OPPONENT (RV) Iowa (6-3, 4-2) at UCLA (3-5, 2-4)
DATE Friday, Nov. 8, 2024
LOCATION Pasadena, Calif. | Rose Bowl Stadium (91,136)
KICKOFF 8:05 p.m. (CT)
TELEVISION FOX
RADIO Hawkeye Radio Network

First and 10

• Iowa is facing UCLA for the first time since 1985 when they met in the Rose Bowl. This is the Hawkeyes first time going West in the regular season since 2010 — at Arizona. Iowa last played in California in 2019 in the Holiday Bowl.
• The Hawkeyes have scored 79 points in the last two games with junior QB Brendan Sullivan under center. The offense has scored 38+ points in five games this season — the most since 2008.
• Iowa won its 700th game in program history in Week 10 against Wisconsin, becoming the 35th school to reach the milestone.
• The Hawkeyes are bowl eligible for the 12th straight year and for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons.
• SWEET NOVEMBER. Iowa has won 19 of its last 21 games in the month of November, dating back to 2019.
• Iowa rushed for 329 yards in Week 10 against Wisconsin — the most for the program since 2019 and tied for the most in the Big Ten in 2024. The Hawkeyes had four players rush for 50+ yards — a first under head coach Kirk Ferentz.
• Ferentz has 202 career victories as Iowa’s head coach — second-most in Big Ten history. He trails only Ohio State’s Woody Hayes (205) for the most overall wins in league history.
• Junior RB Kaleb Johnson was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 4 after finishing with 135 yards on 24 attempts and scoring three touchdowns in the win over Wisconsin. He has scored at least one TD in every game — the longest stretch in program history — and has three touchdowns in four games.
• Johnson found the end zone for the 20th time in Week 10, tying Shonn Greene’s single season record. He has 120 points, which are tied with Greene and Nate Kaeding for the single-season school record.
• QB Brendan Sullivan rushed for 58 yards — the most since C.J. Beathard’s 77 yards at Iowa State in 2015.
• The Hawkeyes are 14-for-14 in red zone scoring opportunities (13 TDs, 1 FG) with Sullivan under center.
• The Hawkeyes have scored 40 points in three straight home games for the first time since 2011. Iowa is 31-0 when scoring 21+ points since 2020.
• Iowa scored 28 points in the third quarter against Northwestern — the most in a quarter since scoring 31 at Maryland in 2021. The Hawkeyes have scored 42 points in the third quarter in the past two weeks.
• Iowa’s defense surrendered just 163 yards of total offense against the Wildcats — the second game allowing 200 or fewer yards this season. The Hawkeyes did not allow an offensive touchdown in the game and are allowing just five points and 212 yards in the last two games.
• Johnson, who has 1,279 yards — the seventh-most in program history — is second in the nation in rushing yards (1,279), rushing yards per game (142.1), rushing touchdowns (19), total touchdowns (20), total points (120) and fifth in yards per carry (7.52).
• Big play KJ… Johnson has 20 rushes of 20+ yards, six 40+ yard runs and nine touchdown runs of 25+ yards this season. Iowa has 23 20+ yard rushes in 2024.
• Iowa’s rushing attack has churned out 200+ yards in seven games — the most for the program since 2015. The team’s 222.3 yards per game ranks first in the Big Ten and 10th nationally.
• Senior LB Jay Higgins — a Butkus Award semifinalist for a second straight year — is leading the Big Ten in tackles (sixth nationally), making 94 tackles (10.4 per game). He has led the team in tackles in all nine games, including a season-high 14 tackles in Weeks 6, 7 and 8 against Ohio State, Washington and Michigan State. He also has three interceptions (18th nationally) and two forced fumbles.
• Higgins, who has 311 career tackles, has five double-digit tackle games this season and 16 in his career.
• Graduate LB Nick Jackson made his 500th career tackle against Washington. He is currently third in FBS history with 528 career tackles and his 7.1 tackles per game this season are 10th in the Big Ten.
• TOs — The Hawkeyes have forced 17 turnovers in nine games — 12 interceptions, five fumble recoveries. The 17 takeaways are second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally.
• The Hawkeyes are averaging 30.8 points and 356.1 yards of total offense in nine games, which ranks 45th and 95th nationally, respectively.
• DB Jermari Harris had his first career pick-six, returning an interception 28-yards for a touchdown in Week 3 against Troy. It extended Iowa’s pick-six streak to 17 straight years, the longest active streak nationally. Harris ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 18th nationally with three interceptions.
• Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is 77-3 when leading by eight points at any point in a game.
• Since 2009, Iowa has 240 interceptions — second-most in the nation. The team’s 35 interception returns for a touchdown are the fourth-most in the nation in that span.

By the Numbers

12

The Hawkeyes are bowl eligible for the 12th straight year and for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons.

