UCLA’s trip to College Park turned into a statement, and Bruins fans noticed every bit of it.
Bob Chesney’s first season in charge has opened with a surge, and the 54-3 win over Maryland gave UCLA its most complete showing yet. The Bruins moved to 4-0, already passing last season’s win total, and the reaction online matched the scale of the result.
The buzz around Chesney has only grown after four games. UCLA fans have already bought in, and now the rest of the country is starting to pay attention too. Some have even gone as far as calling him the best coach on the West Coast, and after this start, that kind of praise is getting harder to dismiss.
Nico Iamaleava was another major part of the conversation. The box score may not tell the whole story, but fans came away convinced he played extremely well in the blowout. His play has continued to improve, and that has started to build real buzz around him both as UCLA’s quarterback and as a future pro.
One fan put it bluntly: "would rather draft Nico Iamaleava in the 6th round than Arch Manning 1st overall"
Wayne Knight, though, may have been the biggest reason the praise kept rolling in. He piled up 100 rushing yards on just 10 carries against Maryland, and his one touchdown was actually his season low. That detail alone says plenty about how productive he has been through four games.
Knight now has nine touchdowns in four games, and fans have started pushing his name into the Heisman discussion. His production has made that conversation impossible to ignore, even if he’s working with fewer carries than some other backs around the country. UCLA’s committee approach in the run game has clearly paid off so far.
Fans didn’t exactly stay quiet about it, either.
"Why is no one talking about Wayne Knight for heisman????I’m being so for real"
"It’s September and UCLA running back Wayne Knight has already made the Heisman conversation a requirement. Unstoppable right now. pic.twitter.com/XXlFzmNbk9"
Now UCLA heads into the bye week with momentum and a perfect 4-0 record, and the next test looms in Week 6 against Oregon.
In Other News...
UCLAs Fast Start Suddenly Feels Bigger After This Road Statement
What looked like a solid early-season win turned into something more meaningful on the road, where UCLA rolled past Maryland 54-3 and delivered its largest road conference victory since 1955. Under Bob Chesney, the Bruins leaned into a run-heavy approach that kept Maryland on its heels, using direct snaps to create a steady stream of chunk plays and scoring chances.
Wayne Knight, Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas all found the end zone on those direct-snap looks, while the defense kept tightening the screws. UCLA intercepted Marylands quarterback four times, a kind of turnover pressure that can change the feel of a game and, just as important for the Bruins, start to change the conversation around how real this fast start might be. [Read more 🡒]
Nico Iamaleava Faces A Big UCLA Test With Undefeated Start At Stake
Leland Smiths recent surge gives UCLA another reason to feel better about the offense heading into its meeting with Maryland, but the bigger spotlight still falls on Nico Iamaleava. The Bruins have leaned on the idea that their quarterback can settle in quickly and keep the unit moving, and this matchup offers a useful barometer against a Terrapins defense with some issues in the secondary.
Marylands passing game brings its own concern, with Chris Durr Jr. looming as the kind of receiver UCLA cannot afford to lose track of for long stretches. The Bruins will need their defense to hold up while Iamaleava works through another important test, because an undefeated start is still intact and a bye week is waiting right after a game that could say plenty about where this team is headed. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Ground Game Is Taking Over At Maryland
UCLAs trip to SECU Stadium has turned into a showcase for the run game, with the Bruins finding the end zone repeatedly in the second quarter against Maryland. Wayne Knight, Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas each powered in rushing touchdowns as UCLA started to tilt the game its way, while Maryland settled for a field goal in the period.
For a Bruins offense looking to establish rhythm in its fourth game of the season, the balance has come from a ground attack that has kept the pressure on the Terrapins. UCLA is leading at the time of the report, and the way the second quarter unfolded suggested the visitors were in control of the matchup in College Park. [Read more 🡒]