BERKELEY, Calif. - UCLA’s season opener against Cal brought a few things into sharper view early, from the Bruins’ position battles to the familiar edge of a rivalry that’s been forced to survive outside the same conference.
On defense, Scott Taylor saw the bulk of the action over Aiden Gobaira, working from both sides of the line and getting after the passer. Amier Washington got the start at defensive tackle, while Cole Martin opened at cornerback and spent plenty of time locked onto the slot.
Rodrick Pleasant and DJ Barksdale were lined up outside him. At linebacker, Trent Hendrick checked in, but Jalen Woods and Samuel Omosigho were ahead of him.
The offense had its own pecking order emerge. Anthony Woods got the first carry, and Wayne Knight was used on passing downs.
Out wide, Brian Rowe Jr., Mikey Matthews and Landon Ellis were the trio on the field, and Rowe immediately showed why he matters, ripping off back-to-back first downs with his speed. Knight handled kickoff returns, while Matthews took over punt return duties.
UCLA also had a shot to stretch the game before halftime. Samuel Omosigho forced Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to fumble, giving the Bruins a quick chance to capitalize. They reached the red zone, but Nico Iamleava underthrew Rowe and Kingston Lopa came away with the interception.
Cal answered with a late drive, going 80 yards in 51 seconds for a touchdown that trimmed the UCLA lead to 21-17. But the Bruins still had one more possession before the break.
With 13 seconds left, they took the ball at the 30-yard line and chose aggression over caution. Iamaleava found a wide-open Matthews in the middle of the field, UCLA used a quick timeout, and Mateen Bhaghani drilled a 38-yard field goal to push the margin back to 24-17.
There were a few bumps along the way on defense. On UCLA’s first defensive series, Washington and safety Tao Johnson both left with minor injuries.
Washington was replaced by A.J. Fuimaono, and Donovyn Pellot came on at safety.
Washington later returned after missing one series. Ford also dealt with a lower-body injury before coming back shortly after.
The game carried more than just on-field intrigue, though. For some fans, the meeting in Berkeley was a reminder of what UCLA-Cal used to be before conference realignment split them apart.
Ben Gilmore, who used to make the trip from Berkeley to Los Angeles in a Winnebago as a Cal undergrad in the early 2000s, said each return was “super sad” after the Golden Bears beat the Bruins. He later attended UCLA for graduate school and settled in Southern California, so the Winnebago sat unused for the last two years while the teams went a season without meeting for the first time since 1932.
Now that UCLA is in the Big Ten and Cal is in the ACC, the rivalry no longer has the same weekly rhythm. But with the schools meeting in their 2026 season opener Saturday, Gilmore made the trip north again, carpooling with his friend Dave Merrell.
“I think it’s just different because we’ve kind of had this rivalry for decades at that point, and really a shame when the Pac-12 broke up. This is something we used to do all the time,” Gilmore told the Southern California News Group while watching the Week 1 slate at Raleigh’s in Berkeley.
Ken Greenstadt also remembers the old days, starting with UCLA at the beginning of an 18-year run in which the Bruins beat Cal in football. His wife, Jean, described the Bruins as the Golden Bears’ little brothers from down south. The couple never skipped a fall trip to the Bay Area, alternating between UCLA’s game at Cal and the Bruins’ trip to Stanford.
“Those were traditional rivalries back when we were all in the same league,” Ken said.
Another piece of that old Pac-12 feel that’s been missing is “Pac-12 After Dark,” the late-night window that made West Coast games feel unpredictable. Gilmore said, “Everybody enjoyed how unhinged they tended to get,” and UCLA fan Jason Fraychineaud added, “These games always seemed to be hugely competitive and entertaining,” before calling it a shame that matchups like this don’t happen weekly anymore.
Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. start brought some of that energy back. Even without the same conference tie, the rivalry still drew plenty of interest, with UCLA fans traveling north to help fill a sellout crowd at California Memorial Stadium. Anti-UCLA signs were scattered across Berkeley’s Greek row, while fans from both sides mixed at nearby restaurants and tailgates, trading stories about the old days.
In Other News...
UCLA's First Depth Chart Will Answer One Huge Question Fast
UCLAs preseason picture is finally starting to come into focus, and the first depth chart should tell a lot about how the Bruins want to line up for their opener against Cal. The expected offense has a few familiar anchors and a heavy dose of new faces, with Madden Iamaleava projected to lead the group at quarterback and captain, while transfer running back Wayne Knight is among the players expected to play a major role as the staff sorts through the rest of the rotation.
Even after all the summer movement, there are still plenty of jobs up for grabs on both sides of the ball, and the initial chart should offer the clearest look yet at which transfers have already made the strongest case and which returning players are holding off challengers. For a team still trying to settle on its identity before kickoff, the first official lineup will answer some immediate questions while leaving a few more in the air. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's Secondary Just Got A Boost And A New Camp Question
A welcome bit of clarity arrived for UCLAs secondary as Scooter Jackson has been cleared to play this season after dealing with academic eligibility issues earlier in the year. Jackson missed part of spring practice, but he was back for fall camp and is now expected to be available when the Bruins open against Cal in Week 1, giving the defense a seasoned piece at a position group that can never have too much depth.
What makes Jackson particularly useful is the kind of versatility he brings to the back end. He has experience lining up at multiple spots in the secondary, and after a strong 2025 season with UCLA, his return gives the Bruins another player they can trust as camp sorting continues. The bigger question now is how the staff chooses to deploy him once the games start, and where he fits in a defensive picture that could still use a few answers. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Faces Early Cal Questions As Key Roles Remain Unsettled
With Week One against Cal approaching, UCLA is still sorting out a few important pieces as the Bruins get ready to see who can step into meaningful roles right away. Bob Chesney has already pointed to Trent Hendrick as someone who should be able to help on defense and special teams, a useful early sign for a team trying to settle its depth chart before the opener.
The uncertainty extends beyond Hendrick, with Brian Rowe, Landon Ellis and James Madison transfer West among the names worth tracking as the matchup draws closer. For UCLA, the first game is as much about finding reliable contributors as it is about the result itself, and the way those roles shake out could say plenty about how ready the Bruins are for the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]