The 2023 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the Pac-12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Bruins were led by Chip Kelly in his sixth and final season at UCLA. They played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The season was the team's last season as members of Pac-12 before joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024.
UCLA finished the regular season with a 7âÂÂ5 record, losing three of their last four. They won the LA Bowl over Boise State for their first bowl win in Kelly's six-year tenure and the Bruins' first since 2015. UCLA finished 8âÂÂ5 for their third consecutive eight-win season and the program's second such streak since 1988.
Following the season on February 9, 2024, Kelly resigned to take the offensive coordinator position with Ohio State.
The UCLA Bruins football team drew an average home attendance of 47,951 in 2023.
On January 24, 2023, UCLA announced that it was hiring Kodi Whitfield as its new cornerbacks coach. On February 27, the school announced that it was hiring D'Anton Lynn as its defensive coordinator. Bill McGovern, director of football administration and former defensive coordinator, died on May 30, 2023.
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers, who sat out the previous week with a foot injury, returned and passed for 155 yards and three touchdowns in a 38âÂÂ20 win over the USC Trojans. Running back T. J. Harden ran for a career-high 142 yards on 22 carries, rushing for one touchdown and catching another. UCLA's defense held the Trojans to only three yards rushing and sacked USC quarterback Caleb Williams four times.
UCLA won 35âÂÂ22 over Mountain West Conference champion Boise State. It was the Bruins' first bowl win in Kelly's six-year tenure and the program's first since 2015. It was UCLA's third consecutive eight-win season, the second such streak in the program since 1988 under coach Terry Donahue.
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