Can the Bruins get their first Big Ten win?

The University of California, Los Angeles football team has passed the difficult period of overhauling its coaching regime. Six weeks into the college football season, the Bruins are well under .500 with a record of 1-4.

On Saturday night, UCLA will look to pick up its first home win of the season when it hosts the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are riding high after defeating cross-city rival USC. USC was the 11th ranked team in the country at the time.

Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster was tasked with revitalizing UCLA’s football program, but in their first season as a member of the Big Ten Conference, the uphill battle they had to climb was relentless.

UCLA had the most demanding schedule in the conference and the most air miles traveled of any college program in football. Foster and his staff have not treated those challenges as excuses as he prepares to find a way to get his first win as a head coach.

It’s easy to predict a win for the Golden Gophers riding a wave of momentum, but the UCLA football program will get its first home win of the season at the expense of Minnesota. So far, the Bruins have improved in certain areas each week of the season, and fans on Saturday night should expect those factors to come together and pull off a win.

The Bruins’ defense has been the team’s highlight this season. Their most impressive performance this season was when they held a third-ranked Oregon team’s offense to six points in the second half. This performance means this group can be stopped defensively, which means it’s up to the UCLA offense, led by renowned coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

It’s a mystery who will start at quarterback against the Golden Gophers, as senior Ethan Garbers was injured two weeks ago and sophomore Justyn Martin has also shown promise.

Garbers was seen at practice this week with his right ankle heavily taped, which could mean another start for Martyn, whose mobility could be the perfect balance to deal with an injury-plagued offensive line. If Bieniemy can find a way to put up at least 21 points, the Bruins should be able to pick up their first Big Ten win.

Prediction: UCLA 24, Minnesota 20

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