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- UCLA hammered Maryland 54-3, improving to 4-0. Coach Bob Chesney matched the Bruins’ best start by a first-year head coach since Red Sanders in 1949.
- The Bruins scored on the ground and returned two of Malik Washington’s three interceptions for touchdowns.
- UCLA reached 50 points in consecutive games for the first time since 1993.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Bob Chesney’s friend nicknamed “Juice” led the effort to bus in supporters from the first-year UCLA coach’s hometown of Kulpmont, Pa., to watch the Bruins put the squeeze on Maryland in a 54-3 victory on Saturday.
Thomas Letcavage, the man known as “Juice,” brought four buses filled with 160 Chesney fans to watch their friend cook the Terrapins.
“When you grow up in a town like that where they took care of a bunch of kids running around, it was all family,” Chesney said. “I’m obviously a son of that town and everyone is really proud.”
With the victory, Chesney became the second UCLA head coach to win his first four games at the helm, matching the start by College Football Hall of Fame inductee Red Sanders in 1949. But Chesney accomplished something Sanders couldn’t: beating Maryland on the road. Saturday marked UCLA’s first game here since the No. 1 Bruins fell to the fifth-ranked Terrapins in September 1955.
It was clear by halftime that another Terrapins upset wasn’t likely as the hot seat for Maryland coach Mike Locksley warmed as light rain fell consistently at SECU Stadium. After opening the season 2-0, the Terrapins’ home losses to Virginia Tech and UCLA will no doubt lead to more calls for the dismissal of Locksley, who is coming off consecutive 4-8 seasons and has an overall record of 39-51.
A week after UCLA allowed Purdue to rack up 425 passing yards and three touchdown passes, the Bruins swiped four interceptions — matching as many as the team had all of last season — as Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington struggled with running backs DeJuan Williams and Harry Dalton III out because of injury. The Terrapins were held to 39 yards rushing in 30 carries.
Two of Washington’s interceptions were returned for touchdowns as Ta’Shawn James and Scooter Jackson scampered in from 39 and 65 yards, respectively. The Bruins hadn’t had a pick-six since the 2024 season.
A look at the Pennsylvania town UCLA football coach Bob Chesney grew up in and how it shaped him.
“It was just fundamentals that we lacked last week,” UCLA linebacker Sammy Omosigho said. “Of course we had a better outcome, but we still have to get better.”
After failing to score on their first three possessions that included their first lost fumble of the season, the Bruins’ offense reeled off touchdowns on their next three possessions. Three plays after UCLA defensive back Mason Rivera hauled in UCLA’s first interception late in the first quarter, Wayne Knight opened the scoring with a 45-yard touchdown run. Knight, one of 11 players who followed Chesney from James Madison to UCLA, has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each of the Bruins’ first four games this season and finished with 100 yards on the ground.
Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas, the other two members of UCLA’s “three-headed monster” backfield, followed with short touchdown runs as the Bruins scored 20 unanswered points. Troy Leigber added a 63-yard rushing touchdown with four minutes left in regulation.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava put a scare into the Bruins’ cheering section as he was slow to get up after he was hit delivering a pass to Aidan Mizell for an 83-yard touchdown.
Times columnist Bill Plaschke was skeptical Bob Chesney was capable of finally leading UCLA to Rose Bowl victories and beyond, but the coach won him over.
Iamaleava wasn’t injured, although with a huge lead, backup Madden Iamaleava — Nico’s younger brother — took over the offense and helped the Bruins coast to the victory.
“I feel like we still haven’t played to our full potential even after putting up 54 points like this,” Nico Iamaleava said. “The emphasis is ‘it doesn’t matter, get better,’ like coach Ches says.”
The rout marked the first time the Bruins have scored 50 during back-to-back games since 1993.
