Saturday, October 11
East Lansing, MI
9:00 AM (PT)
UCLA
at
Michigan State
DL Jacob Busic
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Football to Play at Michigan State Saturday
October 07, 2025 | Football
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Mich.)
Kickoff Time: 9:01 a.m. (PT)
Television: Big Ten Network
TV Talent: Mark Followill (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), Rhett Lewis (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Bruins Audio Network): AM 790 (LINK)
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline), Nick Koop (pre/post-game host)
SiriusXM: Ch. 372
Game Notes: PDF
Live Stats: LINK
ย
THE MATCHUP
The UCLA football team travels to East Lansing, Mich. for the first time since 1973 to face Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11. Kickoff between the Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) and Spartans (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. (PT) on Big Ten Network. Fans in the greater Los Angeles region can listen live on AM 790, the new home of the UCLA Bruins Audio Network.
ย
UCLA TAKES DOWN NO. 7 PENN STATE, 42-37
UCLA, led by an interim head coach and new offensive and defensive play-callers, defeated No. 7 Penn State, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl last Saturday for its first win over an AP top-10 opponent since Sept. 24, 2010, when the Bruins defeated No. 7 Texas on the road. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava accounted for all of UCLA's five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) and recorded 296 yards of total offense (166 passing, 128 rushing). With UCLA clinging to a 42-35 lead in the final minute and Penn State threatening deep in the Bruins' territory, Scooter Jackson came up with a stop, bursting into the backfield for a clutch tackle-for-loss that sealed the upset victory.
โข UCLA's offense was led by assistant head coach Jerry Neuheisel who took over play-calling duties just five days before the Penn State contest on Tuesday, Sept. 30. It was his first time calling plays. Neuheisel has coached the Bruins' tight ends and wide receivers over the past four and a half seasons.
โข Iamaleava's three rushing touchdowns matched a career high and tied a UCLA QB single-game record; the last time a Bruins quarterback ran for three touchdowns was Rick Bashore against Washington State on Oct. 14, 1978. Former All-American QBs Gary Beban and John Sciarra (twice) also accomplished the feat.
โข The victory also marked the fifth time in college football history, and first time since 1985, that an 0-4 or worse team defeated a top-10 opponent. UTEP topped No. 7 BYU in that 1985 contest; UCLA also beat BYU in that season. The victory also snapped UCLA's 16-game losing skid against top-10 teams.
โข UCLA rushed for a season-high 269 yards (5.1 yards per carry), which were the most allowed by a Penn State defense since Michigan rushed for 418 yards on Oct. 15, 2022.
โข UCLA scored on each of its first five possessions of the game (TD, FG, TD, TD, FG) and raced out to a 27-7 lead at halftime. The last time the Bruins scored on their first five possessions was against NC Central in 2023.
ย
KEY NOTES ON UCLA
โข Quarterback Nico Iamaleava earned numerous honors for his career performance versus Penn State (Oct. 4): AP National Player of the Week, Maxwell Award Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
โข Iamaleava has averaged 190.8 passing yards per game on 98-of-148 passing (66.2%), including six touchdowns, over the first five starts of his UCLA career. He owns all of the Bruins' four rushing touchdowns this season and has led the team in rushing yards in four of their first five contests (332 total rushing yards). Iamaleava recorded UCLA's longest rush of the season and the longest of his career in the third quarter versus Penn State with a 52-yard carry.
โข Wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer has caught a touchdown in back-to-back games and recorded a catch in 15 straight games. Gilmer scored UCLA's first points against Penn State on an 11-yard pass on the first drive a game. Gilmer also made the second-longest reception of his career against the Nittany Lions with a 43-yard play in the second quarter to set up a UCLA score. Last week at Northwestern (Sept. 27), he hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a 29-yard strike in the fourth quarter.
โข Linebackers JonJon Vaughns (10.8) and Isaiah Chisom (10.0) rank fifth and 11th in the FBS in total tackles per game, respectively. The pair also ranks 1-2 in the Big Ten in total tackles per game. Vaughns has recorded the first four double-digit tackle performances of his career to begin his final campaign in Westwood.
