UCLA rally falls short as Northwestern edges Bruins

EVANSTON, Ill. — You can change the coach and quicken the pace of practice, but one thing can’t be transformed.

It’s always going to be the same team.

UCLA showed some fight late in its Big Ten Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Martin Stadium while ultimately falling victim to the same problems that had plagued it before the dismissal of coach DeShaun Foster.

An incredibly slow start in which it fell behind by multiple scores.

An offense that can’t run the ball or consistently sustain drives.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 14, end of game

Northwestern started on its 47.

Caleb Komolafe ran for four yards, UCLA called timeout, Komolafe ran for two yards and UCLA called timeout again.

On third-and-four on the UCLA 47, quarterback Preston Stone was sacked for a loss of three yards. UCLA called timeout.

Northwestern punted and there was a touchback.

UCLA started on its 20.

Nico Iamaleava ran for four yards. Iamaleava passed to Hudson Habermehl for nine yards. The ball popped out but rolled out of bounds and UCLA retained possession.

Iamaleava passed to Woods for no gain, Iamaleava was sacked for a loss of seven yards and UCLA was called for false start.

Iamaleava completed a pass to Habermehl for 11 yards, but time expired and Northwestern held on for the win.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 14, 1:55 left in fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 7. Jaivian Thomas ran for a loss of two yards. Nico Iamaleava passed to Thomas for four yards. On third-and-eight, Iamaleava’s pass was incomplete.

UCLA punted it and Northwestern muffed the punt, but it tumbled out of bounds at the Wildcats’ 46.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 14, 3:16 left in fourth quarter

Northwestern started on its 25.

Preston Stone passed to Joseph Himon II, but Himon dropped it. Stone ran for eight. Caleb Komolafe ran for 10 yards and then another five yards. Himon ran for one yard. On third-and-four at the Northwestern 49, Stone’s pass was batted down.

The Wildcats punted to the UCLA 7.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 14, 6:19 left in fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 20.

Jaivian Thomas ran for 13 yards. Nico Iamaleava passed for 11 yards. Thomas ran for 12 yards and Northwestern was called for a personal foul. Iamaleava passed to Kwazi Gilmer for a 29-yard touchdown. Iamaleava passed to Anthony Woods for the two-point conversion.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 6, 7:48 left in fourth quarter

Northwestern started on its 31 after the kickoff.

Caleb Komolafe ran for six yards, two yards, one yard and two yards before time expired in the third quarter.

Joseph Himon II ran for no gain.

Preston Stone’s deep pass was incomplete, but UCLA was called for pass interference. Ryan Boe ran for two yards to the UCLA 41. Stone rolled out and evaded a sack to rumble for 10 yards. Officials reviewed potential targeting on the play.

Boe ran for two yards and Stone ran for 10 yards before Komolafe for three yards, 13 yards, eight yards, one yard and three yards to the UCLA 3.

Himon ran for no gain. Stone’s pass was knocked down and nearly interception before Stone pushed it to the turf. On third-and-goal, Komolafe ran for one yard.

The Northwestern field goal was blocked, completing a drive that showed UCLA has not given up yet.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 6, 2:48 left in third quarter

UCLA started on its 20.

Nico Iamaleava passed for two yards. Javaian Thomas ran for one yard. Iamaleava scrambled for 32 yards to the Northwestern 45. Iamaleava carried the ball again for six yards.

Iamaleava passed for 18 yards, Jalen Berger ran for one yard, Iamaleava ran or two yards and Iamaleava passed for nine yards to the Northwestern 9.

Iamaleava ran for two yards, Anthony Woods ran for no gain and Iamaleava’s pass was incomplete.

Mateen Bhaghani hit a 25-yard field goal and UCLA was called for a personal foul on the play.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 3, 9:00 left in third quarter

Northwestern started on its 25 after the kickoff.

Drew Wagner ran for eight yards, then Preston Stone passed for loss of one yard and a loss of three yards. On third-and-14, Stone passed to Griffin Wilde for 15 yards.

