UCLA’s Week One win over Cal gave the Bruins plenty to feel good about, and a handful of players made sure their opening statement landed loud and clear.
Sammy Omosigho was one of the first names to jump off the page. Recently named a permanent captain, he backed that up with a night that put him all over the field.
Omosigho finished with 14 total tackles, including 7 solo stops, and added a forced fumble late in the second half. From start to finish, he was around the ball constantly.
Anthony Woods also made sure he wasn’t staying in the background for long. He had been flying a little under the radar through spring and fall camp, but that didn’t last once the game got rolling.
Early in the second quarter, Woods ripped off a 31-yard run by bouncing outside and finished the play with a diving touchdown to put UCLA in front. He wasn’t done there, either.
Woods later broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown run deep in the fourth quarter to help stretch the lead.
Wayne Knight joined the party in a big way as well, scoring a hat trick in UCLA’s 45-24 road win over Cal. The Bruins’ ground game looked like a major weapon, and Knight’s night only reinforced that.
On the other side of the ball, Ta’Shawn James delivered one of the biggest swings of the game. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had his moments for Cal, but James came away with the bragging rights after intercepting him twice. Those two picks gave UCLA a much-needed boost late in the fourth quarter.
The Bruins also had a few concerning moments along the way. Starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava was slow to get up after a hit and initially could not leave the field under his own power. He did return late in the fourth quarter, but it was an unsettling scene for UCLA fans.
Wide receiver Landon Ellis also left with a head injury after hitting the turf hard, and Bruins fans will be hoping for a full recovery.
There were some rough spots, too, for Lovett, who struggled against Cal, especially in the first half. After Kingston Lopa’s interception gave Cal the ball, Lovett had a sequence he’d likely want back.
He gave up a 49-yard catch to Ian Strong and then missed a tackle that let Strong pick up a few more yards. Cal kept the drive moving after that and eventually cut into the deficit before halftime.
Still, the most encouraging sign for UCLA may have come through its passing game. Matthews looked like one of the best receivers on the field and backed up the idea that he could be one of Iamaleava’s favorite targets. He finished with 88 yards on 4 catches, including a huge 43-yard grab right before halftime that set UCLA up for a field goal and helped extend the lead going into the break.
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Nico Iamaleava Addressed The UCLA Injury Scare Fans Feared
A late scare in UCLAs road win at Cal had Bruins fans holding their breath when Nico Iamaleava went down after a run in the fourth quarter. The quarterback briefly left the game, then came back, and head coach Bob Chesney later said the issue was a calf cramp caused by being cleated, adding that Iamaleava should be fine moving forward.
Iamaleava also spoke about the moment after the game, calling it painful but saying he recovered after a short spell on the sideline. For UCLA, the encouraging part is less about the hit itself than the fact that its quarterback was able to return and help close out a road victory, even if the aftermath still left a few questions about how hell look as the week moves on. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs New-Look Ground Game Just Changed How Fans See This Win
A 45-24 win over Cal in Bob Chesneys first game as UCLAs head coach already gave the Bruins a clean opening statement, but the numbers on the ground made it feel even more like a shift in identity. UCLA piled up 277 rushing yards and found the end zone six times on the ground, a showing that gave the offense a different kind of edge and left plenty of room for a deeper look at who drove it.
Pro Football Focus has since gone back through the film and graded the Bruins individual performances with its usual detailed system, offering a separate lens on how that performance actually held up snap by snap. Those grades can still change as the review process continues, and they do not always line up with what a coaching staff sees, but they add another layer to a debut that already has fans recalibrating what this offense might be under Chesney. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's Secondary Just Got A Boost And A New Camp Question
Scooter Jackson is back in the mix for UCLA at a time when the Bruins can use all the help they can get in the secondary. After dealing with academic eligibility issues earlier in the year, Jackson has been cleared to play this season, and he was back on the field for fall camp after missing part of spring practice. His versatility gives UCLA some welcome flexibility, since he has experience at multiple spots in the defensive backfield and has already shown he can be a useful piece for this defense.
The timing matters, too, with Week 1 against Cal approaching and Jackson expected to be available. For a unit that always has to be ready to shuffle pieces around, getting a player like that back in the rotation can change how the Bruins approach the early part of the season. The open question now is how quickly he settles back in after the interrupted offseason and what role he ultimately claims once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]