UCLA’s biggest defensive question is the same one that kept biting the Bruins last season: can they stop the run?
That issue sat at the center of a rough year for UCLA, which gave up 190.7 rushing yards per game in 2024. That number landed the Bruins 111th in the country among FBS teams. The pass defense, by comparison, held up much better, allowing 196.6 passing yards per game to rank 26th nationally.
The ground game was where opponents kept finding room. UCLA allowed 5.2 yards per carry, a number that made life difficult any time the other side had even a functional rushing attack. When teams could lean on the run, the Bruins had a hard time flipping the game in their favor.
The good news for UCLA is that this year’s defense looks dramatically different. The defensive line could feature an entirely new starting group built around transfers, with Sahir West, Maxwell Roy, Amier Washington, Darold DeNgohe, Ryan McCulloch, Aiden Gobaira, and Tyson Ford all in the mix as possible newcomers who could start.
That makes Week One against Cal an intriguing first test. Last season, the Golden Bears ranked 135th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing yards per game. With the new talent Cal has added, that number may not tell the whole story now, but it still gives UCLA a reason to feel better about the matchup.
There’s more riding on this than just one box score, too. If the Bruins can shut down the run, they can push opponents into passing downs and create cleaner chances for their pass rush to take over.
And that pass rush is one of the more interesting parts of this UCLA team. West stands out as one of the best players on the roster, and getting him going is clearly a priority.
For UCLA, stopping the run is the first step toward proving this season looks different from the last one. After a 3-9 finish, the Bruins need signs of progress, and cleaning up the run defense would be a strong place to start.
In Other News...
UCLA Football Has An L.A. Problem Fans Cant Ignore
USCs season opener against San Jos State drew attention for more than the score, because the crowd size was another reminder that college footballs old hold on Los Angeles has loosened. UCLAs own decision to dismiss athletic director Martin Jarmond because of financial challenges only added to the sense that the Bruins are operating in a far tougher environment than the one that once defined the sport in the city. The backdrop is bigger than one game or one campus - it is a broader drop in attendance and cultural pull that has changed how fans in Southern California spend their fall weekends.
The return of the NFL to Los Angeles has only sharpened the competition, giving fans more options and, in some cases, stronger reasons to stay home or split loyalties. With pro teams now anchored in the market and stadium geography shaping how people connect to each side, UCLA is left fighting for relevance in a crowded landscape where college football no longer owns the stage the way it once did. For the Bruins, the problem is not just filling seats on Saturdays. It is trying to remind the city why those seats matter in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's 2026 Roster Talent Just Changed The Big Ten Conversation
247Sports latest 2026 College Football Team Talent Composite gave UCLA another marker to point to as it settles into the Big Ten, with the Bruins landing 24th nationally. The ranking is built from high school recruiting alone, counting commits and star ratings rather than transfers or what players go on to become, but it still offers a snapshot of where the roster stack-up stands right now.
UCLAs class profile is the part that jumps out: one five-star prospect, 18 four-stars and 75 three-stars, good for 768.99 total points and an average of 87.31 per player. In a league where talent perception matters as much as results, that kind of volume gives the Bruins a reason to believe the conversation around their roster is starting to look a little different. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs 2027 Commits Are Already Giving Bruins Fans A Reason To Watch
With UCLA already looking ahead to the future, a couple of 2027 commits have given Bruins fans an early reason to track high school football scores on Friday nights. Duece Jones-Drew turned in a strong showing by rushing for 84 yards and three touchdowns, while Michael Farinas kept showing the kind of versatility that makes him such an intriguing piece for the Bruins next wave of talent.
Farinas recent game offered a little of everything, as he contributed as a receiver, runner and passer, the kind of multi-role performance that stands out this early in the recruiting cycle. UCLAs 2027 commitment group still has a lot of football ahead, and the upcoming schedule for those players will keep drawing attention as the Bruins continue following their future class closely. [Read more 🡒]