UCLA Unlocked: Bob Chesney’s Bruins enter bye week with momentum
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Times are changing in Westwood.
And UCLA’s 54-3 blowout victory over Maryland on Saturday at SECU Stadium in College Park, Md., proved it.
Bob Chesney is the first Bruin head coach to start his tenure 4-0 since Henry Russell “Red” Sanders did it 77 years ago.
The Bruins sit atop the Big Ten as the sole team with a 2-0 league record. And their 106 points scored against conference foes is just 69 fewer than last season’s total with seven Big Ten games remaining on the 2026 slate.
And Sunday, UCLA entered the Associated Press top 25 poll at No. 23, rejoining the rankings for the first time since Oct. 29, 2023.
UCLA gave fans a lot to be happy about Saturday morning, dominating all phases of the game en route to a win. They head into a bye week followed by a matchup against Oregon.
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Here are three takeaways from UCLA’s fourth win of the season, surpassing their victory total from 2025 before October.
Complementary football arrives
You have heard it during the last month — the Bruins had yet to play complementary football.
Against California, a formidable defense and timely offense helped UCLA pull off a win. One week later, it was much of the same tune. However, in Chesney’s first Big Ten game against Purdue, the offense the carried the defense through a high-scoring win at the Rose Bowl.
But finally against Maryland, UCLA thrived in all three phases of the game.
The offense totaled 475 yards, gaining 209 yards through the air and 266 on the ground. Senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava put together another clean game under center, not contributing any turnovers or putting the ball in danger, while hitting eight different receivers.
UCLA’s ground game dominated for the fourth consecutive week.
The “Bruin Bullies” held the Terrapins’ offense to just 181 yards, including just 39 yards on the ground. Maryland had yet to give up a turnover, but UCLA’s defense created five takeaways.
On special teams, UCLA forced fumbles, generated opportunities on returns and pinched Maryland’s offense near its goal line — creating headaches for coach Mike Locksley in every facet of the game.
Will this run game ever slow down?
UCLA’s run game had high expectations entering the 2026 season.
And for four consecutive games, the running back unit has proved it more than justifies the hype.
Entering October, the Bruins rank second in the nation in rushing yards, first in yards per carry and rushing touchdowns and fifth in yards per game. And while Wayne Knight — who boasts 445 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns — headlines the group, what makes the ground game special is that it is a three-headed monster.
Knight, senior Jaivian Thomas and fifth-year player Anthony Woods all run north of five yards per carry, contribute in the receiving and run blocking departments and have scored at least three touchdowns apiece.
And their impact was on full display against the Terrapins’ defense Saturday, as the trio all reached the end zone for the second consecutive game.
Knight rushed for his second 100-yard game of the season and posted his third 100-yard-plus all-purpose game. The James Madison transfer broke the deadlock against Maryland on a fourth-and-one near midfield, taking a direct snap 45 yards to the house and igniting scoring that seemingly never stopped.
Woods and Thomas punched in one touchdown apiece, with the former’s score coming on a 62-yard, 73-second drive — all courtesy of the ground game — and the latter’s touchdown coming off a three-yard rush to put the Bruins up 20-0. Senior running back Troy Leigber even got a taste of the end zone on a 63-yard run that put the cherry on top of the Bruins’ 51-point rout.
While the three-headed backfield will earn the praise, a successful ground game does not stop with the tailbacks.
UCLA’s offensive line has excelled while establishing the run, consistently creating a push at the line of scrimmage and winning battles in the trenches to open up holes for the rushers.
And beyond the line, the Bruins’ wide receivers, tight ends and running backs have excelled in the run blocking department, putting their bodies on the line for explosive ground plays and sprinting down field to help the backs get extra yards.
With an offense dedicated to superb run-blocking and three capable players in the backfield, offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy has been creative in utilizing multiple tailbacks on the field at the same time, using wildcats and backs as receivers to create confusion for opposing defenses.
The defense answers the call
Anyone who watched UCLA’s Big Ten opener against Purdue left with some question marks about the Bruins’ defense — especially the secondary.
But if there is anything to know about Chesney’s team’s, it’s that they respond. And the response from the UCLA defense was overwhelming.
The Bruins’ picked off quarterback Malik Washington four times — returning two of them for touchdowns — despite the signal caller entering the game with no turnovers. Washington threw for just 142 yards on 38 attempts and failed to reach the end zone.
Washington is a solid quarterback and one of the best pure passers in the Big Ten. He passed for 892 yards and six touchdowns with no turnovers entering the UCLA matchup. But from the first whistle to the last, the Bruins’ defense was everywhere, swarming the signal caller behind the line of scrimmage and giving him no time for plays to develop downfield.
And even when he did throw the ball, the UCLA secondary seemed to be keyed into every play, pouncing on pass catchers and blanketing them in coverage across the field.
The Terrapins did play without their two top tailbacks and finished with just 39 rushing yards. And their struggles rushing seemed to seep into the passing game, allowing the Bruins to focus on the aerial attack.
But there is still no denying that the secondary came to play with a chip on its shoulder after its performance against Purdue, and proved it has the ability to deliver big plays.
Men’s water polo off to perfect start
The No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo team improved to 14-0 with a 16-11 road win over Pepperdine on Saturday.
The Bruins got hat tricks from Bode Brinkema and Ben Larsen, while Nate Tauscher earned 11 saves.
A huge week looms for UCLA as the team opens its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation slate with a matchup against No. 2 Stanford on Saturday at 1 p.m. and No. 4 California on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Bruins will host both games at Spieker Aquatics Center.
Bruins in the WNBA playoffs
Seven UCLA women’s basketball alums competed in the WNBA playoffs that tipped off Sunday.
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase steered her team to a 104-80 home win over the Dallas Wings.
Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada delivered 10 points and 10 assists during a 92-77 win over the Washington Mystics. Former Bruins Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalic and Michaela Onyenwere all saw action for the Mystics. Onyenwere started and played 26 minutes, finishing with eight points and four rebounds. Betts came off the bench and played 23 minutes, adding four rebounds, three blocks and two points. And Dugalic came off the bench for one minute of play.
Rebekah Gardner came off the bench for 11 minutes during the New York Liberty’s 91-75 win over the Minnesota Lynx, finishing with four points, three rebounds and one steal.
And Monique Billings came off the bench for 12 minutes during the Indiana Fever’s 102-85 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Billings had four points, three rebounds and two steals.
During next week’s newsletter, we’ll provide a deeper look at one of the WNBA Bruins.
Bruins on deck
Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:
Monday, Sept. 28
Men’s golf at TCU’s Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational, All day
Men’s soccer at Penn State, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 29
Men’s golf at TCU’s Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational, All day
Friday, Oct. 2
Swimming and Diving Blue vs. Gold (exhibition), 3 p.m.
Women’s soccer at Oregon, 6 p.m.
Women’s volleyball vs. Michigan State, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3
Men’s water polo vs. Stanford, 1 p.m.
Men’s soccer vs. Michigan State, 6 p.m.
Women’s volleyball vs. Michigan, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 4
Men’s golf at Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish Classic, All day
Men’s water polo vs. Cal, 1 p.m.
In case you missed it
UCLA joins USC in AP top 25, Florida rides win over Ole Miss to No. 8 ranking
UCLA dominates in all phases of the game during rout of Maryland, improves to 4-0
UCLA improves to 4-0 under Bob Chesney with rout of Maryland
UCLA defense embraces challenge of bouncing back against Maryland after poor showing
UCLA Unlocked: Bruins passed their first Big Ten test, but they have work to do
Have something Bruin?
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.
