A look at interesting and fun facts and stats about UCLA joing the Big Ten

UCLA is now the Big Ten and let's begin to look at some fun and interesting facts about the Bruins as official members of the B1G.

From the West Coast to traveling to play conference games in the Midwest and East Coast:
Cross-country travel: UCLA Bruins will primarily trade sunny Southern California for snowy Midwestern winters come November as they play most of their games in conference play.
Time Zone adjustments: Late-night games against East Coast and Midwest fellow B1G opponents could mean some early wake-up calls for UCLA fans who primarily live on the West Coast.
Coast-to-Coast new possible rivalries: The Bruins will face off against some well-known Big Ten programs like Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and Michigan State that may create new and exciting rivalries for the Bruins.
Hollywood Meets Heartland: The fame and attention of Hollywood and Los Angeles will collide with the heartland's Midwestern sense of community and fandom, creating a unique cultural clash.
An athletic blend of all sports: The Big Ten is already a sports powerhouse, and UCLA's addition is expected to elevate the conference's competitive level even further, especially in Olympic-style sports.
New Recruiting Ground: The move should open up new recruiting opportunities for UCLA in the Midwest and the Northeast, tapping into a rich pool of athletic talent.
Economic Impact and Fan Experience: UCLA's move to the Big Ten is expected to generate significant revenue for the university through increased media rights and merchandise sales as part of the Big Ten's new media rights deal.  
Fans traveling: The addition of UCLA to the Big Ten will undoubtedly create a surge in interest from fans on both coasts, leading to increased viewership and attendance as numerous UCLA fans travel and will have the opportunity to explore new cities and experience different college football atmospheres.

Here is a look at some interesting facts about UCLA playing in the Big Ten in 2024-25.

In the Big Ten, no other conference team will travel more than UCLA in football this season. In 2024, the Bruins will accrue 22,048 travel miles, which leads the league by approximately 4, 526 miles as the Washington Huskies are projected to have the second most miles to travel for this upcoming football season.

In Week 1, UCLA will travel to Hawaii and then later to LSU but that is in non-conference play. In Big Ten play they had little and or no control of their Big Ten schedule as they will travel to play Rutgers, Penn State, and Nebraska on the road. With them traveling more cross-country this season, the Bruins will travel through over 25 time zones in total this football season.

The first Big Ten oppents that UCLA will face will be: Women's golf team travels to face off against Minnoesta the week of September 9th, the men's soccer team travels to Northwestern to play the Wildcats on Sept. 13, and in football, the Bruins host Indiana on Sept. 14.

UCLA not getting any respect? The New York Times published an article stating, "UCLA is the forgotten member of the Big Ten’s new western wing." The article however references UCLA head football coach DeShaun Foster defending UCLA joing the Big Ten by giving reporters background information about UCLA's 123 national championships in all sports, including one in football that occurred in1954, and then went into further detail about the nation's top-ranked public university by U.S. News & World Report. For the most part expect for talking abou the history of UCLA athletic achievements and the famous Bruin athletes who were athletes at UCLA, it highlights low ticket sales for football, the last "major" bowl appearance for the Bruins in football being in 1998, and the proximity to the Rose Bowl being to the actual college campus. However, UCLA should have success in the Big Ten for years to come.

Here is some articles published by GoJoeBruin about UCLA joining the Big Ten.