โข Junior kicker Mateen Bhaghani saw his streak of consecutive field goals made come to an end at 13 last week against Penn State (missed 57-yarder). Bhaghani made the second-longest field goal of his career versus the Nittany Lions with a 54-yarder as time expired in the second quarter. For his career, Bhaghani owns a 86.1 success rate (37-for-42).
โข UCLA's 2025 roster lists 59 new names (37 transfers, 22 true freshmen) for its most since at least the 2012 season.
โข The Bruins' offseason was highlighted by the transfer portal addition of redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who spent the previous two seasons at Tennessee. The Long Beach, Calif. native returns home after leading the Volunteers to an 11-3 record as the starting quarterback and a College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance in 2024. Iamaleava finished last season completing 213-of-334 passes (63.8%) for 2,616 yards (201.2 yards per game) and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions. Iamaleava ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with six 50-plus-yard completions last season.
โข N. Iamaleava was tabbed to five preseason watch lists in anticipation of his first game as a Bruin: Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Year, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Polynesian Player of the Year.
ย
COACHING CHANGE
Tim Skipper will serve as UCLA's interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season after DeShaun Foster was relieved of his head coaching duties on Sept. 14, 2025. Skipper previously served as the special assistant to the head coach under Foster earlier this season.
ย
Last season, Skipper became Fresno State's interim head coach in July of 2024 and guided the Bulldogs to a 6-7 record and a bowl appearance. Skipper was also the acting head coach for Fresno State at the 2023 New Mexico Bowl, which the Bulldogs won over New Mexico State, 37-10. Skipper's previous coaching experience includes stints as defensive coordinator, most recently at UNLV from 2018-19, and assistant head coach responsibilities at Colorado State, Central Michigan and Fresno State. He also coached running backs at Florida from 2015-16 and linebackers from 2017-18.
TICKETS TO UCLA HOME GAMES AT THE ROSE BOWL
Various ticket packages, including season, mini-plan and single-game tickets, for the Bruins' inaugural Big Ten season are now available. Fans can clickย HEREย or contact UCLA Athletics Sales and Service at (310) 206-5991 or via emailย at tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information on personalized ticket options.
Sign up for UCLA Athletics emailsย HEREย to stay up-to-date on inside information, ticket deals and more.
ย
Venue: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Mich.)
Kickoff Time: 9:01 a.m. (PT)
Television: Big Ten Network
TV Talent: Mark Followill (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), Rhett Lewis (sideline)
Local Radio (UCLA Bruins Audio Network): AM 790 (LINK)
Local Radio Talent: Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), Wayne Cook (sideline), Nick Koop (pre/post-game host)
SiriusXM: Ch. 372
Game Notes: PDF
Live Stats: LINK
ย
THE MATCHUP
The UCLA football team travels to East Lansing, Mich. for the first time since 1973 to face Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11. Kickoff between the Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) and Spartans (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) is scheduled for 9:01 a.m. (PT) on Big Ten Network. Fans in the greater Los Angeles region can listen live on AM 790, the new home of the UCLA Bruins Audio Network.
ย
UCLA TAKES DOWN NO. 7 PENN STATE, 42-37
UCLA, led by an interim head coach and new offensive and defensive play-callers, defeated No. 7 Penn State, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl last Saturday for its first win over an AP top-10 opponent since Sept. 24, 2010, when the Bruins defeated No. 7 Texas on the road. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava accounted for all of UCLA's five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) and recorded 296 yards of total offense (166 passing, 128 rushing). With UCLA clinging to a 42-35 lead in the final minute and Penn State threatening deep in the Bruins' territory, Scooter Jackson came up with a stop, bursting into the backfield for a clutch tackle-for-loss that sealed the upset victory.
โข UCLA's offense was led by assistant head coach Jerry Neuheisel who took over play-calling duties just five days before the Penn State contest on Tuesday, Sept. 30. It was his first time calling plays. Neuheisel has coached the Bruins' tight ends and wide receivers over the past four and a half seasons.
โข Iamaleava's three rushing touchdowns matched a career high and tied a UCLA QB single-game record; the last time a Bruins quarterback ran for three touchdowns was Rick Bashore against Washington State on Oct. 14, 1978. Former All-American QBs Gary Beban and John Sciarra (twice) also accomplished the feat.
