Bruins Detail Frustration Amid 0-2 Start to Season

Following the UCLA Bruins' 30-23 loss to UNLV on Saturday, reality on the outlook of their season started to creep in.

There may have been a positive outlook after their Week 1 loss to Utah -- a much better team than the Rebels -- but the Bruins' frustrations are starting to be voiced after their 0-2 start.

"The tension is there," UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said of the team's attitude in the locker room postgame. "I didn’t have to go in there and corral the guys and say, ‘stop doing this.’ They’re standing there looking right at my face saying, ‘yes’ or ‘no, sir’, and understanding what’s going on. It’s a two-half sport. You’ve got to be able to show up for four quarters. We did it for 1 and 3/4 (quarters).”

ucl — Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster watches game action against the Utah Utes during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

UCLA was a completely different team in both halves of their loss to UNLV.

Much of UCLA's first-half struggles were self-inflicted. The Bruins finished with 14 penalties that cost them 129 yards. Even then, the Rebels committed 13 of their own for 130, but UCLA's came at much more costly times.

In the second half, though, the Bruins looked like the team many projected they'd be going into the season. The offense was rolling and the defense strung together clutch stops on consecutive drives.

UCLA's offense was storming down the field on its final drive of the game before Nico Iamaleava threw a pass that was tipped up and intercepted by UNLV defensive back Aamaris Brown.

Iamaleava finished with 255 passing yards and a touchdown on 29-of-41 passing completions. He added a touchdown on the ground -- a 30-yarder -- to go along with 59 rushing yards.

ucl — Sep 3, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Gary Smith III (58) drinks water and cools off at a misting station during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

UCLA defensive tackle and captain Gary Smith III expanded on the locker room frustration and the level of urgency moving forward.

"I just know that we want to start better," Smith said. "We came out in the second half and kept swinging. I’m just happy we didn’t give up. That’s something to build off of. We just got to go back and make adjustments off the film.

"I would say that we’re very urgent. Just come in, go to work, and try to get better as a team.”

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