UCLA to wear throwback jersey at home on Saturday
LOS ANGELES » UCLA announced Monday that the football team will wear throwback jerseys for its homecoming game against Colorado on Saturday (Ch. 7, 4:30 p.m.) at the Rose Bowl.
The Bruins debuted a similar powder blue jersey that included two white stripes around both shoulders in 1954 when the program finished the season ranked first in the coaches' poll and shared a claim to the national championship. UCLA finished second behind Ohio State in the AP Poll.
It was a year-long process to produce and have the concept come to fruition.
“We felt this was the right time to honor those alumni and the legends that wore that uniform during that time period,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said. “Ever since we partnered with Nike and the Jordan Brand we talked about being innovative and doing things in a creative way that made sense for us.”
Former UCLA quarterback Gary Beban is among the legends to wear the powder blue jersey during his time at UCLA from 1965-67. He became the first and only Bruin to win the Heisman Trophy in 1967.
The current roster of players found out about the new jerseys last week when they were called in to try them on to make sure everything fit properly.
“I think it's sweet,” linebacker Kain Medrano said. “We're taking it back to the old school with the baby blue. I love the cleats we're going to wear. It's going to be nice going out there wearing something new.”
No. 23 UCLA (5-2 overall, 2-2 Pac-12) is expected to hold several homecoming festivities and celebrations before and during the sold-out game.
It was announced that tickets for the Colorado game sold out on Oct. 17. The maximum capacity for UCLA games at the Rose Bowl with tarps wa 69,747.
“We have so many people coming back,” Jarmond said. “It will be fun under the lights playing against a good opponent. It's going to be a great homecoming vibe.”
The Rose Bowl has the ability to seat “well over 100,000” fans, but the UCLA athletics website still listed the stadium's capacity for football games as 91,136 (before tarps were added).
As part of the homecoming festivities, a
UP NEXT
Saturday: Ch. 7
Colorado at UCLA, 4:30p.m.,
statue of Terry Donahue will be unveiled outside of the Rose Bowl on Friday. Donahue was a UCLA player from 1965-1966 and worked as an offensive line coach from 1971-75 before serving as the winningest head coach in school history from 1976 to 1995.
Several of his players are expected to be in attendance for the event. Donahue died after a two-year battle with cancer in 2021. INJURY REPORT » Quarterback Collin Schlee was back as a participant at practice after being ruled out of the Stanford game due to an injury.
Schlee suffered the injury during the game against Oregon State that caused him to leave the game early.
“He looks good,” tight end Hudson Habermehl said after practice Monday. “He's doing a lot better and the pain is low. He's telling me he feels really good.”
Schlee had six carries for 80 yards while serving as a change-of-pace quarterback against the Beavers. He also completed one pass for 1 yard.
Quarterback Dante Moore was limited to one series against Stanford after quarterback Ethan Garbers earned his second start of the season.
UCLA coach Chip Kelly told reporters that Moore was “banged up” last week but progressed as the week went on.
Kelly wasn't willing to name a starting quarterback for the upcoming game.
Redshirt sophomore defensive back D.J. Justice was spotted in the weight room and not participating on the field during the media viewing period at practice.
Justice was listed as playing against Oregon State but didn't make an appearance against Stanford. The reasoning for Justice sitting out is unknown.
GAME TIME » The Pac-12 announced that UCLA will play its conference game at Arizona on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The game will air on Fox Sports 1.