Tag: UCLA

Sep 28, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) leaps over UCLA Bruins defensive back Bryan Addison (4) during the first quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

No. 8 Oregon rolls past UCLA for first Big Ten win in school history

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Dillon Gabriel completed 31 of 41 passes for 280 yards with three touchdown passes, and No. 8 Oregon cruised to its first Big Ten victory in school history, a 34-13 win over UCLA on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Tez Johnson caught two of Gabriel’s touchdowns, one for 52 yards in the second quarter and another for 12 yards early in the fourth quarter that sealed the Ducks’ fifth consecutive win over UCLA and 11th in the past 12 meetings with their former Pac-12 rivals.

Oregon (4-0,1-0 Big Ten) improved to 16-3 against UCLA since 2000.

Jordan James had 103 yards on 20 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown run after linebacker Bryce Boettcher intercepted Garbers’ pass early in the second quarter.

Gabriel moved into second place in NCAA career total yards with 17,168.

UCLA (1-3, 0-2) lost its third straight game. The Ducks racked up 433 yards of total offense and held the Bruins to 172. UCLA was just 1-of-10 on third downs and ran 30 fewer plays than the Ducks.

The Bruins’ offense managed just two field goals by Mateen Bhaghani, though the Bruins made it 28-10 at halftime when former Duck Bryan Addison picked off Gabriel’s pass and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown just before the first half ended.

The Bruins held the Ducks without a point in the third quarter, and UCLA’s best chance to make it a tighter game came at the end of the quarter, when the Bruins went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Oregon 45-yard line, trailing 28-13.

Garbers, his right ankle taped and his mobility limited at that point, was pressured and had his pass intercepted by Tysheem Johnson. The Ducks turned that turnover into a touchdown. Gabriel threw 12 yards to Tez Johnson for a touchdown with 9:37 to play in the game.

Oregon took a 34-13 lead, Garbers left the game two plays into the Bruins’ next offensive series and UCLA, with Justyn Martin at quarterback, was too far behind to catch up.

–Field Level Media

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass during warm ups as the Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.

In Big Ten debut, No. 8 Oregon faces ex-Pac-12 rival UCLA

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Despite not playing last weekend, Oregon moved up a spot to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 poll as it prepares for its Big Ten Conference debut at UCLA on Saturday.

Oregon (3-0) has won four in a row and 10 of its last 11 games against former Pac-12 rival UCLA (1-2, 0-1). The Ducks are 15-3 against the Bruins since 2000.

“I’m glad to be back playing football,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Monday. “I’m excited, obviously, for our first Big Ten matchup. Getting the opportunity to travel to the Rose Bowl, always an iconic place to play, and certainly a team that we’re excited to go out there and play against.”

After two close home games against heavy underdogs, the Ducks found their explosiveness on offense on Sept. 14 when they trounced in-state rival Oregon State on the road, 49-14. The Ducks racked up 546 yards of total offense in one of the most lopsided wins in a rivalry that began in 1894.

Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel leads the nation with an 84 percent completion percentage and is the only FBS quarterback above 80 percent. A threat to run, Gabriel has 16,865 total yards in his career and needs 135 to join Case Keenum as the only players in NCAA history to reach 17,000.

“That means more time for us to prepare, more time for us to get ready. We’re excited about the challenge and what that provides,” Lanning said of the 8 p.m. local time kickoff.

“Sometimes bye week can be a lull for teams. I thought our guys have attacked it with the proper approach of finding ways to continue to improve and get better. We talk about having a player-led team. I think that’s really shown up for our guys over the last several weeks, and it’s certainly shown up throughout the season so far.”

UCLA is 1-2 under first-year head coach and former Bruins star running back DeShaun Foster. One of those losses came at home in their Big Ten opener against Indiana, and last Saturday, the Bruins fell at then-No. 16 LSU 34-17.

The Bruins’ only win came at Hawaii, 16-13 in the opener. UCLA is in the middle of a three-game stretch against ranked opponents, including a road game against No. 9 Penn State on Oct. 5.

Ethan Garbers threw for a career-high 281 yards with two touchdowns against LSU. But UCLA has been dominated in many offensive statistical categories, including red-zone touchdowns. The Bruins have touchdowns on just 3 of 9 trips inside the opposing 20-yard line, while opponents are 8 of 12.

Opponents have 11 total touchdowns against UCLA, while the Bruins have just four.

“There’s no moral victories in football. We’ve got to get better,” Foster said. “We’ve just got to find ways to shorten this game and keep them off the field and play our kind of ball.”

