For two weeks now, UCLA has leaned hard on the ground game and gotten almost everything it wanted there. The Bruins rolled up 277 rushing yards in Week One and punched in all six of their touchdowns on the ground. Then, in the home opener against San Diego State, they added 214 more rushing yards and found the end zone four more times, again without scoring through the air.
That kind of production is impossible to ignore. In 2025, UCLA had eight rushing touchdowns total.
Through just two games this season, the Bruins have already topped that with 10. The run game has clearly become the engine of the offense.
But it also raises the obvious question: how sustainable is this if the passing attack never catches up? So far, UCLA has not scored a touchdown through the air, and the offense has started to look increasingly dependent on what it can do on the ground.
Nico Iamaleava’s first two outings have reflected that imbalance. He passed for 184 yards and an interception in Week One, then followed that with 151 yards and another interception in Week Two, with that second pick coming in the red zone.
After the game, Chesney didn’t hide from the issues in the passing offense. He said, “there's a whole lot we got to do in there.”
At the same time, he made it clear he still believes in Iamaleava. Chesney pointed to the quarterback’s toughness against San Diego State, noting the way he kept plays alive and put his body on the line when the Bruins needed it most. Chesney also said, “he will be the quarterback we all know he will be moving forward here.”
The challenge gets even trickier with UCLA already dealing with injuries at receiver. Mikey Matthews went down early against San Diego State and never returned. Brian Rowe was also shaken up for a few plays before coming back.
Aidan Mizell, who had recently been cleared to return, did not play in the second half. Chesney said he couldn't go.
That kind of turnover matters for a receiver room that is still getting used to the program, with Matthews the only notable exception. Through two weeks, Iamaleava has had to work with a rotating cast, and that kind of instability makes it harder for the passing game to find any rhythm. The run game has been carrying the load, but UCLA will need more balance if it wants the offense to keep moving forward.
In Other News...
UCLA Just Made A New Move That Reaches Far Beyond The Sidelines
UCLA Athletics has lined up another off-field addition for its marquee programs, announcing a multiyear partnership with JLab that makes the company the Official Headphone Sponsor of UCLA Football and UCLA Mens and Womens Basketball beginning this fall. The deal extends beyond a logo placement, with JLab branding set to appear on coaches headsets and the company also working with select student-athletes through its NIL roster.
The agreement was put together with JMI Sports, UCLA Athletics multimedia rights partner, and it adds another commercial layer around a department that has been leaning into outside deals across major programs. For UCLA, the broader value of a partnership like this is as much about visibility and modern branding as it is about the equipment itself, especially with football and both basketball teams carrying so much of the schools public profile. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs First Big Ten Test Will Say A Lot About Chesneys Start
UCLA has opened 2-0 under new coach Bob Chesney, and the early returns have given the Bruins a little breathing room before the schedule gets real. A trip into Big Ten play against Purdue now offers a better read on where this team actually stands, especially with an offensive line built in part around several transfers from James Madison holding up well through the first two games.
Purdue brings its own challenge, and this one should tell a lot about Chesneys start because the Boilermakers have looked better in their second season under Barry Odom. Quarterback Ryan Browne and running back Fame Ijeboi give Purdue enough balance to make UCLA defend with discipline, which is exactly the kind of test that can reveal whether the Bruins fast start is built to last. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Is 2-0 But The Bruins Already Have One Big Concern
UCLAs home opener at the Rose Bowl ended with a comfortable 28-10 win over San Diego State, and Bob Chesneys team is 2-0 to start the season. Wayne Knight powered the offense with three rushing touchdowns, including a late 36-yard burst, while the defense settled in after halftime and helped put the game away by tightening up against the run and creating turnovers.
Still, the result came with an obvious concern for the Bruins. Nico Iamaleava never really found a rhythm behind shaky protection, and his passing numbers reflected a night in which UCLA leaned more on the ground game than it probably wants to long term. For a team trying to build momentum early, the next step is getting the offense cleaner around its quarterback, because the defense may not be able to carry that load every week. [Read more 🡒]