommy Prothro (previously at Oregon State) went 41-18-3 over six seasons before landing a job with the Rams. After leaving Vanderbilt, Sanders went 66-19-1 at UCLA, winning a share of the Bruins’ only national championship in 1954, before dying of a heart attack before the 1958 season.

If UCLA intends to go that route, other candidates that the search committee would be smart to consider include San Diego State’s Sean Lewis, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall and South Florida’s Alex Golesh. Washington’s Jedd Fisch would be another attractive candidate if there was mutual interest, though Fisch’s reported $10-million buyout that doesn’t drop to $6 million until January — long after the Bruins want to have their coach in place — may be prohibitive.

Luke Duncan throws a pass against Ohio State in the second half.

(Jay LaPrete / Associated Press)

With UCLA missing its starting quarterback against the nation’s top-ranked team, a 48-10 loss to Ohio State was entirely predictable.

Quarterbacks: B. Given the circumstances, Luke Duncan filled in admirably for Nico Iamaleava, showing plenty of potential once he was able to sling the ball in the second half.

Running backs: C-. It could have been worse considering the Buckeyes knew the Bruins would rely heavily on the run. Jaivian Thomas, Jalen Berger, Anthony Woods and Anthony Frias II combined for 55 yards and averaged 2.75 yards per carry.

Wide receivers/tight ends: B. Rico Flores II and Kwazi Gilmer each made a big catch, but Gilmer was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at a time his team was losing 27-0.

Offensive line: B+. These guys didn’t give up a sack even with veteran guard Garrett DiGiorgio sidelined by a back injury and right tackle Reuben Unije leaving the game because of another injury.

Defensive line: C+. There’s little shame in getting outclassed by one of the nation’s top offensive lines.

Linebackers: B. Jalen Woods recorded the team’s first sack since the Michigan State game more than a month ago.

Defensive backs: C. Didn’t make much of an impression outside of Cole Martin getting hurdled on a touchdown run.

Special teams: D. Mateen Bhaghani did his thing, making another field goal, but giving up a 100-yard kickoff return was unacceptable.

Coaching: C. Somewhat understandably, Tim Skipper & Co. unveiled a game plan so conservative that it might appear on the GOP ticket for midterm elections in 2026.

Olympic sport the week: Men’s water polo

Frederico Jucá Carsalade looks to pass against USC.

(UCLA)

They got it done.

In a rematch they badly wanted to win, the UCLA Bruins edged rival USC on Saturday to win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo title.

With two goals in the final two minutes, including a go-ahead goal from Ryder Dodd with 1:09 left, the visiting Bruins rallied for an epic 14-13 victory over the Trojans, avenging a loss to their rivals from earlier in the season.

From left, Trey Doten, Max Matthews, Marcell Szécsi, Nick Tovani, and Wade Sherlock cheer against USC.

(UCLA)

Dodd finished with four goals for UCLA (22-1), which earned the top seeding in the MPSF tournament at Stanford’s Avery Aquatics Center. The Bruins will face either eighth-seeded Penn State Behrend or ninth-seeded Connecticut College on Friday afternoon in their opening game.

Opinion time

Which possible football coaching candidate excites you most?

James Madison’s Bob Chesney

San Diego State’s Sean Lewis

Tulane’s Jon Sumrall

South Florida’s Alex Golesh

Washington’s Jedd Fisch

Click here to vote in our survey.

Poll results

We asked, “If UCLA plays its football games at SoFi Stadium in 2026, will you go?”

After 768 votes, the results:

No, it’s a big mistake, 60.9%
Yes, sounds like fun, 39.1%

In case you missed it

Gabriela Jaquez and No. 3 UCLA dominate in victory over South Florida

With Nico Iamaleava out, UCLA is trounced by top-ranked Ohio State

Kenny Easley, one of the most dominant defenders in UCLA and NFL history, dies at 66

Nico Iamaleava will not play for UCLA vs. Ohio State because of a concussion

No. 15 UCLA can’t stop Jaden Bradley late, falling to No. 5 Arizona for first loss

‘Oh my gosh, you’re a baby.’ Meet Meila Brewer, UCLA’s 16-year-old soccer star

UCLA baseball signs pitcher Fabio Bundi from Zurich, Switzerland

Judge denies Rose Bowl temporary restraining order blocking UCLA from SoFi Stadium deal

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Going into the first start of his career, Luke Duncan would be facing the nation’s top-ranked team in one of the most intimidating environments in college football with an offensive line missing its most veteran starter.

It went about as well as one might expect.

Don’t blame Duncan, the UCLA backup quarterback who did his best with a conservative game plan in the absence of Nico Iamaleava. It was just that the Bruins were so thoroughly outclassed that they basically had no chance with their star quarterback sidelined by concussion symptoms he experienced earlier in the week.

