The 2021 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fourth-year head coach Chip Kelly and competed as members of the South Division in the Pac-12 Conference. Entering this season, Nike became the new apparel sponsor for the team, replacing former supplier Under Armour, and the Bruins' football uniforms bore the Jordan Brand.
In August, UCLA announced that digital tickets would replace printed tickets for entry to all games at the Rose Bowl.
The Bruins finished their regular season with an 8–4 overall record, and accepted a bid to the Holiday Bowl, where they were due to face North Carolina State. However, just hours before game time, the Bruins withdrew from the bowl due to COVID-19 protocols in their program, and the bowl was canceled.
Overall, the Bruins outscored their opponents by a combined total of 438 to 321 for the season.
Offseason
Incoming transfers
The Bruins added 8 players via transfer during the offseason:
LB Devin Aupiu – Notre Dame
WR Kam Brown – Texas A&M
RB Zach Charbonnet – Michigan
QB Ethan Garbers – Washington
LB Jordan Genmark Heath – Notre Dame (graduate) DB Cameron Johnson – North Texas (graduate) LB Ale Kaho – Alabama DL Jay Toia – USC
Preseason
Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars
Shea Pitts
Preseason award watchlists
Greg Dulcich (Lombardi Award, John Mackey Award) Quentin Lake (Lott IMPACT Trophy) Kyle Philips (Paul Hornung Award) Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Davey O'Brien Award, Maxwell Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award)
Preseason All-Pac-12 team
Kyle Philips (WR), First Team
Greg Dulcich (TE), First Team
Sean Rhyan (OL), First Team
Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB), Honorable Mention
Brittain Brown (RB), Honorable Mention
Sam Marrazzo (OL), Honorable Mention
Otito Ogbonnia (DL), Honorable Mention
Caleb Johnson (LB), Honorable Mention
Qwuantrezz Knight (DB), Honorable Mention
Quentin Lake (DB), Honorable Mention
Stephen Blaylock (DB), Honorable Mention
Nicholas Barr-Mira (PK), Honorable Mention
Personnel
Coaching staff
Ikaika Malloe was hired on December 22 as analyst for UCLA through the Holiday Bowl, replacing Jason Kaufusi, who was hired away by Arizona. He will be a defensive assistant coach next season. Chad Kauha'aha'a was hired on December 24 as analyst for UCLA through the Holiday Bowl.
Roster
Schedule
Sources:
Conference opponents not played this season: Oregon State, Washington State
Game summaries
vs Hawaii
In his fourth season at UCLA, head coach Chip Kelly earned his first nonconference victory and first season-opening win with the Bruins after defeating Hawaii, 44–10. Prior to this, he had been 0–6 in nonconference games, including 0–4 against Group of Five schools, at UCLA. Running back Zach Charbonnet, a fresh transfer from Michigan, ran for 106 yards and three touchdowns in his UCLA debut. Charbonnet carried the ball six times and scored on runs of 21, 47 and again on 21 yards, helping the Bruins establish a 31–3 lead early in the second quarter. With the Bruins ahead by a wide margin, he did not carry the ball again in the game. Brittain Brown ran for 78 yards on 13 attempts, combining with Charbonnet to run for 184 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bruins built a 44–3 lead early in the second half before sending in the reserves. In all, UCLA's defense held Hawaii to 269 total yards and without a touchdown until late in the third quarter. Bruins linebacker Ale Kaho blocked a punt and teammate David Priebe recovered the ball in the endzone for a touchdown, which also ended the Rainbow Warriors’ streak of 154 game without a blocked punt, which had been the longest in the country. Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 10-of-20 passing for 130 yards and did not commit a turnover for the Bruins.
The game was played before an announced crowd of 32,982, the second-smallest ever at a UCLA home game at the Rose Bowl, ahead of only the 32,513 for an Oregon State game in November 1992.
vs No. 16 LSU
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