Redshirt junior linebacker Carson Schwesinger led the Bruin defense in tackles against Hawai’i with seven solo tackles including one TFL, and he also forced a fumble. (Photo Credit: Don Liebig/uclabruins.com)
After a year of anticipation, UCLA football will make their Big Ten debut tonight when the Bruins host the Indiana Hoosiers at the Rose Bowl.
There are plenty of questions surrounding both teams. The Hoosiers easily defeated Florida International to start the season and they absolutely crushed Western Michigan last week. The Bruins won their season opener two weeks ago with a game-winning field goal with just under a minute to play, but the UCLA offense looked extremely shaky in the first half.
Which team will come out ahead? It’s going to take four quarters of football to decide that.
Join us in the comments below as we we begin a new era in UCLA football as well as college football.
Here are the Keys to the Game for the Bruins tonight:
Keys to the Game
Let’s move on to the keys to the game.
1. Ignite the Offense
After a slow start against the Rainbow Warriors, the Bruin offense has something to prove. They need to come out and score points early against a Hoosier team which has only given up one touchdown and one field goal.
2. Shut Down the Run
Indiana has been putting up video game numbers on offense, beating FIU by a score of 31-7, and Western Illinois by a score of 77-3. So, the first thing the Bruin defense needs to do is keep the Hoosiers out of the end zone.
The best way to do that is to shut down the run because Indiana’s coaching staff seems to prefer to run the ball over going to the air.
3. Better Homefield Advantage?
Now that UCLA is in a new conference, they are no longer prevented from having students behind the opposing team bench. The relocation of the student section back to the East side of the Rose Bowl should help too. How much? Well, school’s still not back. So, it may not help too much tonight, but should in time for the next home game. The Spirit Squad will be back using on-field cheer boxes to help Bruin fans make the Rose Bowl more intimidating place to play. That should certainly pay off tonight.
Listen to the Game With TMB!
Today’s game is on NBC with Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge calling the game. If you would rather listen Josh Lewin and Matt Stevens call today’s game, you can listen to the game online while chatting in the TMB game thread. Just right click on the link and open it in another tab so you can have it playing while you chat in the comments below. That way, you can listen to Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook call today’s game. Though, I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to hear Noah Eagle calling tonight’s game as he is one of the best young announcers in the business..
Join your fellow Bruins discussing today’s game in the comments section below, but before you get there, here’s how to watch the first home game of the DeShaun Foster era and the first Big Ten Conference game ever:
UCLA Football (1-0, 0-0)
Opponent: Indiana Hoosiers (2-0, 0-0)
Series Record: First meeting
When: 4:30 pm PT, Saturday, September 14, 2024
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Live TV: NBC with Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen
Radio/Audio: AM 1150 in Los Angeles with Josh Lewin, Matt Stevens and Wayne Cook Satellite Radio: Sirius Ch. 137, XM Ch. 137, SiriusXM Ch. 195 (UCLA Call)
Rebroadcast (All times PT): Sunday, 9/15 at 1:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60) Sunday, 9/15 at 8:00 pm on BTN (B1G Football in 60)
Tuesday, 9/17 at 12:00 am on BTN (B1G Football in 60) Wednesday, 9/18 at 6:00 am 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 to @TheMightyBruin on Twitter.
Hi Terry! It's wonderful to be here (and not at work, grrr) with my Bruin fam this week. I saw your comment last week that your grandson is playing hockey here in CO with the Grit this year - and they are currently beating El Paso 2-1 in the first per! I hope he has a great season!!
He is going back and forth between Grit and Florida. If he were Grit full time he would have been youngest player and not gotten as much ice time. He will be ready for full time Grit next year.
Wazzup TxBruinFan and Clio?! I'm on my couch in exile (Colorado) this week but my wife and daughter are in the Rose Bowl today so I feel represented haha. Kate will be a junior in Westwood this fall...Man how time is flying!
What's up G? Been a while since I visited so thought I would pop in. Also, shout out the Chanticleers for a big win on the road today. We moved my youngest there in August for school!
Very entertaining U Dub v. WSU game today; WSU won at the end, although it was anyone's game the whole time. Meanwhile Oregon beat Oregon St. handily and Arizona got utterly annihilated by Kansas State
I've never been a fan of Sturdivant. Maybe he's a stud in practices and has track speed, but it doesn't show up in games. He'll have maybe 1 or 2 great catches and then disappear for a couple of games. I would've had Loya as the slot receiver or flanker or Z receiver. He just always seems to find a way to get open or make the big catch. Flores as the 1 or X receiver. He got better as he got more familiar. Sturdivant was his typical unreliable self.
Good points. He has really been feast or famine. I would suggest the whole offense last year and so far this year has been really inconsistent, too. Hopefully as (if) the offense develops some consistency this year, Sturdivant will too and then his talent can make him a regular weapon.
U!!! clap clap clap
C!!! clap clap clap
LLLLLLLLL!
A!
U
C
L
A
Fight Fight Fight!
Hello Clio - let's go Bruins!!
