UCLA's DeShaun Foster Previews Final Game

UCLA will look to finish its season strong when it hosts Fresno State on Saturday.

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster leaves the field with the game ball after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

UCLA is preparing for its final game of the regular season, one that won't have a whole lot on the line with bowl implications now out of the picture.

But the Bruins will be playing with pride, looking to end their seniors' collegiate careers with a victory.

"[I] was a little worried on how they were going to come out in practices, but they've been flying around," said UCLA coach DeShaun Foster when he addressed the media on Wednesday. "There's a lot of energy, guys enjoying being out here. And I think they're taking pride in trying to make sure that they send the seniors out the right way."

For that to happen, the Bruins will have to have one of their best outings of the season. Fresno State is a gritty team and one that will want to end its regular season on a high note as well before its bowl game. The Bulldogs will be riding the high of their narrow win over Colorado State that granted them bowl eligibility with a sixth win.

"I would just say it's more of a blue-collar type, just kind of just play hard all around," Foster said. "They have some transfers on defense that are contributing and stuff like that. So, it's just a total team effort. Whenever you play Fresno, you know you're going to get a hard-nosed team that's going to play hard. So, we've just got to make sure that they match our intensity when we get into that stadium and just stay penalty-free and no turnovers."

UCLA has lost its last four matchups against Fresno State, though Foster never lost to the Bulldogs during his playing career.

With no bowl game to play for, this game will come down to pride for this Bruins team. It showed promise in its first year under Foster, and there's signs of what could be a successful program down the road.

Winning one last home game would give fans something to look forward to going into next season, and it would also give Foster and his staff momentum going into Year 2.

Saturday's game is set for 12:30 p.m. PST, 3:30 p.m. EST.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.