Bruins hold on for third straight upset win

by Junna Base November 9, 2024

The UCLA Bruins (4-5) are on one of the hottest streaks in the Big Ten as they held on to go 20-17 and upset the Iowa Hawkeyes on homecoming night. A comeback for the ages and one that will be remembered for a long time.

It was the first meeting between the two teams since the Rose Bowl in 1986. The Bruins emerged victorious in this duel and then celebrated their biggest win of the season. UCLA coach DeShaun Foster completely turned this team around in just a few weeks.

When the Bruins trailed 10-0 early in the ballgame, it looked like their two-game winning streak would come to an end. They didn’t flinch for a second, scoring 17 unanswered points and hitting the go-ahead field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

Both sides of the ball played sensationally, totaling 415 yards of offense and forcing three turnovers. The star of the game was undoubtedly junior running back TJ Harden, who finished with a season-high 125 yards on the ground.

Harden’s best game before Friday night came in Week 4 when he rushed for 53 yards. He doubled that number and more by overrunning the Hawkeyes’ entire defense. He was the key to success as the Bruins defied accusations that they were the worst running team in the Big Ten.

Quarterback Ethan Garbers started his night with two interceptions on the first two possessions, leading to a 10-0 deficit. He quickly recovered and threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns in response.

The defense also stayed in business tonight. Two interceptions and a forced fumble by key players were groundbreaking. Senior linebacker Carson Schwesinger earned not one, but two interceptions in the game. He had never caught an interception before this game.

Bruins kicker Mateen Bhaghani also impressed in the win. He made a 57-yard field goal in the first half for his career-longest and second-longest in school history. He later kicked the go-ahead field goal in the fourth period, which made the difference in the game.

This Bruins team is a completely different group than the one that started the season 1-5. The fact that they played against four top 25 teams at the beginning prepared the team for this game. They fell behind by double digits early and knew they had the tools to fix the problem.

The Bruins are just two wins away from bowl eligibility and are one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten with three straight wins. They’ll celebrate this victory for 24 hours and get back to work preparing for their date with the Washington Huskies on the road next week.

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