The UCLA Bruins football program competes in NCAA Division I-A and is a member of the Pacific-10 Conference. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll at least once in every decade since the poll began in the 1930s. Their first major period of success came in the 1950s, under head coach Red Sanders. Sanders led the Bruins to a shared national championship in 1954, three league championships, and an overall record of 66-19-1 in 9 years. In the 1980s and 1990's, during the tenure of Terry Donahue, the Bruins compiled a 151-74-8 record, including 13 bowl games and an NCAA record eight straight bowl wins. The program has produced 28 first round draft picks, 30 consensus All-Americans, and multiple major award winners.

As of 2007, UCLA is one of only five of the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams to have never played a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team since the division was made in 1978.

The Rose Bowl is a National Historic Landmark located in Pasadena, California with an official capacity of 92,542. It has been the home football field for the UCLA Bruins since the 1982 season. The Bruins had played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which is also the home of the rival USC Trojans, beginning in 1928. As the Coliseum is located across the street from (UCLA's rival) the USC campus, Bruin officials long sought to move out from under the Trojan's shadow. An on campus facility was discussed, but UCLA's location is not conducive to adequate traffic flow, and the campus lacks room for sufficient parking. In addition, the Coliseum already was constructed by and is a facility of the State of California. When the Oakland Raiders became the Los Angeles Raiders, in 1982, and after arduous negotiations with the city of Pasadena, UCLA decided to move out of the Coliseum, relocating its home games to the Rose Bowl Stadium. UCLA has participated in five Rose Bowl games since moving to the stadium; including the 1983 Rose Bowl at the end of the Bruins' first season there.

The UCLA athletic colors are "True Blue" and gold. The "True Blue" is a slightly darker shade than the previous powder blue worn by teams. The shade was developed by the UCLA athletic department and Adidas for the 2003 school year.

In the early days of the school, UCLA had the same colors as the University of California, navy blue and gold. The colors represent blue for the ocean, and gold for the California poppy, "The Golden State" motto, and sunsets.