–Field Level Media

Tigers Saivion Jones 35 and Whit Weeks 40 celebrate after a fumble recovery as the LSU Tigers take on UCLA at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.

Garrett Nussmeier shines as No. 16 LSU doubles up UCLA

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Garrett Nussmeier passed for 352 yards and three touchdowns as No. 16 LSU held off UCLA for a 34-17 win on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.

Nussmeier completed 32 of 44 passes and the Tigers (3-1) shut out the Bruins (1-2) in the second half. UCLA scored more points before the break than it had totaled in its highest-scoring game of the season entering Saturday (16).

Ethan Garbers completed 22 of 36 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns and one interception to lead UCLA.

On its first possession of the second half, LSU drove 96 yards in 14 plays, the last of which was Josh Williams’ 2-yard touchdown run that gave the Tigers a 24-17 lead that held up through the end of the third quarter.

Caden Durham caught a short pass from Nussmeier and turned it into a 35-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to 31-17 with 11:15 remaining in the game.

Damian Ramos kicked a 32-yard field goal to complete the scoring with 5:48 left.

The Tigers converted 10 of 15 third-down plays and didn’t turn the ball over while taking it away twice.

The Bruins, who entered the game averaging 83.5 rushing yards, finished with just 14 on Saturday.

LSU received the opening kickoff and needed just six plays to drive 75 yards, as Nussmeier threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Zavion Thomas.

UCLA answered on its first possession, with Garbers throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jack Pedersen, and Mateen Bhaghani’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bruins a 10-7 lead by the end of the first quarter.

On the third play of the second quarter, Nussmeier threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Parker to give the Tigers a 14-10 edge.

LSU increased the lead on Ramos’ 22-yard field goal before Garbers threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Logan Loya with two seconds left in the second quarter to tie the score at 17 at the break.

–Field Level Media

Sep 14, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (13) carries the ball against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

UCLA’s Big Ten era begins with lopsided loss to Indiana at home

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Kurtis Rourke went 25-of-33 passing for 307 yards and four touchdowns as Indiana gave host UCLA a rude welcome to the Big Ten Conference in a 42-13 rout on Saturday in Pasadena, Calif.

Indiana (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) wasted little time taking control in its first visit to Rose Bowl Stadium since 1968. Rourke threw touchdown passes of three yards to Miles Cross and 14 yards to Ke’Shawn Williams just 63 seconds apart midway through the first quarter.

The Hoosiers’ advantage never dipped below double digits the rest of the way.

Rourke was electric, spreading the ball around to seven different pass-catchers, four of whom hauled in at least four receptions. Cross led Indiana with six catches for 90 yards, and Williams scored touchdowns on two of his three catches.

The second scoring connection between Rourke and Williams came in the third quarter to effectively put UCLA away.

After Indiana’s lead rose to 21-0 on Justice Ellison’s goal-line touchdown carry, capping a 12-play, 90-yard scoring drive, the Bruins scored 10 unanswered points. T.J. Harden accounted for the lone UCLA touchdown with a one-yard plunge just before halftime.

With the Bruins (1-1, 0-1) threatening, Indiana went on a nine-play, 87-yard drive that culminated in Rourke’s three-yard touchdown toss to Williams. Indiana piled on further with a 23-yard Rourke scoring pass to Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Green’s 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Hoosiers’ defense did its part to contribute to the blowout, holding UCLA to 238 total yards and forcing a pair of turnovers. The first came when Mikail Kamara recovered an Ethan Garbers fumble deep in Bruins territory, setting up Indiana’s second touchdown of the evening.

Amare Ferrell intercepted Garbers in the fourth quarter to put an exclamation point on Indiana’s emphatic conference win.

Garbers finished 14-of-23 for 137 yards. Harden led the Bruins in both rushing and receiving, gaining 48 yards on 12 carries and 41 yards on four receptions.

UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano made three tackles for loss.

–Field Level Media

Warren quarterback Madden Iamaleava is under pressure by St. Bonaventure's Jacob Moraga as he fires a pass during the first quarter of the Seraphs' 24-21 win in the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at Ventura High's Larrabee Stadium.

4-star QB Madden Iamaleava commits to UCLA

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UCLA is adding four-star quarterback Madden Iamaleava to its 2025 recruiting class.

Iamaleava plays at Warren High School in Downey, Calif., about 30 miles from the UCLA campus, where he threw for 3,626 yards and 43 touchdowns in 13 games in his junior season.

