UCLA football: 3 takeaways from LA Bowl victory over Boise State

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Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back TJ Harden (25) runs through a hole in the / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

3. A workhorse tailback has emerged for the Bruins

For much of the 2023 season, UCLA has gone with a running back committee, but with Carson Steele missing Saturday's LA Bowl, the Bruins learned they can lean on TJ Harden to be the workhorse back on his own.

As they prepare to enter the Big Ten next season, having physical backs who can carry the ball 20 times in a game is vital.

Harden hit that mark exactly against Boise State. He carried the ball 20 times for 105 yards, and he found paydirt twice. He also caught the ball four times, adding 26 yards to the stat sheet in that department.

Harden and Steele will both his seniors next season, and when they're healthy, this offense is a great spot.

However, should one go down, these guys are good enough to pick up the others' slack. On Saturday night, Harden looked like a guy who can run in the Big Ten in November.

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