UCLA Football Suffers Inaugural Big Ten Loss: Indiana Dominates Bruins in Rose Bowl

PASADENA — A line of powder blue suits filed into the Rose Bowl Stadium. The UCLA football team was sharply dressed for its Big Ten debut. The Saturday evening game against Indiana marked a new era for the Bruins. DeShaun Foster deepened his imprint on UCLA football, starting with bringing back the tradition of the Bruin Walk.

Fans and alumni, like Terry Thompson, who travels from Costa Mesa for a handful of games every season, are feeling connected to UCLA once again — and especially to Foster. “He’s a Bruin through and through, so he’s loyal,” Thompson said. “He’s going to recruit to all the positives of UCLA. He’s a hard-working guy, so he’s got a lot of support with people involved with the football team and the program.”

In addition to the Bruin Walk, UCLA honored the seven latest members of the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame at halftime and had four former UCLA receivers serve as honorary captains for the game: Drew Bennett, Freddie Mitchell, Brian Poli-Dixon and J.J. Stokes. Bennett and Stokes each went on to have multi-season NFL careers.

The sense of tradition started the day on an optimistic note, but UCLA’s performance in the first half quelled the enthusiasm. Indiana went into halftime with a 21-7 lead.

Indiana's Strong Start

Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke sent a short pass to Miles Cross for a touchdown with 8:31 left in the first quarter. The Bruins turned over the ball on their next possession, and Indiana went on to score a 14-yard touchdown on a pass from Kurtis Rourke to Ke’Shawn Williams.

Indiana led 21-0 before Garbers set the Bruins up for their first touchdown of the game with a 20-yard run after avoiding a sack with 1:18 left in the second quarter. TJ Harden finished off the scoring effort with a 1-yard touchdown run.

UCLA's Struggles on Defense and Offense

The Hoosiers’ offense, led by Rourke, proved to be a formidable challenge for the Bruins’ defense. Rourke’s ability to dissect the defense and find open receivers throughout the game was a major factor in Indiana’s victory.

The Bruins’ offense, meanwhile, struggled to find its rhythm against a stout Indiana defense. While Garbers showed flashes of brilliance, his attempts to spark the offense were often thwarted by turnovers and a lack of consistency. The Bruins’ inability to maintain possession and generate sustained drives hampered their efforts to close the gap.

Coach Cignetti on Indiana's Victory

“A good win,” said Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti. “First conference win, national TV, one of the new teams in the Big 10. I know it’ll get a lot of people’s attention. Proud of our guys. We went in there. We wanted to play physical, tough, nasty, we did. And so good win, we get to enjoy it for 24 hours. And Monday we’re humble and hungry, with our eyes on the next game. It was a lot better to have to deal with success in-season than failure. They both bring their challenges. I talked to the team about that in the locker room. They got 24 hours to enjoy it. Than we’re back at the next opponent. This one’s over. Great win, good experience.”

Looking Ahead for UCLA

The Bruins are now facing the harsh reality of their Big Ten debut. The loss to Indiana raises questions about their ability to compete in the conference. Despite the disappointing outcome, Coach Foster remained optimistic and emphasized the importance of learning from the experience. “You have to learn from losses,” Foster said. “You can’t just act like they’re going to go away. I’m just happy that we have another opportunity to keep playing.”

The task for Foster and the Bruins does not get any easier as a trip to LSU’s Tiger Stadium is just one week away.

Bruin Walk and Tradition, But a Tough Loss

The loss to Indiana is a stark reminder that UCLA football has a lot of work to do if they want to become a force in the Big Ten. However, the team's commitment to tradition, symbolized by the return of the Bruin Walk, is a positive sign for the future. As they head into their new conference, the Bruins will need to build on their strengths and address their weaknesses if they want to make a lasting impact. The journey to success in the Big Ten will be challenging, but UCLA's commitment to its rich history and its dedication to improvement suggest that they are up for the task.