Ohio State scored on its first five drives on the way to a 48-10 victory on Saturday at Ohio Stadium, the highlights for the Bruins sporadic enough to be counted on one hand.

There was a sack by linebacker Jalen Woods to end a Buckeyes drive early in the third quarter, forcing them to punt. There was a fourth-down stop on Ohio State’s next drive that gave the ball back to the Bruins. Duncan finally put his team on the board late in the third quarter when he found Kwazi Gilmer cutting across the field for an 18-yard touchdown.

“He got more and more comfortable, that’s what I was proud to see of him,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said of Duncan. “That’s a tough deal and just proud of that kid for fighting. He never blinked an eye and just kept moving forward, so he’ll build off of that.”

There was little to celebrate for the Bruins (3-7 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) on a night they were outgained, 440-222, in total yardage even after tightening up considerably on defense in the second half.

Duncan increasingly found a rhythm after halftime and completed 16 of 23 passes for 154 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. The redshirt sophomore was never sacked, an offensive line that was missing guard Garrett DiGiorgio holding up against the Buckeyes’ pressure.

“It was nice to get in that rhythm,” Duncan said, “and just wish we could have started earlier.”

Ohio State defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson, top, tackles UCLA running back Jaivian Thomas during the first half Saturday.

(Jay LaPrete / Associated Press)

Playcaller Jerry Neuheisel tried to help Duncan with a game plan that called for lots of short passes and a few direct snaps to running backs. It led to a relatively efficient performance from a quarterback who had not previously thrown a pass at the college level but did not help the Bruins build any momentum as they managed only two first downs in the first half.

“He had his little package of plays that we had for him,” Skipper said. “We were trying to get him going, you know, get him to ease into the game.”

UCLA didn’t cross midfield until wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. hauled in a 51-yard pass late in the third quarter. The Bruins eventually scored on Gilmer’s touchdown, but the momentum was only momentary given that the Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0) returned the resulting kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown as Lorenzo Styles Jr. successfully navigated the coverage.

“It was a no-DNA touchdown,” Skipper said, “I don’t think anybody touched him.”

Ohio State’s offense produced most of the memorable moments in building a 27-0 halftime lead. Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith snagged a pass with one hand near the sideline, drawing audible amazement from the crowd of 104,168. Running back James Peoples hurdled UCLA defensive back Cole Martin on a 19-yard touchdown run, thrilling those fans anew.

Ohio State running back James Peoples, top, hurdles over UCLA defensive back Cole Martin to score a touchdown during the first half Saturday.

(Jay LaPrete / Associated Press)

Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse for a team facing a 24-0 deficit in the final minute before halftime, Will Karoll’s punt went off the side of his foot and into the body of an Ohio State player. The Buckeyes kicked a field goal two plays later.

There was little slowing Ohio State’s offense. Running back Bo Jackson rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown and quarterback Julian Sayin completed his first 11 passes on the way to throwing for 184 yards and one touchdown before giving way to a backup midway through the fourth quarter.

The Bruins waved the white flag in the final two minutes, allowing Madden Iamaleava to make his collegiate debut in relief of Duncan.

Duncan said he found out he was starting Friday during a team meeting on the field, going on to lead the offense through a mock game.

“I gave him the [best] advice ever — just throw the ball to our color jersey,” Skipper cracked, “that’s all I told him.”

As Duncan warmed up more than two hours before kickoff, Nico Iamaleava stood behind his understudy, wearing sunglasses and the hood of his windbreaker pulled over his head. Duncan appeared confident and poised as he took underhanded tosses from a team manager and fired passes, even bopping his head ever so slightly as Blink-182’s “All the Small Things” blared over the stadium loudspeakers.

Duncan said Iamaleava rewatched plays on an iPad with him during the game, helping Duncan diagnose the Buckeyes’ defense. Other teammates encouraged Duncan, even after the score became lopsided.

“The whole O-line was cheering me on the whole time, and nobody got negative,” Duncan said. “It’s just a great group. No one gave up.”

Iamaleava was ruled out after he absorbed a series of punishing hits the previous weekend against Nebraska.

There was no relief in what he would see Saturday night.

LAS VEGAS — Gabriela Jaquez scored 17 points to lead six UCLA players in double figures, and the No. 3 Bruins dominated from the beginning to beat South Florida 94-61 on Saturday night in the WBCA Challenge.

Charlisse Leger-Walker added 16 points for the Bruins, including 12 in the first quarter.

Katie Davidson led South Florida (2-2) with 16 points, and Stefanie Ingram scored 13.

UCLA controlled the entire game and was especially effective inside in outscoring the Bulls 56-18 in the lane. The Bruins also made 61% of their shots.