Caleb Komolafe ran for two yards. Stone tossed an incomplete pass, but UCLA’s Kechaun Bennett was called for targeting and ejected.

Komolafe ran for a one-yard loss, Stone ran for a one-yard gain and Stone tossed an incomplete pass.

Luke Akers punted for a touchback.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 3, end of second quarter

Nico Iamaleava passes to Titus Mokiao-Atimalala for 19 yards before UCLA called timeout. Anthony Woods ran for five yards.

Iamaleava passed to Mokiao-Atimalala for two yards, moving the ball to the UCAL 43, and the two-minute timeout was triggered.

Iamaleava passed to Rico Flores Jr. for seven yards. Iamaleava’s next pass was incomplete. Anthony Woods ran for three yards and Iamaleava ran for nine. Iamaleava passed to Kwazi Gilmer for 13 yards. Jalen Berger ran for three yards. Iamaleava passed to Woods for five yards.

Iamaleava passed to Woods for seven yards.

UCLA spiked the ball and Mateen Bhaghani hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.

Northwestern 17, UCLA 0, 3:33 left in the second quarter

Northwestern started on its 36 after the turnover on downs.

Preston Stone passed for six yards before Joseph Himon II ran for three yards and then 20 yards. Stone then passed to Griffin Wilde for 25 yards and connected with Wilde again for the 10-yard touchdown.

Jack Olsen hit the extra point.

Northwestern 10, UCLA 0, 6:19 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 17 after the kickoff return.

Nico Iamaleava ran for eight yards. Javian Thomas ran for a loss of one yard. On third-and-three, Northwestern called timeout to challenge the spot on Thomas’ run. Iamaleava ran for two yards. UCLA faked the punt and Thomas ran for 12 yards to extend the drive.

Thomas ran for eight yards. Iamaleava was it and the pass he tossed down field was incomplete. Iamaleava scrambled out of a collapsing pocket for three yards and a first down. Iamaleava passed to Jaedon Wilson for nine yards.

Iamaleava passed to Jalen Berger for two yards, but UCLA was called for illegal formation. On second-and-six at the Northwestern 41, Iamaleava ran for six yards. Iamaleava took a deep shot, but it fell incomplete. Berger ran for five yards. Anthony Woods gained two yards.

On fourth-and-three-at the Northwestern 34, Iamaleava was sacked for a two-yard loss. The Wildcats declined a UCLA penalty to secure the turnover on owns.

UCLA started on its 17 after the kickoff return.

Nico Iamaleava ran for eight yards. Javian Thomas ran for a loss of one yard. On third-and-three, Northwestern called timeout to challenge the spot on Thomas’ run. Iamaleava ran for two yards. UCLA faked the punt and Thomas ran for 12 yards to extend the drive.

Thomas ran for eight yards. Iamaleava was it and the pass he tossed down field was incomplete. Iamaleava scrambled out of a collapsing pocket for three yards and a first down. Iamaleava passed to Jaedon Wilson for nine yards.

Iamaleava passed to Jalen Berger for two yards, but UCLA was called for illegal formation. On second-and-six at the Northwestern 41, Iamaleava ran for six yards. Iamaleava took a deep shot, but it fell incomplete. Berger ran for five yards. Anthony Woods gained two yards.

On fourth-and-three-at the Northwestern 34, Iamaleava was sacked for a two-yard loss. The Wildcats declined a UCLA penalty to secure the turnover on owns.

Northwestern 10, UCLA 0, 13:29 left in the second quarter

Northwestern continued its march to the UCLA red zone.

Caleb Komolafe fumbled and recovered before running for a nine-yard touchdown. Northwestern hit the extra point.

Northwestern 3, UCLA 0, end of first quarter

Northwestern started on its 31.

Caleb Komolafe ran for nine yards. UCLA called timeout. Komolafe ran for three yards.

Preston Stone tossed a screen pass for a first down as time expired in the first quarter.

Northwestern 3, UCLA 0, 1:26 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 14 after the kickoff return.

Nico Iamaleava passed to Rico Flores Jr. for three yards. Iamaleava rolled away from pressure and tossed the ball out of bounds. And Iamaleava tossed another incomplete pass intended for Kwazi Gilmer.

