"This has been nearly a lifelong tradition for the native of Linda Vista, starting in 2005 when he was 8 years old and UCLA romped over Oregon State. When he got his driver's license in 2012, Niderhaus started throwing his own tailgates, bringing chicken-in-a-biscuit crackers because he couldn't afford fancier fare. He was back Saturday afternoon underneath a tent on the grass in Lot H, wearing his favorite No. 2 Eric McNeal jersey,"
""I wish we knew whether or not this was the last time," Niederhaus said, "because if this was the last time for sure I could at least be saying my goodbyes to my favorite tradition. This is my favorite thing to do. My ashes are willed to be spread at the Rose Bowl.""
""Today, we're going to go in early," said Nicholaus Iamaleava, the father of the UCLA starting quarterback by the same name. "Normally we go in right before kickoff but this time, we're going to go in and soak it all in, man. It might be the last game, right, so we want to enjoy every bit of it and just hang out.""
Longtime UCLA fans maintain robust Rose Bowl tailgate traditions that began in childhood and evolved into annual gatherings. Ross Niederhaus began attending in 2005 and later hosted tailgates from 2012, bringing modest snacks when finances were tight. He returned under a Lot H tent wearing his Eric McNeal jersey while facing possible final tailgates amid a potential move to SoFi Stadium in 2026. Nicholaus and Matt Iamaleava organized a large potluck for about 60 family members on Brookside Golf Course, planning to savor the experience early because the game might be the last at the century-old stadium. Fans question whether a stadium move would fix attendance.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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