They scored the game’s first 14 points and led 29-8 after the first quarter. Underscoring the total team dominance, usual standouts Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts combined for just two points. They later made their presence felt with Betts scoring 14 points and Rice 12.

UCLA is showing all signs of a team that looks primed to return to the Final Four for the second year a row. In addition to this victory, the Bruins beat two ranked teams this past week — No. 6 Oklahoma 73-59 and No. 11 North Carolina 78-60 — by double digits.

They will have a chance to build on their resume when the Bruins return to Las Vegas in two weeks to play in the Players Era in which three of the four teams are ranked in the top four.

South Florida is playing under interim coach Michele Woods-Baxter, though she is in her 18th season in the program. She stepped into that role when the WNBA’s Dallas Wings hired Jose Fernandez, the Bulls’ coach for 25 seasons, before South Florida’s season opened.

Up next for UCLA: hosts Southern on Nov. 23.

She doesn’t have a driver’s license. Often doesn’t get movie references. Reminds many of their little sisters.

There’s always some story or tidbit involving Meila Brewer that will make her teammates laugh or gush about playing alongside the freshman center back who’s believed to be the youngest athlete in UCLA history.

Why, it wasn’t so long ago that Brewer floored everybody else on the women’s soccer team when each player shared how old they were when the pandemic hit. As almost everybody ticked off one year or another in high school, all eyes turned to Brewer.

“Oh,” she announced, “I was in fifth grade.”

Meila Brewer extends her arms, smiles and runs to embrace her UCLA teammates during a match against Stanford.

(UCLA Athletics)

That doesn’t mean that she’s easily identifiable. Coach Margueritte Aozasa has made an informal game of asking anyone who inquires about having a 16-year-old on her roster to pick her out when scanning the players on the field.

No one has gotten it right on the first handful of attempts.

“They’ll point out three or four players,” Aozasa said, “and I’ll be like, ‘No, it’s probably the one you would least expect.’ ”

Being one of the tallest players on the team at 5-foot-8 provides some cover, but it’s also her precocious nature and the skills she developed while training with a professional team and playing for the U.S. youth national team that give her a veteran presence.

There’s been no underage shrinking, Brewer living up to every moment as fourth-seeded UCLA (11-5-3) prepares to open the NCAA tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday at home against Pepperdine (11-6-2).

Meila Brewer dribbles the ball while playing for UCLA during the 2025 season. Brewer, 16, is the youngest athlete to ever compete in a sport at UCLA.

(UCLA Athletics)

OK, maybe a hint of her youth emerged when she was asked how she felt about playing on college soccer’s biggest stage.

“Freaking out,” Brewer said. “Like, when you think about it, I’m soooo excited, that’s like the only way you can put it.”

This will be just her eighth game with the Bruins as a result of her recent participation in the FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where the Americans won their group before losing to the Netherlands on penalty kicks in the Round of 16.

Her UCLA teammates followed the action from afar, one posting a picture of herself shedding celebratory tears in a group chat after Brewer scored in the opening game. After the competition ended, Brewer boarded one flight for Atlanta before getting on another one bound for Los Angeles, only to hop back on a third plane a little more than 12 hours later to accompany her Bruins teammates to West Lafayette, Ind., for the Big Ten tournament.

“Coming back from Morocco, I had missed a decent amount of games,” Brewer said, “but I feel like the girls have been so supportive of helping me get reintegrated and getting right back into the flow just because we’re in tournament time and we want to succeed.”

Aozasa said she’s reminded her players that there’s a 16-year-old on the team and to behave appropriately. Brewer’s roommate, Payten Cooper, is two years older than her even though she’s also a freshman. Lexi Wright, a redshirt senior forward, is seven years older.

But those age gaps aren’t a big deal to Brewer considering she’s already spent a year and a half training with players in their 30s on the Kansas City Current, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League.

“It’s no surprise that she’s gonna be able to fit in right away and be successful at that level at UCLA,” said Vasil Ristov, the coach of the Current’s second team who was also Brewer’s youth club coach, “because she’s seen some of the top talent in the world and she’s participated in training sessions with them.”

Just reaching UCLA at such a young age was a major triumph.

Having taken a heavy class load in middle school and her first two years of high school to lessen the academic burden on her later, Brewer had reclassified once by the time she visited UCLA last spring. That’s when her love for a place she had long considered her dream school truly took hold, Brewer feeling the pull to play immediately even though she had more than a year of high school remaining.

“She was like, ‘What if I just come in this fall?’ ” said her father, Austin Brewer, who was also on the trip. “And I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t think it works that way.’ ”

After checking it out, the family realized it was a possibility. Meila (pronounced MEE-luh) worked nonstop from April through the end of July. She didn’t get to participate in high school graduation ceremonies but was rewarded with something greater — a chance to play for the Bruins.