The 247Sports composite ranks him as the No. 11 quarterback in the nation.

Iamaleava told 247Sports that UCLA and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy had a leg up in his recruiting, despite a late offer from Oregon and offers from programs including Auburn and Washington.

“UCLA was my childhood favorite school,” Iamaleava told the outlet. “I love the new staff and fit the offense really well. Eric Bieniemy recruited me really hard and spent a lot of time with me getting to know me as a person, not just as a QB.

“He’s a great offensive mind and someone I know I can learn a lot from. He’s worked with some great QBs in the past and I think he can help me get to the next level and that’s always the dream.”

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Iamaleava is the younger brother of Nico Iamaleava, the projected starting quarterback at Tennessee.

–Field Level Media

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A detailed view of UCLA Bruins helmet during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA to pay Cal $10M per year for Big Ten departure

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UCLA’s windfall for moving to the Big Ten Conference during the next academic year just got a little bit smaller, as a University of California board of regents panel approved a plan where Cal will be paid $10 million a year from its athletic rival for at least the next three years.

Both schools are members of California’s ten-school UC system, with Cal objecting to UCLA’s move to the Big Ten, saying it would be hurt financially through the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference.

The $10 million payments, which will run through at least the 2026-27 school year, will help Cal offset losses from media rights. The board is expected to review the payment plan after three years.

According to reports, UCLA will be paid $60 million per year in the Big Ten. Cal reportedly will be paid $11 million per year over its first seven years in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Not long after UCLA and Southern California elected to move out of the Pac-12, Colorado departed for the Big 12, followed by Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, who also went to the Big 12. Cal and Stanford ultimately left for the ACC.

In a separate move, Oregon and Washington also agreed to join the Big Ten.

Only two schools remained in the Pac-12 — Oregon State and Washington State — when the exodus was complete. The Pac-12 will not be in operation for the foreseeable future, with Oregon State and Washington State to be paid a combined $65 million from the 10 departing schools.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Bieniemy confirms he will join new coaching staff at UCLA

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Former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is heading back to college and will join the staff of new head coach DeShaun Foster at UCLA, he confirmed to ESPN.

ESPN reported that Bienemy, who also was the offensive coordinator on Andy Reid’s staff with the Kansas City Chiefs, is finalizing a two-year deal to both serve the same post and become the associate head coach at UCLA.

The move represents a homecoming for Bieniemy, who grew up in the area and was a Bruins assistant from 2003-05.

“Southern California,” Bieniemy wrote in an email to ESPN on Saturday. “I attended high school there. I started my career in the league here (with the Chargers). It’s obviously great to be back with the Bruins, where I was previously employed.”

Bieniemy, 54, also addressed Foster, who became the 19th football coach in UCLA history on Feb. 12. Foster, 44, replaced Chip Kelly, who departed to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

“This is a great opportunity for me to help support DeShaun as a head coach, to work with him and to work for him as well,” Bieniemy wrote. “My goal is to help him to be a successful head coach in our profession.”

Foster, a first-time head coach, takes over a program that finished 8-5 last season under Kelly, including 4-5 in the Pac-12. The Bruins move into the Big Ten Conference this fall.

Bieniemy served as the offensive coordinator with the Commanders for one season and he told ESPN he “chose not to stay” in Washington. New head coach Dan Quinn hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury for the job.

Previously, Bieniemy spent 2013-17 as the Chiefs’ running backs coach before being elevated to the team’s offensive coordinator in 2018. Reid remained the Chiefs’ offensive play-caller.

Bieniemy had several interviews for head-coaching positions but was never offered a job. After the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia Eagles last year, he accepted the Washington position as an opportunity to build his own staff and call plays.

The Commanders went 4-13 in 2023, ending on an eight-game losing streak. Head coach Ron Rivera was fired at season’s end.

Bieniemy also served as offensive coordinator at Colorado, his alma mater, from 2011-12.

The Bruins are set to begin the 2024 season Aug. 31 at Hawaii, then host Big Ten opponent Indiana on Sept. 14.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien talks with quarterback Bailey Zappe (4) as they take on the Los Angeles Chargers in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Bill O’Brien heading to Boston College as head coach

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Former Houston Texans and Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien and Boston College reportedly are putting the finishing touches on a deal to make him the Eagles’ next football coach.

O’Brien, a Massachusetts native, most recently was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. He accepted the same position at Ohio State last month.

