UCLA’s perfect start has put the Bruins in the national spotlight, but Bob Chesney isn’t interested in letting that shine distract his team.
The No. 8 Bruins, 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play, head to Minneapolis on Saturday afternoon for a road game against Minnesota, and Chesney’s message has been simple: keep the focus where it belongs. He pointed to what he called the two most meaningless numbers in college sports - the halftime score and a team’s record entering November - and made it clear that the only month that matters is the one ahead.
“I told them the two most meaningless statistics in all of college sports is the score at halftime -- that’s ‘1A’ -- and ‘1B’ is your record going into November,” Chesney said. “November obviously is what matters.”
So far, UCLA has given him plenty to like. The Bruins have won seven of eight games by double digits, and last week they handled Nevada 27-0.
Their only close call came in a 17-15 win over then-No. 13 Oregon on Oct. 10, a game that carried a major cost when quarterback Nico Iamaleava tore his ACL and was lost for the season.
Since then, Ty Dieffenbach has stepped in and settled the position. He’ll make his fourth start against the Golden Gophers after throwing for 683 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, while also adding a rushing score.
UCLA’s ground game has been just as dangerous, with Wayne Knight powering the attack. The Bruins running back has racked up 680 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
Minnesota, meanwhile, gets another shot at a top-tier opponent after a brutal finish last week. The Golden Gophers fell 23-16 in overtime to then-No.
4 Indiana, a game that featured 60-yard field goals from both teams in the final 19 seconds of regulation. Now at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play, Minnesota is trying to move one step closer to bowl eligibility.
Drake Lindsey has been the centerpiece of the offense, throwing for 1,592 yards and 10 touchdowns with six interceptions. TJ Thomas has added 379 rushing yards and one score, Darius Taylor has 217 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and Javon Tracy leads the team with 46 catches for 460 yards and a touchdown.
Lindsey said the Gophers have already shown they can respond after a setback, pointing to their 13-10 win over then-No. 15 Iowa on Oct. 24.
“The ups and downs have not affected this team, which is awesome,” Lindsey said. “That definitely can creep into locker rooms, and it hasn’t at all in this locker room. That’s a testament to coach (PJ) Fleck, our coaches and then all the players.”
Chesney, for his part, sees the challenge in plain terms. He called for his team to bring the kind of edge that survives a noon kickoff on the road and whatever swings the game throws at them.
“Toughness,” Chesney said. “Toughness.
This is as tough a team as we’ve faced and probably will face. Playing at their place, early start (noon), all the things that come with it, there are going to be uncomfortable moments that are going to occur throughout the course of this game, and we’ve got to make sure that we understand that practicing that mental toughness, practicing that physical toughness, practicing that emotional toughness are all things that have got to be worked on now (in practice).
“We’ve done a great job of it all year. But again, it’s November. Things are heightened just a little bit more.”
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UCLA Already Has Fans Arguing What An Undefeated Start Is Worth
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For UCLA, the next chance to keep making its case comes Nov. 7 at Minnesota, with the game set for Fox. Until then, the ranking gives the Bruins something more than a spot in the standings to carry into November: a reminder that staying unbeaten is only part of the job, and that style, schedule and perception can matter just as much when the playoff picture starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
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Bob Chesney didnt sound interested in parsing the outside view, and that fits the way the Bruins have handled the season so far. He brushed aside the ranking talk and steered the focus back to performance, which is where UCLAs attention has to stay with a demanding stretch still ahead and every game carrying more weight than the last. [Read more 🡒]