โข The victory also marked the fifth time in college football history, and first time since 1985, that an 0-4 or worse team defeated a top-10 opponent. UTEP topped No. 7 BYU in that 1985 contest; UCLA also beat BYU in that season. The victory also snapped UCLA's 16-game losing skid against top-10 teams.
โข UCLA rushed for a season-high 269 yards (5.1 yards per carry), which were the most allowed by a Penn State defense since Michigan rushed for 418 yards on Oct. 15, 2022.
โข UCLA scored on each of its first five possessions of the game (TD, FG, TD, TD, FG) and raced out to a 27-7 lead at halftime. The last time the Bruins scored on their first five possessions was against NC Central in 2023.
ย
KEY NOTES ON UCLA
โข Quarterback Nico Iamaleava earned numerous honors for his career performance versus Penn State (Oct. 4): AP National Player of the Week, Maxwell Award Player of the Week, Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
โข Iamaleava has averaged 190.8 passing yards per game on 98-of-148 passing (66.2%), including six touchdowns, over the first five starts of his UCLA career. He owns all of the Bruins' four rushing touchdowns this season and has led the team in rushing yards in four of their first five contests (332 total rushing yards). Iamaleava recorded UCLA's longest rush of the season and the longest of his career in the third quarter versus Penn State with a 52-yard carry.
โข Wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer has caught a touchdown in back-to-back games and recorded a catch in 15 straight games. Gilmer scored UCLA's first points against Penn State on an 11-yard pass on the first drive a game. Gilmer also made the second-longest reception of his career against the Nittany Lions with a 43-yard play in the second quarter to set up a UCLA score. Last week at Northwestern (Sept. 27), he hauled in his first touchdown of the season on a 29-yard strike in the fourth quarter.
โข Linebackers JonJon Vaughns (10.8) and Isaiah Chisom (10.0) rank fifth and 11th in the FBS in total tackles per game, respectively. The pair also ranks 1-2 in the Big Ten in total tackles per game. Vaughns has recorded the first four double-digit tackle performances of his career to begin his final campaign in Westwood.
โข Junior kicker Mateen Bhaghani saw his streak of consecutive field goals made come to an end at 13 last week against Penn State (missed 57-yarder). Bhaghani made the second-longest field goal of his career versus the Nittany Lions with a 54-yarder as time expired in the second quarter. For his career, Bhaghani owns a 86.1 success rate (37-for-42).
โข UCLA's 2025 roster lists 59 new names (37 transfers, 22 true freshmen) for its most since at least the 2012 season.
โข The Bruins' offseason was highlighted by the transfer portal addition of redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who spent the previous two seasons at Tennessee. The Long Beach, Calif. native returns home after leading the Volunteers to an 11-3 record as the starting quarterback and a College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance in 2024. Iamaleava finished last season completing 213-of-334 passes (63.8%) for 2,616 yards (201.2 yards per game) and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions. Iamaleava ranked second in the Southeastern Conference with six 50-plus-yard completions last season.
โข N. Iamaleava was tabbed to five preseason watch lists in anticipation of his first game as a Bruin: Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Year, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Polynesian Player of the Year.
ย
COACHING CHANGE
Tim Skipper will serve as UCLA's interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season after DeShaun Foster was relieved of his head coaching duties on Sept. 14, 2025. Skipper previously served as the special assistant to the head coach under Foster earlier this season.
ย
Last season, Skipper became Fresno State's interim head coach in July of 2024 and guided the Bulldogs to a 6-7 record and a bowl appearance. Skipper was also the acting head coach for Fresno State at the 2023 New Mexico Bowl, which the Bulldogs won over New Mexico State, 37-10. Skipper's previous coaching experience includes stints as defensive coordinator, most recently at UNLV from 2018-19, and assistant head coach responsibilities at Colorado State, Central Michigan and Fresno State. He also coached running backs at Florida from 2015-16 and linebackers from 2017-18.
TICKETS TO UCLA HOME GAMES AT THE ROSE BOWL
Various ticket packages, including season, mini-plan and single-game tickets, for the Bruins' inaugural Big Ten season are now available. Fans can clickย HEREย or contact UCLA Athletics Sales and Service at (310) 206-5991 or via emailย at tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information on personalized ticket options.
Sign up for UCLA Athletics emailsย HEREย to stay up-to-date on inside information, ticket deals and more.
ย
Players Mentioned
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