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Pac-12 Conference trolls UCLA after upset loss to New Mexico

Barkley-Truaxby: Barkley Truax14 hours agoBarkleyTruax
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava throws a pass in the first half of the Bruins' game against New Mexico on Sept. 12, 2025. (Matt Moreno | BruinBlitz)

UCLA is off to an 0-3 start following its 35-10 loss to New Mexico at home on Friday night. The Bruins’ defense allowed 21 points in the fourth quarter after trailing 14-10.

It was a frustrating loss for DeShaun Foster, Nico Iamaleava and company. The kind you might not want to check social media afterward. If they did, they would have seen the Pac-12 Conference trolling their former longtime member.

The conference’s social media admin used the classic ‘That’s a shame,’ meme from Seinfeld in response to the Bruins struggles. UCLA, along with USC, Oregon and Washington, left the conference in able to join the Big Ten.

The conference retained Washington State and Oregon State from its previous member schools. The rest have transitioned into the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC.

However, the conference is undergoing a revival of sorts. Beginning in 2026, the league will have Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Texas State join its ranks.

Meanwhile, the Bruins felt as though they hit the transfer portal jackpot after landing former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Iamaleava’s divorce from the Tennessee Volunteers was among the biggest shocks of the offseason after leading them to the College Football Playoffs last season.

While Iamaleava has over 600 passing yards through three games, he has the same amount of touchdowns as he does interceptions on the season. Still, he’s the Bruins’ leading rusher with 139 yards and another touchdown. Still, it hasn’t translated to wins.

During the loss to New Mexico, the UCLA defense gave up 450 total yards on the night. This included 298 yards rushing as the Lobos took to the ground 46 times while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. For reference, UCLA finished the game with 326 yards of total offense.

There’s still time for UCLA to turn its season around, though it will only get tougher for the Bruins from here on out. After taking a week off next Saturday, UCLA is set to begin Big Ten Conference play during Week 5 on Sept. 27 against Northwestern.

Their schedule also consists of ranked matchups against No. 2 Penn State, No. 22 Indiana and No. 1 Ohio State down the stretch. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 is gearing up for its bevy of new arrivals next offseason. For now, both Washington State and Oregon State will carry the banner that the Bruins once held for nearly a century.