UCLA’s 2-0 start under new head coach Bob Chesney has brought a lift to the program, but the real test arrives this week as Big Ten play opens with Purdue coming to the Rose Bowl on Saturday night.
Chesney isn’t overlooking what the Boilermakers bring. Purdue is 1-1 and enters off a wild 38-36 double-overtime loss to Wake Forest at home, but the team looks far different from the groups that struggled the past two seasons.
At the center of that change is 6-foot-4 redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Browne, now in his fourth season with the program and showing clear growth. Against Wake Forest, Browne went 32 of 42 for 329 yards and a touchdown, while Fame Ijeboi gave Purdue balance on the ground with 117 yards and three scores on 27 carries. That run game also helped the Boilermakers bring a more physical edge at the line of scrimmage, something they didn’t consistently have last year.
Purdue’s recent records tell the story of how far the program has come. The Boilermakers finished 2-10 in Odom’s first season in 2025 and 1-11 in 2024 under former coach and current Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters. Chesney said the film shows a team that looks and plays differently now.
“This is a different team this year when you watch them play,” Chesney said. “They believe, and they have the players from the offensive line to the quarterback to the wide receivers and the cornerbacks and the linebackers that play so downhill.”
Special teams could also be a major wrinkle in the matchup. Purdue’s units are guided by assistant coach James Shibest, who previously served as special teams coordinator at Virginia Tech, where the Beamer-era groups built a reputation for aggressive play and blocks.
“Purdue is as complete as it can be right now,” Chesney said. “When you have the scheme, the people and the mindset, you have a chance to be successful.”
UCLA, meanwhile, has been leaning on a line that has delivered from the start. The Bruins’ front, anchored by sixth-year senior Riley Robell and fifth-year senior Carter Sweazie, both transfers from James Madison, and senior tight end Brayden Loftin, a Kansas State transfer, has powered a run game that has set the tone.
After piling up 277 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in the 45-24 win at Cal, UCLA averaged 5 yards per carry in last week’s 28-10 victory over San Diego State. Another JMU transfer, Wayne Knight, added 97 yards and three touchdowns, continuing a strong early showing from the group.
“I don’t think there’s a very big gap or huge separation when it comes to the divisions (within college football),” Robells said. “It’s a matter of how much work you’re willing to put in and how much time and effort you’re going to take to perfect your craft.
I think a lot of guys from JMU came in here knowing what this was, put their noses down, and started to work. You’re going to see that transition continue.”
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
UCLA's NFL Pipeline Made An Early Statement In Week 1
Nineteen former UCLA football players were on NFL fields in Week 1 of the 2026 season, and several of them made immediate impressions in roles that mattered. Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns and Quentin Lake of the Los Angeles Rams each finished with 10 tackles, with Lake also adding three passes defensed and an interception, a strong opening reminder that UCLAs pro pipeline is sending out more than just depth pieces.
There were contributions across the board from Bruins alumni, too, with Kaimi Fairbairn, Jake Brendel, Kenny Clark and others turning in notable work for their teams. For UCLA, the bigger takeaway is how quickly its former players are carving out visible roles at the next level, even if the full opening-week picture is still only beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]