The 2005 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and were coached by Karl Dorrell. It was Dorrell's third season as the UCLA head coach. The Bruins finished 10âÂÂ2 overall, and were third in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 6âÂÂ2 record. The Bruins were invited to play in the Vitalis Sun Bowl vs. Northwestern on December 30, 2005. After giving up 22 unanswered points in the first quarter, the Bruins came back to win 50âÂÂ38. The team was ranked #16 in the final AP Poll and #13 in the final Coaches Poll.
UCLA was ranked No. 24 by Lindy's and No. 19 by Blue Ribbon in the preseason polls.
On June 10, 2010, the NCAA found that Reggie Bush was ineligible for college athletics during the 2005 season, and USC was forced to vacate all wins from that year.
UCLA overcame a 22âÂÂ0 deficit to Northwestern in the first quarter to win 50âÂÂ38.