The 2024 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the Big Ten Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bruins played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Former running back coach DeShaun Foster was in his first year as head coach, replacing Chip Kelly.
The 2024 season is the Bruins' first in the Big Ten since departing from the Pac-12 Conference.
The season was highlighted by a strong strength of schedule and poor offensive production. UCLA struggled to score in the redzone throughout the season and only scored more than thirty points in a game once, against Rutgers. They snapped a four game losing streak to Fresno State on the final week of the regular season after a third straight home loss to USC. Overall the Bruins finished 5–7 and 3–6 in the Big Ten Conference, and averaged 46,805 fans at the Rose Bowl.
Offseason
Incoming transfers EDGE Collins Acheampong – Miami (FL) CB Bryan Addison – Oregon IOL Oluwafunto Akinshilo – Iowa State RB Jalen Berger – Michigan State K Mateen Bhaghani – California QB Nick Billoups – BYU EDGE Jacob Busic – Navy OT Michael Carmody – Notre Dame QB Demaricus Davis – Washington LS Travis Drosos – South Alabama WR Rico Flores Jr. – Notre Dame WR Kyle Ford – USC RB Anthony Frias – Kansas State S Ramon Henderson – Notre Dame RB Leo Kemp – San Diego State IOL Alani Makihele – UNLV CB Kaylin Moore – California TE Bryce Pierre – Arizona State S Marcus Ratcliffe – San Diego State P Brody Richter – Northern Arizona DL Luke Schuermann – Johns Hopkins EDGE Cherif Seye – Florida A&M DL Drew Tuazama – South Carolina OT Reuben Unije – Louisville LB Joseph Vaughn – Yale CB K.J. Wallace – Georgia Tech
Outgoing transfers WR Kam Brown – Purdue EDGE Choe Bryant-Strother – BYU OT Bruno Fina – Duke WR Kyle Ford – USC RB Anthony Frias – Withdrawn LS Beau Gardner – Georgia DB Jaxon Harley – Cerritos College IOL Spencer Holstege – Withdrawn CB John Humphrey – USC WR Keegan Jones – Withdrawn WR Ari Libenson – TBD K RJ Lopez – Purdue WR Jeremiah McClure – San Diego State QB Dante Moore – Oregon S William Nimmo Jr. – San Diego State TE Grant Norberg – San Jose State S Kamari Ramsey – USC IOL Benjamin Roy – UMass TE Carsen Ryan – Utah QB Collin Schlee – Virginia Tech WR Bradley Schlom – San Diego DL Jay Toia – Withdrawn DB Kaleb Tuliau – Austin Peay IOL Jake Wiley – Houston
Schedule
Roster
Game summaries at Hawaii
Statistics UCLA HAW First downs 19 18 Total yards 343 278 Rushing yards 71 51 Passing yards 272 227 Passing: 19–38–2 25–42–2 Time of possession 27:34 32:26 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 19/38, 272 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ethan Garbers 7 carries, 47 yards Receiving Rico Flores Jr. 3 receptions, 102 yards, 1 TDHawaii Passing Brayden Schager 25/42, 227 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Lucas Borrow 1 carry, 19 yards Receiving Pofele Ashlock 9 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
vs Indiana
Statistics IU UCLA First downs 25 16 Total yards 62–430 50–238 Rushing yards 29–123 26–96 Passing yards 307 142 Passing: 25–33–0 15–24–1 Time of possession 31:34 28:26 Team Category Player StatisticsIndiana Passing Kurtis Rourke 25/33, 307 yards, 4 TD Rushing Justice Ellison 10 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD Receiving Miles Cross 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TDUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 14/23, 137 yards, 1 INT Rushing T. J. Harden 12 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD Receiving T. J. Harden 4 receptions, 41 yards
at No. 16 LSU
Statistics UCLA LSU First downs 17 27 Total yards 58–295 72–454 Rushing yards 22–14 28–102 Passing yards 281 352 Passing: 22–36–1 32–44–0 Time of possession 26:24 33:36 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 22/36, 281 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Keegan Jones 3 carries, 22 yards Receiving Kwazi Gilmer 2 receptions, 61 yardsLSU Passing Garrett Nussmeier 32/44, 352 yards, 3 TD Rushing Josh Williams 13 carries, 62 yards, TD Receiving Mason Taylor 8 receptions, 77 yards
vs No. 8 Oregon
Statistics ORE UCLA First downs 27 11 Total yards 78–431 48–172 Rushing yards 36–153 24–47 Passing yards 278 125 Passing: 31–42–1 13–24–2 Time of possession 33:32 26:28 Team Category Player StatisticsOregon Passing Dillon Gabriel 31/41, 278 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jordan James 20 carries, 103 yards, TD Receiving Tez Johnson 11 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 12/20, 118 yards, 2 INT Rushing T. J. Harden 13 carries, 53 yards Receiving Kwazi Gilmer 4 receptions, 31 yards
at No. 7 Penn State
UCLA leads the series 4–2 with Penn State winning the last meeting 21–6 on October 12, 1968.
