UCLA’s most soft-spoken running back was his truest self Friday night. T.J. Harden – after weeks of catching passes and blocking – finally had the breakout game the offense was waiting for when he rushed for 125 yards in a 20-17 win over Iowa.

Bowl eligibility appeared a distant hope for the Bruins after falling in five of their first six games. Sitting in the basement of the Big Ten without a remaining opponent with a record below .500, reaching the six-win benchmark seemed too mighty a task for a team that had shown only glimpses of promise.