UCLA’s Big Ten era begins with an ominous blowout loss to Indiana

This time, there would be no coming back. There would be no shrugging off a bad first half. There would be no plausible excuses.

UCLA was outclassed from start to finish of a 42-13 loss to Indiana on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl, intensifying concerns about the Bruins’ ability to succeed in coach DeShaun Foster’s debut season.

It was a frustrating follow-up to a lousy opener that the Bruins pulled out thanks to a strong second half. Given a bye week to correct the breakdowns they withstood against Hawaii, they only looked worse in their Big Ten Conference opener.

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Their defense failed to put up much resistance against Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who completed one pass after another on the way to piling up 307 yards and four touchdowns. Their own quarterback, Ethan Garbers, lost a fumble on the first play from scrimmage and didn’t do much to redeem himself.

Relief doesn’t appear on the horizon for the Bruins (1-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) with games coming against nationally ranked Louisiana State, Oregon and Penn State coming up.

Indiana (3-0, 1-0) was superior in every facet while outgaining UCLA, 430-238 in total yardage, leaving its fans happy in their return to this stadium for the first time since the 1968 Rose Bowl game.

Indiana wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams dives into the end zone to score a first-half touchdown at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Any remaining hope for the Bruins was extinguished when Rourke completed his fourth touchdown pass on a 23-yard connection with Omar Cooper Jr. midway through the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers held a 35-13 lead and most of those wearing blue and gold from the crowd of 47,811 headed for home.

Highlights for the Bruins were scarce.

With a daring escape maneuver, Garbers spared his team the possibility of being shut out in the first half for a second game in a row.

Just when it looked like Garbers was going to be sacked for a huge loss near the Indiana 30-yard line, he spun away from defenders and dashed all the way to the one-yard line. Bruins running back T.J. Harden plowed into the end zone on the next play to cut his team’s deficit to 21-7.

UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers passes during the first half Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It had been all Hoosiers before that. In a sign of things to come, Rourke completed five of six passes on his team’s opening drive, including a three-yard touchdown to Miles Cross.

Meanwhile, the Bruins did not exactly come out in sync. On the first play from scrimmage, Garbers lost his grip on the ball and fumbled at the UCLA 17. Indiana scored a touchdown three plays later on Ke’Shawn Williams’ 14-yard catch.

Indiana was a model of efficiency in the first half, converting six of eight third downs. The most impressive came on a one-handed, 33-yard catch by Cross that put the ball at the Bruins’ one-yard line. Justice Ellison ran it in for a touchdown on the next play, giving the Hoosiers a 21-0 lead.

They were just getting started.

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