Bruins Receive Season-High Performance From Fifth-Year WR

The UCLA Bruins dominated in the run game but one pass catcher was a difference in their upset win over Iowa last Friday.

Oct 12, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Logan Loya (17) sprints to the endzone as Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Ethan Robinson (2) gives chase during the first quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-5) needed a strong performance from the passing game to take down the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-4) last Friday night. They received a season-high performance from senior wideout Logan Loya, with five catches for 94 yards and a touchdown to help earn their third-straight win.

Coming into the contest, Loya had achieved 50 receiving yards once so far this season (Week 5 vs. Penn State, 57 yards). He nearly doubled that this week, catching one less pass than he did against the Nittany Lions, but went for bigger plays against the Hawkeyes.

The Garden Grove, California native has been dealing with an undisclosed injury for a good portion of this season, missing two of the team's first two games of the season. He seems to be more than healthy after what he put on display at the Rose Bowl last weekend.

Loya is a fifth-year senior who has spent his entire collegiate career as a Bruin, something that you do not see too often anymore with the new college football landscape. After a strong junior season a year ago, Loya could have easily transferred out. Instead, he stayed dedicated to the program.

With senior tight end Moliki Matavao being out for last week's win, Loya had to step into a larger role, and he delivered. He was the main target all night for Bruins senior quarterback Ethan Garbers. The two veterans linked up for multiple plays of over 20 yards and picked apart the Hawkeyes defense.

The Bruins will hit the road for their third away game in the past four weeks to battle a familiar foe in the Washington Huskies (5-5). Two teams that are fresh into the Big Ten, looking to prove that they both belong at the top of this conference.

Loya will need another stellar performance to achieve another win but his task will be the hardest yet this season. The Huskies possess the number one pass defense in the conference, allowing just 149.8 yards per game through the air. It will be up to guys like Loya and Garbers to beat that defense.

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