UCLA vs. Ohio State 2025 Recap: Bruins Fall 48-10 at Horseshoe

The UCLA Bruins rollercoaster ride continues as they drop their third straight game and fall to 3-7 (3-4 Big Ten) on the season. Against No. 1 Ohio State, UCLA fell behind early and often, before eventually surrendering to a 48-10 defeat on the road. With that said, let’s dive into this 2025 Big Ten recap between UCLA vs. Ohio State.

UCLA Bruins vs. Ohio State Buckeyes: 2025 College Football Week 12 Recap

Though the outcome would have likely remained in a Buckeyes win, the Blue and Gold were short-handed in Saturday’s game. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava popped up on Friday’s injury report with a concussion that would leave him sidelined for the first time this season.

For as steep as the task already was to attempt to knock off the nation’s top team, doing it without their best player made it practically impossible for the Bruins — especially at “The Shoe”.

Luke Duncan’s First Taste of CFB

The redshirt sophomore took his first snaps at the collegiate level, and it couldn’t have been against a more intimidating opponent.

Offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel tried to settle his first-time starter with quick completions near and behind the line of scrimmage, before turning downfield. UCLA started the night with seven empty drives (six punts) and netted just 30 yards on 28 plays and 14:42 minutes of possession. It was the fourth time Ohio State had kept an opponent scoreless in the first half.

With the game in the balance entering the final thirty minutes, Duncan finally settled in and stringed a 75-yard touchdown drive — the first of his career. The ensuing possession tallied 12 plays for 61 yards and a field goal, ending the scoring for the Bruins.

Regardless, Duncan’s first outing produced 154 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions on 16-of-23 passing. Though a loss stains the team record, it was an overall solid performance for the unexpected starter.

Ohio State Scored at Will

The Buckeyes didn’t struggle scoring points. They were able to move the ball. They scored on five consecutive drives and put up points on seven of their nine total possessions.

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin continued his excellent season. The sophomore completed his first 11 passes for 100 yards before tossing an incompletion in the second quarter. His main target? None other than Jeremiah Smith. The sensational wideout hauled in four grabs on five targets for 40 yards before his day ended in the first half with a limp.

The rest of the receiving corps stepped up and aided Sayin’s 184-yard, one-touchdown performance. Not much was asked of the Heisman-candidate, as a growing lead eventually saw backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz relieve the duties.

It wasn’t just the passing game that dissected UCLA’s defense. The run game led by Bo Jackson, Isaiah West and James People had a field day, rushing for 215 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries. The trio averaged 7.4 yards per carry.

UCLA’s Self-Inflicted Wounds

It takes 60 minutes of perfect football to even come close to bringing panic to a No.1-ranked team, and the Bruins didn’t help their chances with their miscues.

All season, pre-snap penalties have been drive-killers for UCLA, and that continued Saturday against the Buckeyes. Four of the six offensive penalties came prior to a play being run. Three false starts and one delay of game in the first half were enough for Ohio State to take advantage of a rattled Blue and Gold unit. It kept Duncan’s offense behind the sticks and eventually led to uncomfortable downs and distances.

The special teams — who have been viable all year — had their first “bad” play of the season. A whiffed punt that was recovered by Ohio State late in the second quarter made matters worse and could be labeled as the dagger.

Up Next for Bruins

Outside of its brutal losses to No. 2 Indiana and now No. 1 Ohio State, UCLA has remained competitive since interim head coach Skipper took over. It’ll have a chance to bounce back in its final home game of the season against a former Pac-12 foe in Washington.

The Huskies are no slouch as they hold a 7-3 record on the year and are coming off a masterclass performance against Purdue. The Bruins will likely get Iamaleava back into the lineup next Saturday and rekindle the offense.

With two games remaining and bowl contention out the window, the Blue and Gold’s season is slowly coming to a halt, and with interim pieces flooding the coaching staff, a whole new look will shortly be taking the scene. Until then, UCLA will fight and play with pride as it closes out an overall disappointing season.