UCLA football (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) picked up its first conference win 52-38 against Purdue (1-2, 0-1) on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. The victory had its share of triumphs – fifth-year running back Wayne Knight once again proved to be a game changer. But the young Bruin season isn’t without its susceptibilities. Daily Bruin Sports senior staffer Kai Dizon shares his five thoughts from the Bruins’ latest affair.
Playing Madden (one way or the other)
I don’t play video games very often, but now and again, I get the itch – wanting to relive the bliss of a game-winning drive or throwing for 600 yards.
But it never takes long for me to remember why I play video games so infrequently.
I’m terrible.
I call the same five or so plays, and if my first option isn’t open, I just hold down R2 and book it for the line to gain.
When my Madden quarterback gets pummeled at the line of scrimmage, I usually just turn the console off out of frustration.
But when senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava does the same thing – only in real life – he has to wear every hit forever.
Iamaleava’s ability to make something out of nothing with his legs was on full display in 2025, when he led the team with 505 rushing yards. The Bruins needed Iamaleava to continuously put his body on the line just to have any chance of victory.
But that same risk is looking more inane than necessary this season, given the Bruins’ already-strong ground attack.
Iamaleava has already said he just isn’t comfortable sliding – instead preferring to plow head forward before diving to the ground when necessary.
And twice Saturday, in just the Bruins’ third game, Iamaleava had to be subbed out for his younger brother, sophomore quarterback Madden Iamaleava.
Knight in shining armor
When I was helping a colleague familiarize themselves with the Bruins’ roster ahead of kickoff, I was puzzled when they said they didn’t see a No. 3 in the printout of the home team’s starting offense – seemingly contradicting my claim that Knight has been UCLA’s best offensive player this season and is someone to focus on.
Starting lineups don’t matter as much in football as they do in many sports – and ones printed for the press even less so – but Knight better be printed front and center on the sheets that come out of some Maryland printer on Saturday.
Knight ran for 177 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns against the Boilermakers – adding in three receptions for good measure.
At James Madison last season, Knight had nine rushing touchdowns. He already has eight at UCLA.
It’s like he’s part cat and part bowling ball. His 5-foot-7 frame squeezes past the defensive line again and again – and even if a defender somehow does manage to track Knight down, he will stiff-arm, break the tackle or otherwise find a way to end up trotting into the endzone.
Running back comeback
UCLA’s ground attack is finally back.
It shows shades of Carson Steele and TJ Harden in 2023, who each had over 800 rushing yards. And it has the faintest hint of Zach Charbonnet, Keegan Jones and Harden in 2022.
The Bruins have boasted a supposed running-back-by-committee approach for a number of seasons, but it had failed dramatically in recent years – ironically under former UCLA and NFL running back DeShaun Foster.
But the mix of Knight, fifth-year Anthony Woods and senior Jaivian Thomas looks lethal.
Woods has 228 rushing yards just three games into the season after posting only 294 in 11 games last season.
Thomas put up 626 rushing yards in his second year at California, but in his Bruin debut season in 2025, he – similar to Woods – had just 294 yards across 10 games.
Currently at 131 yards on 21 carries, Thomas set his Bruin career high with his second rushing touchdown Saturday.
Red rover, steamroller, the defense got run over
If you tell most FBS coaches that their starting quarterback threw for 378 yards with three touchdowns, two of their receivers put up triple-digit receiving yards and their starting running back scampered in for two touchdowns, there’s a good chance they would think they won that game.
The Bruins did some things well – namely, limiting the Boilermakers to 63 rushing yards and running back Fame Ijeboi to 47 after he rushed for 114 the week prior.
Ryan Browne completed 19 of his 30 pass attempts. Seven of those completions went for 20-plus yards, compared to just five being under 10.
Senior linebacker Sammy Omosingho and junior defensive lineman Sahir West both had strong performances – the former with two sacks and the latter with two fumble recoveries – but the Bruins didn’t do enough to pressure Browne or limit his receivers’ yards after catch.
Lipstick on a Duke
The Bruins gave up 103 yards on 12 penalties – split evenly with six on the offense and six on the defense.
Against California, UCLA surrendered a free 110 yards on 12 penalties.
And Sept. 12, the Aztecs received 70 free yards off eight Bruin penalties.
UCLA has done a good job masking how tight its games have been this season thanks to an ample supply of fourth-quarter points – posting a combined 56 in three final frames – but one could argue they’ve all been far closer than they ever should’ve been.
Cal and UCLA were tied at 24 heading into the fourth quarter.
San Diego State trailed by only 7-3 after its fourth-quarter field goal.
The Boilermakers trailed by a field goal at halftime and had the lead early in the second half.
UCLA has a relatively easy Big Ten schedule – avoiding reigning national champion No. 5 Indiana and No. 7 Ohio State – but that still means games against No. 12 USC, No. 18 Michigan and No. 20 Oregon.
Giving up free first downs and biting on the remains of your fingernails isn’t a sound long-term strategy.
Comments are closed.