UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) runs the ball while getting pulled down during a NCAAF game against the Southern California Trojans on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.Thomas MurraySun, November 30, 2025 at 5:37 AM UTC·7 min readLOS ANGELES — As UCLA faced off against its cross-town rival Saturday night against the USC Trojans, it was a game that exemplified the season they faced all year long. Fight all you can, still come up short.
UCLA came up on the short end of the stick in a 29-10 loss to USC.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn what's been a long and exhausting season for UCLA (3-9, 3-6 Big Ten) football due to a constant change surrounding them, Saturday night was simple: just find a way to win the next game. Like Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper has preached season-long.
The 2025 season will be one that is remembered by the term "Change".
"We wanted to win this battle for LA. We attacked the moment, good practices all week, and I really feel like they gave their all," Skipper said. "I'm proud of that."
Just a month into the season, the Bruins coaching staff was overhauled after they fired head coach Deshaun Foster and agreed to mutually part ways with both coordinators, leaving them with Skipper as the interim head coach, Kevin Coyle calling the defense, and former quarterback and son of former UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel, his son Jerry Neuheisel calling plays for the offense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt times, it seemed like the Bruins were changing the narrative of their season after a 42-37 victory over No.7 Penn State that led to a three-game win streak over Michigan State and Maryland.
Then came a four-game losing streak that turned into five after tonight's loss.
"They just put their all into it," UCLA defensive tackle Keeanu Williams said. "We had to adapt very quickly. We adapted and did the best we possibly could with limited time."
The road and journey were tough for the Bruins as they played one of the toughest schedules in college football during this stretch, including two road games at No.2 Indiana and No.1 Ohio State.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuring the Ohio State game, the Bruins were without their leader at quarterback, Nico Iamaleava.
The Bruins lost that game 48-10.
"It was a great learning year for me. A lot of firsts from me throughout the season," Iamaleava said. "Just the way we started off and dealing with minor injuries. It was a lot."
"It just showed I'm willing to go out there and put my life on the line for my teammates whenever is needed. We put up a great fight today, was unfortunate that we came up short."
UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) warms up before a NCAAF game against the USC Trojans on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.Jordan Carroll - The Sporting Tribune
UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) warms up before a NCAAF game against the USC Trojans on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBefore that game was played, the Bruins were dealing with another issue, one that the players could not control.
After a 28-21 loss to Nebraska at home, a report came out that indicated the Bruins were going to leave their home of the last 40 years and would become the third tenant to occupy SoFi Stadium, the same home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.
For some, change can be welcoming. For others, it can be daunting.
For UCLA, they were resilient throughout the course of the season, no matter the obstacle or the record.
"Coach Skip is someone you wanna play for. Somebody you wanna go out and go to war for," Iamaleava said. "Along with coach Jerry and coach Coyle. The guys came in every day to come work and put us in the best position to be successful."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"That's not easy, man. The year we had. It's easy to just give up on the year. ... I was very fortunate to have them in our corner."
In what was coming to the end of having to endure playing one of the hardest schedules in College Football, Saturday night was no different for the UCLA Bruins.
As UCLA came ready to block out the noise tonight and pull off an upset against the Trojans, they almost pulled it off.
USC opened the game on offense and scored on the opening possession on a 75-yard drive that featured 10 plays and ate up 5:45 of gametime.
Down 7-0, the Bruins had two choices: fight or not.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor the most part, they did all they could.
After failing to score on their opening possession, USC was ready to add extend their lead with a field goal, but the Bruins blocked the kick to keep it a one-score game.
UCLA answered on the next drive by eating up 7:50 of time, executing 13 plays for 79 yards, finishing it with a 2-yard pass from quarterback Nico Iamaleava to Kwazi Gilmer.
This gave them life.
UCLA Bruins wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer (3) celebrates a touchdown during a NCAAF game against the Southern California Trojans on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.Jordan Carroll - The Sporting Tribune
UCLA Bruins wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer (3) celebrates a touchdown during a NCAAF game against the Southern California Trojans on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
UCLA kept the Trojans' explosive offense quiet for the rest of the first half. USC had the chance to kick another field goal after the Bruins' touchdown, but were denied as the kick was no good, with wind blowing it outside of the right goal post.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFinally, UCLA's offense got the ball with the score tied.
Like they did on the drive before, UCLA ate up the clock by going downfield 60 yards and eating up 5:24. They ended the drive, leaving only 18 seconds of time left in the second quarter, and were up by 3 points following a 48-yard field goal by Mateen Bhaghani.
Coming out of halftime, the Bruins' offense had the ball with a 10-7 lead.
But USC's defense made the halftime adjustments.
"The first half we were controlling the pace of things," Skipper said. "That third quarter was kind of a seesaw battle a little bit, fourth quarter, penalties started adding up on us a little bit. We just didn't make enough plays."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Bruins' offense converted three first downs but was eventually put to a stop by the Trojans' defense.
USC forced the Bruins to punt. This then led to USC regaining the lead and extending it by scoring on its next two possessions.
The first score was a 32-yard reception by Makai Lemon, who is fourth in the country for receiving yards. The next was a 2-yard completion by quarterback Jayden Maiava to Lake McRee.
The Bruins, who had battled all year long with hopes of beating their cross-town rival, finally came back down to earth as they were trailing by 11 points.
With the clock winding down, under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Iamaleava connected with Titus Mokia-Atimalala on a 3rd and 2 to keep from a 24-yard pass.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTwo plays later, Iamaleava would find himself needing to convert another third down after throwing an incompletion and being sacked by a Trojan defender.
A roaring crowd in the LA Coliseum made the adversity even harder against the Bruins as a 3rd and 12 turned into a 3rd and 22 from a delay of game penalty and false start.
The Bruins failed to get the first down.
With UCLA's season quickly coming to an end, USC added one more touchdown before the final two minutes.
UCLA had one more chance to put together one more meaningful drive, but that came to an end in the 55 seconds of the game when Iamaleava was sacked for a 5-yard loss.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"These guys never quit. We played the number one, number two in the country, played good teams in this conference, and it didn't matter," Skipper said. "We attacked it, gave our all. Finished the year against a good team. We fought all the way through."
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