Purdue is one of the Big Ten schools UCLA has a very limited history with. In fact, tonight’s game will be the first meeting between the schools at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA has not lost any of the five meetings against Purdue. The last meeting occurred on September 20, 1980, almost 46 years to the day. That day, UCLA beat the Boilermakers 23-14 in large part due to a pair of interceptions by Jimmy Turner. Tom Ramsey threw for 170 yards in the game. Freeman MacNeil and Cormac Carney each scored a touchdown for the Bruins to go along with three Norm Johnson field goals.
The year before the Bruins defeated the Boilermakers at the Coliseum, 31-21. A pair of games in 1959 and 1960 saw both games end in a tie. The 1959 game was scoreless while the 1960 game ended 27-27. The Bruins won the first meeting in 1950, 20-6.
Let’s look at the odds, the weather forecast and how to watch, but if you’re in the LA area the only way to watch is from a seat at the Rose Bowl.
Odds
Last week, I took the Bruins and gave the points, and UCLA easily covered the 12.5-point spread. As a result, I’m now 2-0 against the spread this season. Meanwhile, by inability to predict the Over/Under continued. I took the Over, and the first half made it abundently clear that the teams were not going to score the required 54.5 points needed to put me in the win column. So, I’m now 0-2 for the year on the Over/Under.
The Bruins began this week as 14-point favorites in this game and are still favored by that amount. While this game feels like it could become a shoot out, UCLA’s fourth quarter offense is for real. Take the Bruins and give the points again this week.
The Over/Under for this game is 52.5 points. I’m concerned that Ryan Browne could put up big numbers for Purdue which will push the game into the Over. So, I’ve got to choose the Over again this week.
Tailgating and Game Time Weather Forecast
It should be another Chamber of Commerce day today at the Rose Bowl for the Bruins’ Big Ten opener
Look for the temperature to be 83° when the parking lots open at 2:00 pm for tailgating. Unlike last week, when it continued to get warmer as your tailgate proceeded, that should be as hot as it will get
It should dip into the upper 70s until the sun sets just before 7 pm. When the game kicks off at 8 pm, it should be a comfortable 72° and mostly clear. It will keep cooling to 69° by halftime. Look for some clouds to come in to make it partly cloudy for the fourth quarter. It will continue to slowly slip to about 67° by the end of the fourth quarter.
Let’s take a look at how to watch, listen and stream tomorrow’s game.
UCLA Football (2-0)
Opponent: Purdue Boilermakers (1-1)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 3-0-2
When: 8:00 pm PT, Saturday, September 19, 2026
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Live TV: BTN with Jason Horowitz, Brock Vereen and Kelsie Kasper
Live Stream: Fox.com and the Fox One app
Radio/Audio:
KABC-AM 790 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook
Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 177 & XM Ch. 231 (UCLA Call)Online: UCLABruins.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Rebroadcast (All times PT):
Sunday, 9/20 at 3:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Monday, 9/21 at 2:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Monday, 9/21 at 7:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Tuesday, 9/22 at 5:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)Wednesday, 9/23 at 12:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Wednesday, 9/23 at 7:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Wednesday, 9/23 at 8:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Thursday, 9/24 at 10:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Thursday, 9/24 at 7:30 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Go Bruins!!!
Thanks again for supporting The Mighty Bruin. Your paid subscriptions make this site possible. Questions, comments, story ideas, angry missives and more can be sent to @TheMightyBruin on Twitter.
Feels like a potential shootout - Purdue got 329 passing and outgained the same Wake team that Miami didn't exactly blow out last night, even if Mensah and Toney were pretty unstoppable.... playing to our strengths, we need to run the ball and keep their QB off the field - wear them down and pull away... Go Bruins!
My local sportsbook here in Vegas has had UCLA at -13.5 all week. That extra half point was enough for me to wager $10. Like you, I'm also 2-0 betting on UCLA to cover the spread and I did take the over on the Cal game. I stayed away from the O/U for the Purdue game.
I also had placed a $10 futures bet on UCLA at +75,000 2 hours prior to the Cal game.
I'm high on the Bruins, especially Chesney who has the vibe of young coach who can get the most out of his players much in the same way Vermeil and Donohue when they took the helm of the UCLA football program.
But until I see Nico and his receivers attempt and connect on some long completions, I don't see the offense generating consistence offense if the run game flat lines, We know that there are plenty of run stuffing defenses in the Big 10 and Chesney will have to find a way to get the passing game untracked sooner than later