Here we go Bruins, here we go!
Good evening, Terry! Let's go Bruins!
Good evening, Greg! Go Bruins!
Hi kingjim!!
Hello Greg and Tx. Great to have you with us. Go Bruins.
Hi Terry! It's wonderful to be here (and not at work, grrr) with my Bruin fam this week. I saw your comment last week that your grandson is playing hockey here in CO with the Grit this year - and they are currently beating El Paso 2-1 in the first per! I hope he has a great season!!
He is going back and forth between Grit and Florida. If he were Grit full time he would have been youngest player and not gotten as much ice time. He will be ready for full time Grit next year.
Wazzup TxBruinFan and Clio?! I'm on my couch in exile (Colorado) this week but my wife and daughter are in the Rose Bowl today so I feel represented haha. Kate will be a junior in Westwood this fall...Man how time is flying!
GO BRUINS!!
What's up G? Been a while since I visited so thought I would pop in. Also, shout out the Chanticleers for a big win on the road today. We moved my youngest there in August for school!
Good luck to your son, TxBruin!
Thanks....I should clarify, it's our daughter....but all good! By all reports she is enjoying unlimited meal swipes out there!
In any case good luck to both of you,Dad!
Excellent!! Wow, what a big moment for your youngest. Hope it's a great year!! Is that making you an empty nester now?
Almost....our son is still with us....but he is on the clock
Dante Moore getting mop up time for Oregon right now.
Purdue looking today very much like a team we want to play. They're sure no Northern Illinois.
wow f'ing a... they just put a picture of tiara on the screen while trying to equate us as basketball schools. Not cool, NBC. Not cool at all.
Wow, you guys started early! LOL
Great to see our community so pumped for the game!
Good evening,BB! It's too bad we aren't having a tail-gater, we had the time!
Hey, Jim, had it not been for a party later on, I woulda been tail-gating at Rose Bowl today!
Bit of a drive for me.
Hey bruinballer!
Hey, Greg! Long time no "see"
Hi BB!!
Hey, Terry! Let's go!
Good Morning Bruin Fam!
Hey,Jeffro!
Hey, Jeffro!
Hello, Jeffro!
Hi Jeffro.
Very entertaining U Dub v. WSU game today; WSU won at the end, although it was anyone's game the whole time. Meanwhile Oregon beat Oregon St. handily and Arizona got utterly annihilated by Kansas State
Oregon looked very strong.
Different feeling this year - I have no expectations about this team. Maybe I’m expecting the worst, hoping for a nice surprise.
Let's go, D!!!
Cam Rising left Utah game with a hand injury-- ugh
those things happen as a senior citizen
D pretty good so far - let’s get this stop
Ugh - can’t let them convert on 3-16
Nice to see aggressive D
Yeah, but need to get more pressure without having to bring more than 4
They're connecting on crossing patterns in the middle of the field; we need to shut that down
Gah same spot on both long passes. C'mon, D.
Three man rush won’t work
C'mon, vaunted D!
They moved..
Can't get a stop on 3rd down
Can we please hit the QB??
Stopping the run pretty well but need to get more pressure on passes
That was quickass no time for pressure
Secondary not making plays
Horrible grab on shoulders pads. Not needed.
Leaving receivers wide open
Geez. Maybe consider covering those middle zones?
Horrible pass D
Yup. Need to make some adjustments there already.
If we have the players to make it work.
lol at announcers calling our D stingy. our defense is terrible.
Come on, Garbers. Manage the offense, don't try to win it right now
Son of a B....
Oh no
There was bad.
OMG that was embarrassing! RB hits QB's arm
That’s coaching and prep
that's game
Seven minutes into the game? LOL
Or not. Geez...
Their QB has forever
Hey, let's dig a hole!
No, dig upwards
Drop an LB into that 10 yd middle zone
sigh....
Or just let them drop one there and run to the goal line.
Couldn’t have started any worse.
Could have fumbled the KO!
Optimism! lol
Great play calling.
Looks like the same old team that beats itself.
Holy cow when is happening 🐄
You picked a good time to get here, Ry. You missed nothing of value.
I came to witness that start of an amazing comeback
We can’t have dropped passes
Agreed. Our margin for error is already so thin.
I've never been a fan of Sturdivant. Maybe he's a stud in practices and has track speed, but it doesn't show up in games. He'll have maybe 1 or 2 great catches and then disappear for a couple of games. I would've had Loya as the slot receiver or flanker or Z receiver. He just always seems to find a way to get open or make the big catch. Flores as the 1 or X receiver. He got better as he got more familiar. Sturdivant was his typical unreliable self.
Good points. He has really been feast or famine. I would suggest the whole offense last year and so far this year has been really inconsistent, too. Hopefully as (if) the offense develops some consistency this year, Sturdivant will too and then his talent can make him a regular weapon.
Looked like that guy led with his crown...
Now we're moving the ball!
Better
That was not much of a hold
Go for it!
YEP!
First down!!
Go...
Good run, TJ!