UCLA’s 28-10 win over Michigan State did more than keep the Bruins unbeaten Saturday afternoon inside the Rose Bowl. It also sent the game to the film room, where Pro Football Focus started sorting through every snap and putting numbers to what happened on the field.
PFF’s first pass at the game gives UCLA another layer of evaluation after the victory. The organization, which uses a staff of 300-plus experts to review game film across the country, assigns grades to players based on every play rather than the moments that jump out on highlights.
Those grades are not the final word, though. PFF will revisit the film later in the week and adjust things as needed, and its numbers may also look different from what the coaches hand out.
The system is built around that broader view. As PFF puts it, “Taking every play into consideration allows for a larger sample size of data to tell the proper story rather than just a highlight reel of plays that we tend to remember, for better or worse,” Pro Football Focus defines about its grading process.
“We also work to eliminate bias by not caring about the level of player who is being graded, so whether it's the best tackle in the league missing a block or one of the worst, the same grade is given. Preconceived level of ability has no impact on the grading system.
This style has worked well in unlocking undervalued gems through the years, while also not being swayed by player hype if it is undeserved.”
The grades run on a 1-100 scale. A score of 85 or better is labeled NFL-caliber, 80 to 84 falls into the “very good” range, and anything below average lands between 50 and 60. Every player starts at 60, then moves up or down from there based on the film review.
In Other News...
UCLA's 7-0 Start Has Fans Asking One Huge Playoff Question
UCLAs unbeaten start rolled on Saturday with a 28-10 win over Michigan State, pushing the Bruins to 7-0 and keeping the conversation around their season pointed well beyond the usual October milestones. The defense again set the tone, with Donavyn Pellot, Sammy Omosigho and Jalen Woods turning in notable performances, while the running backs powered the offense with 245 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns. Ty Dieffenbach also did his part, completing 18 of 31 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown.
What makes the Bruins more than just an early-season surprise is how complete they have looked while the schedule gets tougher and the attention gets louder. Fans are already asking the obvious question about College Football Playoff legitimacy, and UCLA has given them enough evidence to make the debate real rather than hypothetical. The next stretch will go a long way toward showing whether this start is simply impressive or something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Proved Its Backfield Can Survive One Scary Wayne Knight Moment
Wayne Knight has been the engine of UCLAs ground game this season, leading the Big Ten with 12 rushing touchdowns and stacking up three 100-yard performances along the way. So when he left last weeks game against Michigan State with an injury, it had the look of a potentially costly moment for a backfield that has leaned so heavily on his production.
Instead, the Bruins found enough balance to keep rolling in a 28-10 win, with Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas both helping shoulder the load when the offense needed it most. Bob Chesney said Knights injury is not serious, and he pointed to the way the backs handled the situation as another sign that UCLAs rushing game is built on more than one runner. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Suddenly Looks Like A Team Ready To Finish Games
UCLA has spent the night at the Rose Bowl looking far more like a team that knows how to close than one still searching for its footing. The Bruins have built their lead in a steady, quarter-by-quarter way, mixing timely offense with enough control to keep Michigan State from ever fully seizing the moment.
The scoring has come from a spread of contributors, with Anthony Woods, Brian Rowe, Wayne Knight and Jaivian Thomas all finding the end zone as the game has gone on. Along the way, UCLA also got a field goal on the board while Michigan State managed only a kick of its own, and the Bruins ability to keep stacking answers has been the clearest sign yet that this team is learning how to finish games. [Read more 🡒]