UCLA is paying how much for a futile win? Cost of Week 14 buy game

The UCLA Bruins have put together a disappointing season in the program's first year as a Big Ten member. The school was one of ten programs to depart the Pac-12 in 2023 and one of four to join the Midwest-located conference famous for powerhouses like Ohio State and Penn State.

But unlike Oregon and USC, which have both clinched winning records this year, UCLA (4-7) will be playing its final game of the year with nothing to play for. On top of it, they're paying a pretty penny to even play its opponent.

UCLA will pay the Fresno State Bulldogs $1.2 million to play a very late-season buy game and thanks to conference realignment, it probably won't be the last in years to come.

UCLA is cutting a hefty check for its final buy game of the year in Week 14

The Big Ten plays nine conference games in a year, compared to the SEC's eight, and in most cases members are selected to play in marquee matchups against other power conference foes on neutral turf early in the year.

This season, UCLA faced LSU but in Baton Rouge for a Week 3 matchup. That shifted this final non-conference game to Week 14 despite it being agreed to years ago.

The scheduled matchup was actually part of an agreement between the Mountain West Conference and the Pac-12 when it existed in its previous form. Now that realignment has changed things considerably, it's taken a little finagling to make sure previously agreed to games stay on schedules.

UCLA won't be playing for bowl eligibility on Saturday but Fresno State can improve its standing in the Mountain West and potentially earn a more attractive invite to a bowl game. Had the Bruins defeated cross-town rivals USC in Week 13 then this matchup would've had a lot more at stake.