UCLA freshman Meila Brewer controls the ball while playing Tennessee during the 2025 season.

(UCLA Athletics)

Her schedule includes nearly as many parent check-ins as classes. Austin and Shelly Brewer routinely call in the morning, midday and evening, sometimes adding oldest daughter Sasha, a freshman defender for the University of Miami women’s soccer team, to FaceTime chats.

Classes haven’t been as hard as Brewer imagined, though she’s still trying to pick a major.

“Coming into college,” she said, “I was prepping myself for the worst, so I feel like I was ready for it.”

On the field, Brewer is known for a physical style that allows her to impede opposing forwards in her role as a defender and smart playmaking while on the attack. They’re all traits that could help her fulfill her goal of playing for the U.S. national team.

Having always played up one or more levels on club teams, sometimes alongside boys, Brewer developed a strong sense of self.

“I asked her once who her favorite player was, who did she want to be like,” Shelly Brewer said, “and I’ll never forget this — we laugh about it all the time — she said, ‘I don’t want to be like anyone; I want to be like me.’ ”

In a nod to her age and the fact that she’s still growing, Brewer sometimes gets tendinitis in her knees. She wants to be just one of the girls, her youth a novelty but not a defining characteristic.

“I want to be seen as an equal on the field or a leader on the field in what I can do besides my age,” she said. “I just want to be able to stand out for how I play and not on the age side of it.”

That’s not to say that someone who won’t turn 17 until March isn’t having as much fun as everybody else whenever the subject comes up.

“It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re a baby,’ ” Brewer said, “and I’m like, ‘Yep, I am.’ ”

LAS VEGAS — All-American Lauren Betts had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 3 UCLA to a 78-60 victory over No. 11 North Carolina on Thursday night in the WBCA Challenge, the Bruins’ second win over a ranked team this week.

UCLA (4-0) also topped No. 6 Oklahoma 73-59 on Monday in Sacramento. Coming off the program’s first trip to the NCAA Final Four, the Bruins are making an early case as one of the favorites to get back there.

Betts also had seven assists. Teammate Kiki Rice overcame an 0-for-3 first half to finish with 15 points on six-for-12 shooting as well as 10 rebounds. Angela Dugalic added 14 points and Gabriela Jaquez had 12.

Elina Aarnisalo led North Carolina (2-1) with 13 points, and Indya Nivar and Ciera Toomey each scored 11. Nyla Harris, a transfer from Louisville, was held to six points on three-for-10 shooting. She scored a combined 25 points in the Tar Heels’ two victories.

The teams swapped scoring runs before UCLA took charge with a 10-point surge to end the third quarter for a 58-46 lead.

The Bruins dominated inside, winning the rebound battle 46-30 and outscoring the Tar Heels in the lane by a 46-22 margin. Four UCLA players had at least eight rebounds.

At least five WNBA teams were represented: the Sparks, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Toronto. Jackie Young, Dana Evans and Kiah Stokes, who helped the Aces win their third championship in four years, watched courtside.

Up next for UCLA: vs. South Florida in the WBCA Challenge on Saturday.

SACRAMENTO — Gianna Kneepkens scored 20 points and No. 3 UCLA used a big third quarter to pull away from sixth-ranked Oklahoma for a 73-59 victory Monday night.

Bruins star Lauren Betts had nine points on four-for-11 shooting, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots while committing seven of her team’s 16 turnovers. The Bruins (3-0) dominated on the boards, 59-43, in a game played at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

Oklahoma got a scare with 9:16 remaining when senior center and leading scorer Raegan Beers went down awkwardly fighting for a rebound with Betts and grabbed at her right knee. She returned shortly thereafter and wound up with seven points and 14 rebounds.

Zya Vann had 13 points and six rebounds for Oklahoma (1-1) and Payton Verhulst finished with 16. She knocked down a three-pointer to end the third quarter and pull her team to within 59-48.

Angela Dugalic came off the bench to contribute 16 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA, which shot just eight for 22 from deep but created opportunities with hustle and effort plays such as crashing the offensive glass.

The teams faced off in the second round of the 2023 NCAA tournament with UCLA winning 82-73 to reach the Sweet 16. The Bruins have won the last three meetings.

Oklahoma had a week between its 84-67 season-opening win against Belmont on Nov. 3, marking the longest break between the first and second games to start a full season — excluding the COVID-19 year — since 2002-03.

Oklahoma hasn’t beaten a top-five nonconference opponent since topping No. 3 Duke in the 2001 national semifinal.

Up next for UCLA: vs. North Carolina in the WBCA Challenge at Las Vegas on Thursday.