Hawkeyes Coach Previews Friday Night Battle With UCLA

The UCLA Bruins take on a tough Iowa Hawkeyes team at home this Friday night. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz gave his thoughts on the upcoming matchup in Westwood.

Oct 12, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz looks on during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Kinnick Stadium. The victory would the 200th of Ferentz’s Big Ten career. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (3-5) will take on another one of the Big Ten's best on Friday night at home, battling the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3) in Westwood. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz spoke to the media on Tuesday, expressing his thoughts on what is to come against a Bruins team that has won two straight.

"We see an impressive football team with UCLA," Ferentz said. "They're playing well right now. I think there are probably three key things you have to look at when you look at their team right now and their season thus far. In some ways, it's a little bit like when we played Washington, but first and foremost, they have a new staff with a lot of new faces on it, so that's one thing, and then a fair amount of new players, as well."

Former player of the program and NFL running back DeShaun Foster was named the Bruins' newest head coach. He brought with him long-time NFL offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and a litter of new staff members and players to help rebuild this team into a national contender.

Ferentz tipped his cap to his opposing coach this week and recognized the importance of bringing in an individual who knows the Bruins program better than most. One with professional experience and has a chance to turn this program around in a very short time.

"Coach Foster is a UCLA Bruin," Ferentz said. "He played there and had an outstanding career. He played in the NFL and has spent most of his coaching career back at UCLA and is doing a really good job."

The Bruins struggled heavily to start the season, losing five of their first six games. Four of those were against some of the country's best, and they are reaping the benefits of that adversity with back-to-back wins in conference to rejuvenate a season that originally looked lost.

"Second thing is the schedule that they have played thus far," Ferentz said. "They started out with an away trip to Hawai'i, which is no piece of cake, played midday out there, then came back, and they played Indiana, LSU, Oregon and Penn State. That's a pretty steep challenge, four teams in the top 12. Pretty impressive there."

Wins over Rutgers and Nebraska in their past two games has shown that this team has the ability to compete in the Big Ten. The Bruins are playing their best brand of football at the most crucial time of the season and have gradually improved each and every game.

"The third thing, you look at what they've done the last three games and they really looked like a good football team," Ferentz said. "Tough loss to Minnesota a couple weeks ago, and then they've gone on the road and won twice impressively, at Rutgers and last week at Nebraska."

The Hawkeyes will travel three time zones, something that they rarely ever did before conference realignment and the joining of multiple West Coast schools to the conference. The Rose Bowl is a dangerous place to play for an opponent and the Bruins will welcome them with a ruckus crowd.

"All in all, just a tough football team to play against, and then the last thing, the venue, obviously, is different and unique," Ferentz said. "I'd compare it to when we went to Wrigley last year, a little bit of a change of pace from what we're used to, and certainly playing in the Rose Bowl, it's a very historic venue as all of you know, and it'll be interesting to be there for an away game in conference play."

There is no doubt this game will be competitive. The Hawkeyes are riding off a two-game win streak just as the Bruins are and are both playing their best late in the year. Ferentz and Foster will both have their teams fired up for a game that is sure to bring fireworks.

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