EVANSTON, Ill. — You can change the coach and quicken the pace of practice, but one thing can’t be transformed.
It’s always going to be the same team.
UCLA showed some fight late in its Big Ten Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Martin Stadium while ultimately falling victim to the same problems that had plagued it before the dismissal of coach DeShaun Foster.
An incredibly slow start in which it fell behind by multiple scores.
An offense that can’t run the ball or consistently sustain drives.
A defense that can’t stop the run or prevent big plays.
The Bruins are officially on 0-12 watch after completing what was supposed to be the soft part of their schedule with a 17-14 loss to Northwestern.
“Just wish, man, we had played the first half better,” Tim Skipper said after his debut as UCLA’s interim coach, “because I think it would have been a different outcome.”
The finish left UCLA with heartache by the lake.
The Bruins (0-4 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) were in position to tie the score or take the lead after stopping Northwestern on three consecutive plays, including a third-down sack by defensive lineman Gary Smith III that helped the Bruins get the ball back at their own 20-yard line with 1:29 left after a punt.
But a big sack of quarterback Nico Iamaleava by Northwestern edge rusher Anto Saka with no timeouts remaining was followed by a false start on offensive tackle Courtland Ford, taking an additional 10 seconds off the clock and leaving only eight seconds left and the Bruins still deep in their own territory.
“In critical moments we had penalties,” Iamaleava said, “so it’s getting to a point where I’m repeating myself every week.”
Iamaleava completed an 11-yard pass to tight end Hudson Habermehl before the clock ran out on the Bruins’ comeback hopes after they had shut out Northwestern (2-2, 1-1) in the second half.
“How that game went, man, I’m proud of the guys for fighting and finishing,” Skipper said. “We need to start a lot better.”
Iamaleava was once again practically the only thing going for UCLA’s offense. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown while also running for a team-high 65 yards in 14 carries as part of an offensive game plan that emphasized quarterback runs. Running backs Jaivian Thomas, Jalen Berger and Anthony Woods combined for 66 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
“We just need to execute, man,” Iamaleava said when asked what it would take for the running backs to have more success. “Execute up front — know who our keys and our reads are and really just execute up front.”
Northwestern did not have nearly as much trouble moving the ball on the ground. Caleb Komolafe gained a career-high 119 yards in 27 carries as part of a run game that collected 199 yards.
Part of UCLA’s defensive struggles could be pinned on running a new scheme being called by Kevin Coyle after his in-season arrival last week from Syracuse to essentially take over for departed defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe.
“The first half, we were thinking too much and not making plays and the second half,” Skipper said, “we started making the plays and then obviously it’s going to look better.”
Perhaps the only upside to this loss was that the Bruins didn’t give up.
UCLA’s Anthony Woods carries the ball as Northwestern’s Aidan Hubbard tries to tackle him during the first half Saturday.
(Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
After looking lifeless for the first 3½ quarters, UCLA received a big jolt when wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer beat his man and snagged a 29-yard touchdown pass from Iamaleava in the back of the end zone. Iamaleava’s pass to Woods on the two-point conversion pulled the Bruins to within 17-14 with 6:19 left.
Northwestern tried to burn as much clock as possible but had to punt after Bruins defensive lineman A.J. Fuimaono batted down a third-down pass.
UCLA’s defense had provided a huge boost earlier in the fourth quarter after Northwestern (2-2, 1-1) had a first and goal at the Bruins’ three-yard line. Two runs were stuffed and a Preston Stone pass was tipped and nearly intercepted.
Northwestern then lined up for a 20-yard field-goal attempt that would have given it a two-touchdown lead, only for UCLA’s Rodrick Pleasant to block the kick.
“We’re just fighting,” Pleasant said of the defense’s late-game mindset. “That was the biggest thing — just to fight. We all we got, and we’re all we need. So let’s fight out there and know what we need to do.”
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava scrambles against Northwestern in the second half Saturday.
(Michael Hickey / Getty Images)
UCLA suffered a setback early in the second half on a play that was appallingly bad. After the Bruins committed a false start, edge rusher Kechaun Bennett was called for roughing the passer and targeting, leading to his ejection.
For a fourth consecutive game, UCLA fell behind by double digits after Northwestern scored on its first three possessions to take a 17-0 lead.
“The message in the room is to start fast,” Iamaleava said, “and we’re not doing that at a high level.”
UCLA failed to stop the run, giving up 7.5 yards per carry in the first half to two running backs who opened the season as backups before starter Cam Porter went down with a leg injury. Komolafe met so little resistance that he fumbled a pitch and was able to score untouched on a nine-yard touchdown run.
The Bruins showed they were equally bad in pass coverage, giving up an all-too-easy 10-yard touchdown pass from Stone to wide receiver Griffin Wilde that put the Wildcats up by three scores.
UCLA highlights in the first half were scarce. Edge rusher Anthony Jones made a sack. When it appeared as if UCLA was set to punt, Thomas took a direct snap and ran for 12 yards and a first down. The Bruins also quickly marched downfield on their final drive of the first half, which ended in Mateen Bhaghani’s 28-yard field goal that put them on the board.
Bhaghani added another field goal in the third quarter, making him seven for seven in 2025, and he could make a compelling case as the team’s most valuable player a third of the way through the season.
The most important development this week could be taking roll. Players have reached the four-game threshold that would allow them to redshirt and preserve another season of eligibility. They’re also still well within the 30-day transfer portal window that opened after Foster’s firing.
Looming is a game against No. 3 Penn State at the Rose Bowl next weekend and a remaining schedule in which the Bruins could be underdogs every week.
None of that mattered Saturday evening as they faced a long, deflating flight home.
“It really does sting,” Skipper said of the latest loss, “but like I told those guys, man, you’ve got to keep your head up — I mean, we’re going to be in the fight every single game, all right?”