Statistics UCLA PSU First downs 14 18 Total yards 59–260 54–322 Rushing yards 29–93 30–85 Passing yards 167 237 Passing: 22–30–0 17–24–0 Time of possession 32:57 27:03 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Justyn Martin 22/30, 167 yards, TD Rushing Jalen Berger 9 carries, 38 yards Receiving T.J. Harden 5 receptions, 59 yardsPenn State Passing Drew Allar 17/24, 237 yards, TD Rushing Kaytron Allen 21 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving Liam Clifford 3 receptions, 107 yards
vs Minnesota
Statistics MINN UCLA First downs 19 18 Total yards 234 329 Rushing yards 41 36 Passing yards 193 293 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26-37-0 25-36-3 Time of possession 30:58 29:02 Team Category Player StatisticsMinnesota Passing Max Brosmer 26/37, 193 yards, 2 TD Rushing Darius Taylor 16 carries, 30 yards, TD Receiving Daniel Jackson 10 receptions, 89 yardsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 25/36, 293 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Jalen Berger 8 carries, 20 yards Receiving J. Michael Sturdivant 7 receptions, 107 yards, TD
at Rutgers
Statistics UCLA RUTG First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Rushing Receiving Rutgers Passing Rushing Receiving
at Nebraska
Statistics UCLA NEB First downs 17 21 Total yards 55–358 72–322 Rushing yards 30–139 38–113 Passing yards 219 209 Passing: 17–25–0 16–34–2 Time of possession 29:14 30:46 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 17/25, 219 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ethan Garbers 6 carries, 56 yards Receiving Kwazi Gilmer 3 receptions, 88 yards, TDNebraska Passing Dylan Raiola 14/27, 177 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dante Dowdell 17 carries, 61 yards, 2 TD Receiving Isaiah Neyor 4 receptions, 89 yards, TD
vs Iowa (Homecoming)
Statistics IOWA UCLA First downs 12 23 Total yards 46–265 73–414 Rushing yards 31–80 39–211 Passing yards 185 203 Passing: 9–15–2 21–34–2 Time of possession 22:27 37:33 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Brendan Sullivan 6/9, 157 yards, 2 INT Rushing Kaleb Johnson 18 carries, 49 yards, TD Receiving Jacob Gill 6 receptions, 138 yardsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 21/34, 203 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing T. J. Harden 20 carries, 125 yards Receiving Logan Loya 5 receptions, 94 yards, TD
at Washington
Statistics UCLA WASH First downs 2120 Total yards 319305 Rushing yards 52123 Passing yards 267182 Passing: 27–44–0 20–29–2 Time of possession 33:0326:57 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers27/44, 267 yards, 2 TD Rushing T.J. Harden13 carries, 33 yards Receiving Moliki Matavao7 receptions, 68 yards, TDWashington Passing Will Rogers13/21, 115 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Jonah Coleman21 carries, 95 yards, 2 TD Receiving Giles Jackson8 receptions, 43 yards
vs USC (Victory Bell)
Statistics USC UCLA First downs 17 16 Total yards 346 376 Rushing yards 86 111 Passing yards 260 265 Passing: 20–36–0 20–29–0 Time of possession 29:03 30:57 Team Category Player StatisticsUSC Passing Jayden Maiava 19/35, 221 yards, TD Rushing Woody Marks 18 carries, 76 yards Receiving Kyron Hudson 6 receptions, 79 yardsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 20/29, 265 yards, TD Rushing T. J. Harden 14 carries, 99 yards Receiving J. Michael Sturdivant 5 receptions, 117 yards
vs Fresno State
Statistics FRES UCLA First downs 15 20 Total yards 281 363 Rushing yards 62 74 Passing yards 219 289 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 30–45–0 26–40–0 Time of possession 22:36 37:14 Team Category Player StatisticsFresno State Passing Mikey Keene 30/43, 219 yards, TD Rushing Bryson Donelson 6 carries, 41 yards Receiving Mac Dalena 7 receptions, 47 yardsUCLA Passing Ethan Garbers 26/40, 289 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Frias II 13 carries, 43 yards Receiving Moliki Matavao 8 receptions, 120 yards
Awards and honors Recipient Award (Big-Ten Conference) Week # Date awarded Ref. Mateen Bhaghani Special teams player of the week 1 September 2, 2024 Ethan Garbers Offensive Player of the Week 8 October 21, 2024 Carson Schwesinger All-Big Ten First Team 15 December 3, 2024 Kain Medrano All-Big Ten Third Team 15 December 3, 2024 Jay Toia All-Big Ten Honorable Mention 15 December 3, 2024 Kaylin Moore All-Big Ten Honorable Mention 15 December 3, 2024
December 10, 2024 – Carson Schwesinger was named to the AP All-Big Ten First Team
References