UCLA is finally ready to give fans their first real look at the 2026-2027 Bruins under Mick Cronin, and the curtain goes up with an exhibition matchup against California Baptist.
The game is set for 7 p.m. Pacific time at Pauley Pavilion, giving UCLA an early chance to shake off the rust and start building chemistry before a demanding opener against Arizona on November 2nd. It won’t count in the regular season standings, but it does give Cronin’s group a live test against outside competition.
For those watching from home, the contest will stream on Big Ten Plus, with Jonah Malkin handling play-by-play and Gio Camera serving as the color analyst.
Radio listeners can catch it on UCLA’s radio network, the UCLA Audio Network, on AM 790 KABC. Josh Lewin will call the action, with Tracy Murray alongside him as analyst.
This roster includes plenty of newcomers, so the matchup offers more than just a tune-up. It’s a chance for the coaching staff to see how the new pieces fit, how the group responds in game action, and what kind of adjustments might be needed before the season starts for real.
It also gives individual players an opening to make an impression. One exhibition won’t decide roles or rotation spots, but strong play can help a newcomer carry momentum into the opener.
And UCLA’s preseason won’t stop here. This is the first of two exhibition games, with the Bruins set to host the University of San Diego on Tuesday, October 27th before turning toward the regular season.
For now, this is the first step in what should be a closely watched season for UCLA, and the exhibition against California Baptist is where it begins.
In Other News...
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The numbers at the Rose Bowl have started to tell a different story this fall, and it is changing how UCLA football crowds are being read in real time. What used to be announced as attendance was often based on tickets distributed, which could make the official figure look fuller than the stands actually felt on game day. Now, the school is using tickets scanned at the gate, a shift that brings the public count closer to the actual turnstile traffic.
That helps explain why the eye test and the game-day announcement may not line up exactly, especially with parts of the stadium affected by renovations and tarps covering some seats. The recent Wisconsin game was announced at 36,045, a total that matched the scanned-ticket count, offering a clearer picture of what UCLA is drawing at the Rose Bowl even if the building still looks different from its official capacity. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's Unbeaten Start Suddenly Comes With A Bigger Concern
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The Bruins now have to adjust on the fly, with Ty Dieffenbach positioned to handle the offense as UCLA keeps pushing through an undefeated start. Michigan State arrives on a five-game skid and is still trying to find more consistency in its rushing attack, while also having to account for Wayne Knight on the other side. Even in a matchup that looks manageable on paper, the bigger question for UCLA is how smoothly the offense can keep moving without its top quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA May Have Found Its Winning Formula Without Nico Iamaleava
UCLAs unbeaten start kept rolling at the Rose Bowl with a 17-7 win over Wisconsin, a result that pushed the Bruins to 6-0 and again put their depth on display. With Nico Iamaleava unavailable, backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach stepped in and managed the offense well enough to keep UCLA on course, while the defense took care of the rest by smothering Wisconsin for most of the afternoon.
Dieffenbachs first UCLA start gave the Bruins a steadier look than many expected, and his 22 completions helped the offense do just enough to support a unit that has carried plenty of the load early in the season. The bigger question now is how UCLA handles the quarterback situation moving forward after Iamaleava was sidelined by the injury he suffered against Oregon, especially with the Bruins suddenly looking like a team that has found a workable formula either way. [Read more 🡒]