UCLA's Big Ten Debut Marred by Crushing Defeat to Indiana

Photo byAllen J. Schaben

In a sobering initiation to the Big Ten Conference, UCLA's football team was decisively beaten 42-13 by Indiana at the Rose Bowl on Saturday evening, casting a shadow over coach DeShaun Foster’s first season.

The Bruins, who had hoped to build on a narrow victory in their season opener against Hawaii, were instead thoroughly dismantled by a commanding Indiana squad. The loss raises significant concerns about UCLA’s readiness for the heightened challenges of Big Ten play.

“There are no excuses,” Foster remarked bluntly after the game. “We lined up and got beat.”

Indiana's quarterback, Kurtis Rourke, delivered a standout performance, slicing through UCLA's defense with ease. Rourke amassed 307 yards and threw four touchdowns, showcasing a precision and efficiency that the Bruins struggled to counter. Meanwhile, UCLA’s own quarterback, Ethan Garbers, had a rough outing, fumbling on his first play and failing to make a substantial impact throughout the game.

Garbers acknowledged the gap between his team’s current form and their aspirations, stating, “I think we really needed to kind of be shown that we’re not there right now. There’s a lot of work to be done and we’re excited to do that work.”

UCLA's defense, which had shown vulnerabilities in their previous game, was unable to mount any significant resistance against Indiana’s offensive barrage. With this defeat, the Bruins face an uphill battle as they seek to regroup and adjust to the demands of their new conference.