The 54-year-old O’Brien was hired at Ohio State to take over the play-calling duties from head coach Ryan Day. Presuming O’Brien seals the deal with Boston College, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly reportedly will be named the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator.

O’Brien’s family is rooted in the Boston area and planned to remain there while O’Brien was in Columbus, ESPN reported.

O’Brien will replace Jeff Hafley, who recently was hired as the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

The Eagles finished 7-6 in 2023 and are getting a coach with a blue-chip pedigree.

O’Brien worked on Bill Belichick’s staff with the Patriots from 2007-11 and was quarterbacks coach to Tom Brady. He left to take over at Penn State in 2012 and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year.

From 2014-20, he led the Texans to the playoffs four times.

As for Ohio State, Kelly and Day have a longstanding relationship that began when Kelly was the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire with Day as his quarterback there from 1999-2001.

Kelly, 60, led Oregon to three Pac-12 championships as the Ducks head coach from 2009-12 and compiled an 46-7 record. He headed to the NFL in 2013, spending three seasons as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and one at the helm of the San Francisco 49ers with a 28-35 overall record.

He became UCLA’s head coach in 2018 and has a 35-34 record with the Bruins.

–Field Level Media

Oct 14, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Dante Moore (3) throws the ball during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Ex-UCLA QB Dante Moore commits to Oregon

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Former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore is set to become the second transfer quarterback moving to Oregon ahead of next season.

Moore announced his commitment to Oregon on Monday in an Instagram post. The Ducks previously snagged ex-Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Moore was ranked one of the top five quarterback prospects in the high school Class of 2023, and he initially committed to Oregon out of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High in Detroit.

He wound up going to UCLA instead and played nine games as a freshman this year for the Bruins, starting five times.

Moore completed 53.5 percent of his passes (114 of 213) this past season for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was intercepted nine times. His best outing was a 290-yard, three-touchdown effort in a Sept. 9 win over San Diego State. Moore also threw for 290 yards in a victory over Washington State on Oct. 7.

Gabriel, who has one year of eligibility remaining, is widely viewed as the favorite to replace Heisman Trophy finalist Bo Nix for the Ducks. Moore could be in line to take over the job in 2025.

No. 8 Oregon (11-2) lost the Pac-12 championship game against Washington on Dec. 1 and is headed to the Fiesta Bowl against No. 23 Liberty on Jan. 1, 2024.

–Field Level Media

Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Hudson Habermehl (81) celebrates with teammates after catching a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Boise State Broncos during the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA scores 28 unanswered points to beat Boise State

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Ethan Garbers came on at quarterback and threw for 152 yards and two touchdowns, leading UCLA to 28 unanswered points en route to a 35-22 win over Boise State on Saturday at the L.A. Bowl in Los Angeles.

Garbers replaced injured starter Collin Schlee, who went down following a 44-yard run on UCLA’s first possession of the second half. The Bruins (8-5) scored three plays later when Garbers found Kyle Ford on a 5-yard touchdown strike.

Schlee went 11-for-16 passing for 78 yards and threw a five-yard touchdown shovel pass to Hudson Habermehl in the first quarter before exiting.

UCLA went on third-quarter touchdown drives of 87, 72 and 70 yards with Garbers at quarterback, the latter two culminating in T.J. Harden carries. Harden capped the first, a nine-play drive, with a goal-line run.

Harden rushed 20 times for 105 yards, taking on the majority of rushing duties with Carson Steele out for an unspecified reason. Schlee carried seven times for 127 yards before his injury.

The third-quarter onslaught flipped the game firmly in UCLA’s control after Boise State pulled ahead by two scores at halftime.

The Broncos (8-6) capitalized late in the second quarter with a touchdown on its fourth trip into the red zone. George Holani’s goal-line scoring run came after field goals of 33, 23 and 33 yards by Jonah Dalmas.

Holani ran for another touchdown of 66 yards in the late fourth quarter, but not before Boise State quarterback C.J. Tiller — making his first career start — was intercepted by UCLA’s Alex Johnson earlier in the period.

Johnson’s fifth pick of the season set up the Bruins at the Broncos’ 40-yard line where, on the first play from scrimmage, Garbers found Sturdivant for a 40-yard touchdown pass to complete UCLA’s 28-point deluge.

Sturdivant caught four passes for 142 yards for the Bruins.

Holani carried 17 times for 138 yards in the loss. Ashton Jeanty rushed 17 times for 85 yards. Tiller finished 12-of-21 passing for 117 yards.

–Field Level Media