All eyes may be on UCLA’s march toward its first College Football Playoff appearance, but the Bruins’ 2027 roster picture is already taking shape. The first major piece is in place: quarterback Nico Iamaleava is set to return next season. After that, though, the depth chart is going to keep shifting, with NFL Draft departures and players exhausting their eligibility opening up plenty of room for change.
That’s where the portal comes in, and UCLA’s offseason wish list could include some serious talent.
One name that stands out is Wisconsin sophomore linebacker Mason Posa. He was expected to be one of the biggest prizes on the market this past offseason before deciding to stay with the Badgers.
If the New Mexico native wants to get much closer to home, UCLA would love to land a former Freshman All-American who plays with real violence. Posa brings a punishing style, living in opposing backfields and showing enough coverage ability to handle more than just downhill work.
If Sammy Omosigho leaves Westwood for the NFL after 2026, Posa would be a natural fit to step in.
The Bruins also face a looming need at running back. At least two key pieces from that room won’t be back next year, which makes a proven short-term option especially valuable.
Stanford junior Micah Ford checks that box. He’s currently second in the ACC in rushing yards, and only three backs in the conference have more rushing touchdowns than his eight.
Ford could give UCLA a reliable starter for a season or two while younger backs continue to develop.
And then there’s the backup quarterback spot, a role UCLA has learned not to take lightly. If current No. 2 Ty Dieffenbach decides to leave this offseason in search of a guaranteed 2027 starting job elsewhere, Chesney could stay in California and look at another in-state option.
That option could be UC Davis sophomore Treynor Cleeland. He leads all FCS underclassmen with 2,246 passing yards and has shown steady command for most of the season. Outside of one rough game at SMU, Cleeland has put together a strong case with mature pocket presence, a promising deep ball, and the kind of poise that suggests he can run a college offense.
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UCLAs CFP Push Suddenly Rests On Ty Dieffenbachs Next Step
Ty Dieffenbachs first three starts have given UCLA a workable answer at quarterback since Nico Iamaleava went down with a knee injury, but they have also shown how quickly the job gets harder once defenses have a full read on him. He has flashed the strengths that made the Bruins believe he could keep the offense afloat, even as the passing game has become less efficient and the margin for error has shrunk heading into a critical stretch.
Minnesota arrives as the next test, and UCLAs coaches know the Bruins need cleaner execution and more trust in the air to keep their College Football Playoff push moving. The challenge now is not just whether Dieffenbach can manage the position, but whether the passing attack can adjust fast enough to stay ahead of what opponents are taking away. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Playoff Hopes Now Hinge On Two Problems They Still Havent Fixed
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The problems only deepened after Dante Moore went down with a season-ending concussion, leaving backup Dylan Raiola to carry the offense with mixed results. A loss to Illinois added more pressure to a season already slipping away, and the changes that followed on the staff underscored how urgent the situation has become. With the College Football Playoff now looking like a long shot, Oregon is left trying to steady two areas that have defined its collapse. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Faces A Much Tougher Minnesota Test Than Its Ranking Suggests
UCLA heads to Huntington Bank Stadium for a Big Ten road test that looks far trickier than the rankings imply. The Bruins are sitting No. 8 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, but they are also dealing with injuries, and Minnesota is in the same boat. That combination makes this one of those late-season games where depth, health and execution can matter as much as reputation.
The matchup itself has plenty of pressure points, with both teams trying to navigate the physical toll of the schedule while keeping their postseason hopes intact. UCLA has the higher profile and the better ranking, but Minnesota has enough going for it to make this a real test rather than a routine visit. The prediction here points to a close game, which is exactly the kind of setting that can turn a seemingly manageable trip into a stressful one. [Read more 🡒]