Bruins Outrun Hawkeyes in Rose Bowl, 20-17

UCLA Football (4-5, 3-4 Big Ten) claimed its third-consecutive win, downing the University of Iowa 20-17 at the Rose Bowl Friday night before 53,467 fans.

The Bruins rushed for 211 yards in the victory behind a season-best 125-yard performance by junior T.J. Harden. UCLA held Iowa (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) to 80 yards on the ground.

Redshirt-senior quarterback Ethan Garbers finished the game with 204 passing yards, a pair of touchdowns and three turnovers in what proved to be a battle of Big Ten defenses.

“It feels good (to get my first win at the Rose Bowl),” said UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster. “I got the game ball. These are way better than when I was playing. It’s way more exciting to get these game balls now. You can’t put it into words. It’s similar to when I got hired. But I’m a Bruin, and it was bothering me when we were losing. I’m not somebody that takes that lightly, and I just continued to push and push, and these guys never fought against me. There was never any turmoil on the team. They all just knew what we had to do, and I’m just glad I have a mature team who accepted the challenge.”

The first quarter began with the Bruins receiving the opening kick. The start was one that UCLA and Garbers did not hope for, as the quarterback threw an interception (1Q, 13:38) in Bruin territory that quickly turned into a Hawkeye touchdown.

On the following drive, UCLA steadily marched downfield after a touchback on the second kickoff of the game. The Bruins combined its run and pass games to get into scoring position. Garbers got hit while throwing into the end zone and errantly found a defender by air for the second-straight drive. That turnover led to an Iowa field goal, and the Bruins trailed 10-0 as the second quarter began.

UCLA got just over the midfield marker before facing a fourth-down decision at Iowa’s 39-yard line. Sophomore kicker Mateen Bhaghani was called upon, and he delivered. Bhaghani unloaded to help UCLA get its first points on the board; the San Diego, Calif., native sent the football 57 yards and split the uprights to set a new season-long field goal make (previous: 54 vs. Oregon, Sept. 28).

Momentum began to swing when redshirt-junior Carson Schwesinger snagged one at the logo for UCLA’s first takeaway of the quarter. Harden broke off a 29-yard rush up the middle to help get the Bruins into scoring position. Redshirt-junior Titus Mokiao-Atimalala reeled in a 2-yard touchdown reception from Garbers with an Iowa defender draped on his back; the Bruins tied the ball game with an extra point by Bhaghani, 10-10 (2Q, 8:05). Iowa began to move downfield before redshirt-junior Kain Medrano made a play on the ball. The linebacker stripped Iowa’s Brendan Sullivan as the Hawkeye quarterback crossed half, and UCLA began with a ball in Iowa territory before the half.

The next home game is a big one: The Bruins will meet the USC Richards and the Rose Bowl on November 23rd.