UCLA punted to the Northwestern 31.

Northwestern 3, UCLA 0, 4:03 left in the first quarter

Northwestern started on its 11.

Caleb Komolafe ran for seven yards and five yards before Northwestern was called for false start.

Preston Stone tossed a deep incomplete pass. Joseph Himon II ran for eight yards. Komolafe ran for 10 yards before Stone ran for another 15 yards and Komolafe tacked on a yard.

Stone passed for four yards, Komolafe ran for seven yards and Komolafe was dropped for a one-yard loss.

On second-and-11 at the UCLA 38, Stone’s deep was incomplete. Stone passed to Griffin Wilde for seven yards and returned to Wilde for a 20-yard gain.

On first down at the UCLA 11, Komolafe ran for five yards. After a timeout, Stone was sacked.

Northwestern hit a 33-yard field goal to close the drive.

UCLA 0, Northwestern 0, 11:33 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 25 after the kickoff.

Nico Iamaleava ran for one yard. UCLA was called for a false start, making it seocnd-and-14 on the Bruins’ 21. Iamaleava passed for seven yards and then 15 yards before tossing an incomplete pass.

Jalen Berger ran for four yards. Iamaleavae was sacked for loss of one yard.

On fourth-and-seven at the UCLA 46, the Bruins punted and Northwestern returned it for one yard to its 11.

UCLA 0, Northwestern 0, start of first quarter

Northwestern won the coin toss and elected to defer.

Two years ago, reaching the first major crossroads of his UCLA athletic director career, Martin Jarmond drove the Bruins into a ditch.

He should have fired the unhappy and unsuccessful Chip Kelly at the end of the 2023 regular season. He did not. He instead praised Kelly for building a “strong and phenomenal culture.”

Three months later Kelly fired himself with an escape that seemingly everyone but Jarmond saw coming.

Soon thereafter, upon reaching the second major crossroads of his athletic director career, Jarmond drove the program into an even deeper ditch.

The Fresno State football players wanted to be heard after so much frustration, so much uncertainty.

A season that had started with their coach leaving the job because of health problems, only to deteriorate further with four losses in six games during a maddening midseason stretch, was now back firmly on the upswing.

Their temporary coach having steadied them through every challenge, including his own uncertain future, those players yearned to preserve what might have been the best part of a burdensome season.

A winless football team went bowling. It’s true.

With his players in need of a refreshing change that would still allow them to compete, UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper took the Bruins to a bowling alley last week on one of their days off from practicing.

“I also wanted to get out of the [football practice] building, to be honest, even for me and the coaches’ sake,” Skipper said Monday. “We’ve been locked in working and grinding and all that stuff, so we needed to get away and just kind of take a deep breath and compete in a different way.”

One UCLA football legend sat across from the other, lamenting how far their beloved program had fallen.

On one side was Rick Neuheisel, a onetime Rose Bowl most valuable player and Bruins head coach, wondering aloud whether his alma mater had put itself in position to pick a strong successor to the recently dismissed DeShaun Foster.

“Is there confidence in the current athletic director when there’s been swing-and-misses,” Neuheisel asked, “or do you need to go find somebody else?”

UCLA’s five-member search committee for its next football coach that was revealed Thursday features heavy hitters from various corners of the professional sports world, including two who helped engineer a quick turnaround with the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Commanders general manager Adam Peters and adviser Bob Myers — who will be joined on the committee by sports executive Casey Wasserman, former NFL star linebacker Eric Kendricks and UCLA executive senior associate athletics director Erin Adkins — were part of the team that hired Washington coach Dan Quinn, who took the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game in his first season.

These teams have combined for five losses in six games, and somehow that might not fully convey their futility.

One will be without its opening-day starting running back, the other without its opening-day head coach.

One is ranked next to last in the Big Ten Conference in points scored, the other worse.

They will meet in a temporary lakeside stadium, where the home team is averaging 10,835 fans per game and a vile wind can make throwing the football a fool’s errand.