UCLA’s football program made an impressive debut under new head coach Bob Chesney, defeating California 45-24 on Saturday night. The Bruins dominated the final period with a dominant defensive display and powerful ground attack that showcased significant improvements from last season’s struggling squad.
Running back Wayne Knight, a transfer from James Madison, led the offensive charge with three touchdown runs. The fourth quarter proved decisive, with UCLA outscoring Cal 21-0 during that stretch. Safety Ta’Shawn James recorded two interceptions that directly led to scoring opportunities, including a pick on a deep third-down attempt that set up Knight’s 31-yard touchdown run with 8:46 remaining. Knight finished with 71 yards on eight carries in his team debut, while fellow back Anthony Woods rushed for 118 yards and two scores. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava contributed 186 passing yards and a rushing touchdown before departing with a lower leg injury late in the game.
The victory marked a stark turnaround from UCLA’s 3-9 campaign last season, when the program ranked among the nation’s worst defensively and struggled to establish a consistent running game. Saturday’s performance highlighted two critical areas of improvement, with the Bruins accumulating six rushing touchdowns—exceeding their entire total from the previous year.
Cal, under new coach Tosh Lupoi, kept pace early in the contest but couldn’t maintain momentum against the Bruins’ second-half surge. The teams, once Pac-12 Conference rivals, met for the first time since the conference’s dissolution in 2023.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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