The 2010 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Coached by third-year head coach Rick Neuheisel, they opened the season on the road against the Kansas State Wildcats on September 4, 2010. The next three games were against ranked opponents, and after a road win at #7 (AP) Texas, expectations for the Bruins dampened by their 0–2 start began to rise again. However, the season turned for the worse and included two three-game losing streaks against Pac-10 opponents, the latter to end the season on a three game skid. The Bruins, coming off a bowl win the year before, found themselves ineligible for bowl play with their 4–8 overall record and finished ninth in the Pac-10.
Player injuries and other attrition depleted UCLA of its roster depth, while true freshmen were forced into action and seniors who were previously reserves became starters; a quarterback who had attempted only 17 passes in his career became the starter.
The first Wednesday in February was the start of signing day in college football, February 3, 2010 – April 1, 2010. For midyear junior college transfer, the period was December 16, 2009 to January 15, 2010.
UCLA's recruits:
Week One - April 1 (4:00 p.m.), April 2 (4:00 p.m.) and April 3 (12:00 noon)
Week Two - April 6 (4:00 p.m.), April 8 (4:00 p.m.), April 9 (4:00 p.m.) and April 11 (11:00 a.m.)
Week Three - April 12 (4:00 p.m.), April 13 (4:00 p.m.), April 15 (4:00 p.m.) and April 16 (4:00 p.m.)
Week Four - April 19 (4:00 p.m.), April 20 (4:00 p.m.), April 22 (2:30 p.m.)
Spring Game - April 24, 7 p.m., Rose Bowl
Awards and honors
September 20 - UCLA linebacker Patrick Larimore, who had a career-high and team-high 11 tackles (10 solos), including three for loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass in the upset of No. 23 Houston on September 18 was named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Pacific-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
September 27 – Center Ryan Taylor and linebacker Sean Westgate were named Pac-10 Players of the Week. Akeem Ayers named Lott IMPACT Player of the Week. The team was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Sept. 25.
Nine Bruins received All-Pacific-10 honors: First team – Junior safety Rahim Moore and junior linebacker Akeem Ayers; Second team – Senior place kicker Kai Forbath, sophomore running back Johnathan Franklin and sophomore punter Jeff Locke ; Honorable mention – Junior running back/special teams performer Derrick Coleman, junior safety Tony Dye, senior center Ryan Taylor and junior linebacker Sean Westgate.
December 9, 2010 – Linebacker Akeem Ayers was named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation second-team All-America.
All-America teams
Linebacker Akeem Ayers and safety Rahim Moore, Associated Press, third-team
Punter Jeff Locke and Akeem Ayers, Sports Illustrated, honorable mention
Akeem Ayers, Phil Steele's Magazine,second-team
Long-snapper Christian Yount and Rahim Moore, Steele's, fourth-team All-America
Free safety Rahim Moore, Sporting News magazine, first-team
Rick Neuheisel - Head Coach
Chuck Bullough - Def. Coordinator
Norm Chow - Offensive Coordinator
Frank Gansz, Jr. - Special Teams
Todd Howard - Defensive Line
Tim Hundley - Secondary
Clark Lea - Linebackers
Reggie Moore - Wide Receivers
Wayne Moses - Running Backs
Bob Palcic - Offensive Line
Philip Rauscher - Graduate Assistant/Offense
Daronte Jones - Graduate Assistant/Defense
