PASADENA, Calif -- Friday night at the Rose Bowl was another disastrous chapter in the UCLA Bruin's start to the 2025 season.
The Bruins fell 35-10 to the University of New Mexico Lobos in a game that was defined on the Bruin's part by a lack of execution and an over-abundance of penalties.
The Bruins committed 13 penalties in the loss that accounted for 116 yards. In a game where the Bruins' offense was scarce as it is, they continued to stifle offensive drives with their own fouls and mistakes.
"We've got to be cleaner, man," UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava said. "We've got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. It's costing us points and it's making our defense go right back out there."
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Tight end Simon Mapa #85 of the New Mexico Lobos catches a pass for a touchdown during an NCAA football game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 12, 2025 in Pasadena, California.
UCLA head coach DeShau Foster cited a lack of discipline, rather than a lack of talent, that was behind the Bruin's struggles in Friday's game.
Jordan Teller - The Sporting Tribune
Running back Damon Bankston #1 of the New Mexico Lobos evades a tackle during an NCAA football game against the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on September 12, 2025 in Pasadena, California.
"It comes down to discipline, you know, and execution," Foster said. "[We're] not executing at a high level and not making plays when we need to. We're not at our best."
UCLA wouldn't score again after their field goal while UNM blew ahead with another three touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown in the final seconds of the game that added insult to the injury of UCLA's third-straight loss.
Foster under fire
UCLA's winless start to the season has put Foster in hot water in his second year at the helm. While faith in Foster may be fading from fans and in conversation across the football media landscape, his players are taking accountability themselves.
"I believe in him 100%... there's a lot of things we have to clean up," defensive lineman Gary Smith III said. "I wouldn't point the finger at Coach Foster. Coach Foster's a great guy, great coach; he's done it at the best level...There's some things we need to clean up as far as discipline, penalties and stuff like that. We're going to get that done. We're going to have to get that done."
On the other side, Foster is doing the exact same thing: taking accountability for the team's shortcomings. For all UCLA's faults so far this season, the blame game is not one of them.
"Everything that happens can fall on me. I'm the head coach, so it can fall on me," Foster said.