After one week, UCLA has already forced a recalibration.
The Bruins went on the road and handled Cal in a way that suggested this team might be better equipped for the grind of this season than many expected. That’s not a small thing, especially this early. The rushing attack, in particular, looks like it could become a real weapon in the Big Ten and carry UCLA farther than anyone outside the program may have figured back in the offseason.
What makes the opening week feel even more promising is that the rest of the schedule suddenly doesn’t look as intimidating as it did before kickoff. Michigan needed a Hail Mary to survive Western Michigan at home in the final second, and regardless of how someone wants to judge that finish, the result still points to a team that can be pushed. Oregon also got out with a home win, but the Ducks didn’t exactly look like the overwhelming force many had expected, even with Boise State in the mix as a possible College Football Playoff threat.
Of course, there’s a catch here: it’s still early enough that nobody really knows what any of these teams are yet. Western Michigan and Boise State could end up meaning one thing or something very different by the time the season plays out. The same goes for Cal, which makes it tough to treat UCLA’s opener as a complete read on the Bruins.
Still, that uncertainty cuts both ways. UCLA’s own ceiling is not fully defined yet, but the first game offered a clearer glimpse than expected. The Bruins looked ready for the moment, and that alone changes how the rest of the schedule reads.
It’s premature to start penciling in wins against the toughest opponents, but Week 1 made those games feel more reachable than they did a few weeks ago. The Bruins don’t need to fast-forward to the end of the season to benefit from that.
They just need to keep stacking one game at a time. If they do, this could turn into a much better year than anyone was prepared to imagine.
In Other News...
UCLAs Biggest Post-Cal Challenge Is Just Getting Started
After a road win at Cal, Bob Chesney spent Monday trying to steer UCLA away from the easy trap that follows a result like that. The Bruins got the kind of victory that can make a locker room feel a little too good about itself, and Chesney leaned on a lesson from his time at James Madison to make sure the message stayed clear: the work is not finished just because one good day turned into a better one.
San Diego State is next, and Chesney said UCLA still has to keep improving and lock back in quickly. For a team coming off a confidence-boosting trip, the challenge now is less about celebrating the win and more about proving it meant something by carrying the same edge into the next game. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Left One Costly Red Zone Mistake That Better Teams Will Punish
UCLA opened Week One with a 21-point win and, for the most part, looked efficient when it got inside the red zone. The Bruins turned most of those chances into touchdowns and kept control of the game, which made the overall offensive showing feel encouraging even if there were a few early-seasons rough edges to clean up.
One empty trip still loomed large because it came just before halftime, when a short Nico Iamaleava pass was intercepted in the red zone and Cal quickly answered with a touchdown to trim the lead to 21-17. UCLA steadied after that and allowed only seven second-half points, but better teams are far more likely to punish that kind of wasted scoring chance. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Gets Its First Real Chance To Prove Week 1 Was Real
UCLA gets a cleaner read on itself Saturday when it hosts San Diego State at Rose Bowl Stadium, a follow-up that should say more about the Bruins than the season opener did. The 4:15 p.m. kickoff comes after a win over California that gave first-year head coach Bob Chesney and his team an encouraging first step, with running back Wayne Knight and defensive back TaShawn James among the players who helped set the tone.
Chesney arrived with a proven track record, and his first game in charge suggested the Bruins may have more immediate traction than some expected. But Week 1 can only tell you so much, and this home game offers UCLA a chance to see whether its fast start was a one-night burst or the beginning of something sturdier as the schedule starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]