329

Iowa rushed for 329 yards in Week 10 against Wisconsin -- the most for the program since 2019 and tied for the most in the Big Ten in 2024.

120

Junior Kaleb Johnson has scored 120 points this season -- tied for the most in Iowa history.

14-of-14

Junior Brendan Sullivan has led Iowa to points in each of his 14 red zone opportunities this season.

17

Iowa has 17 takeaways this season, which are second in the Big Ten and 14th nationally.

94

LB Jay Higgins has 94 tackles, six shy of reaching 100 for a second straight season.

TACKLING MACHINE

Senior LB Jay Higgins had 14 tackles in three consecutive games in Week 6 at Ohio State, Week 7 against Washington and Week 8 at Michigan State and 10 tackles in Week 10 against Wisconsin. The Indianapolis native has five 10+ tackle games this season and 16 in his career.
• He has had at least 14 tackles in a game seven times in his career.
• Higgins had his second career forced fumble and fourth career fumble recovery against the Buckeyes.
• He has a team-high 94 tackles (10.4 per game) to lead the Big Ten and rank sixth nationally. Higgins also has three interceptions — tied for the most by a Power 4 linebacker — and two forced fumbles. His three picks are the most by a Hawkeye linebacker since Josey Jewell (4) in 2016.
• He averages 11.4 tackles per game in Big Ten play, recording 69 tackles in six games.
• Higgins is six tackles shy of reaching 100 for the season. The last Hawkeye to record back-to-back 100-tackle seasons was Jack Campbell in 2021 and 2022.
• He has 311 career tackles, which are 19th in program history.

1K & COUNTING

Junior Kaleb Johnson surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in Week 8 at Michigan State, becoming the 22nd Hawkeye to reach the milestone. The Ohio native, who currently has 1,279 yards on 170 attempts, is the first Hawkeye since 2021 to rush for 1,000 yards.
• Johnson is on pace to finish the regular season with 1,705 rushing yards and should Iowa qualify for a bowl game, he would be on pace for 1,848 yards, flirting with Shonn Greene’s single season school record (1,850).
• Head coach Kirk Ferentz has coached 12 1,000-yard rushers in his tenure.

KJ HAS…

• 1,279 of Iowa’s 3,205 yards of total offense (39.9 percent).
• 20 of the team’s 33 offensive touchdowns (60.6 percent).
• 120 of the team’s 277 total points (43.3 percent).

Bruins vs. Hawkeyes

SERIES HISTORY

  • Friday’s game will be the 10th meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and UCLA and the first as conference foes.
  • The Bruins hold a 7-2 advantage in the series that began in 1938. Iowa has won two of the last four meetings, dating back to 1974.
  • Iowa is 0-6 all-time at UCLA, which includes a 45-28 loss to the Bruins in the last meeting in the1985 Rose Bowl. The first five losses were played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
  • The Hawkeyes are 2-4 all-time at Rose Bowl Stadium with their most recent appearance coming in the 2015 Rose Bowl against Stanford — a 45-16 loss.
  • Iowa was awarded a forfeit for the 1977 loss due to UCLA ineligible players.

SERIES RESULTS

9/23/1938 L 3-27 (A)
9/26/1947 L 7-22 (A)
9/24/1949 L 25-41 (H)
10/21/1955 L 13-33 (#7) (A)
9/22/1973 L 18-55 (#18) (A)
9/21/1974 W 21-10 (#12) (H)
*10/1/1977 L 16-34 (A)
9/26/1981 W 20-7 (#6) (H)
1/1/1985 L 28-45 (#14)(Pasadena, Calif.)

SULLY STEPS UP

Junior Brendan Sullivan saw his first extended action as Iowa’s QB1 in the Week 9 victory over Northwestern and he made his first start as a Hawkeye in Week 10 against Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes have scored 79 points with Sullivan under center in the two games.
• The Michigan native entered the Week 9 game against Northwestern in the second quarter with the Hawkeyes trailing 7-3 and he led Iowa to 37 straight points. Sullivan completed 9-of-14 passes for 80 yards and had eight rushes for 40 yards and a 6-yard touchdown run.
• In Week 10, Sullivan was 7-of-10 for 93 yards and a touchdown through the air and he had nine rushes for 58 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The last time an Iowa QB had 58+ rushing yards and 1+ rushing touchdowns in a game was Brad Banks (65 yards, 1 TD) in 2002 and his 58 rushing yards were the most since C.J. Beathard’s 77 at Iowa State in 2015.
• Sullivan is 18-of-26 (69.2 percent) for 187 yards and two touchdowns through the air this season, while rushing 26 times for 134 yards and four touchdowns. He has not committed a turnover.
• Sullivan was Iowa’s red zone quarterback, rolling out the package in Week 3 against Troy. The Hawkeyes are 14-for-14 in red zone scoring opportunities (13 TDs, 1 FG) with Sullivan under center.