PASADENA, Calif. – UCLA football defeated San Diego State 28-10 Saturday in the Bruins’ opener at Rose Bowl Stadium. Both teams were held scoreless in the first half, but UCLA closed strong. One week after scoring 21 fourth-quarter points in a road win against California, the Bruins repeated the feat at home.
“You can go back and look historically, especially last year at JMU, we were pretty dominant in the second half,” said UCLA head coach Bob Chesney. “It has to do with the adjustments that we make, but also our guys figuring out the speed at which things are happening. When you have 60-70 guys on the team, that ability to gel early in the season – it takes a second. You settle down when you get to half time and you have to understand what the test is at hand, then you have to trust one another and play together as a team. We have to start much, much faster, but I like the energy that we came back out with in the second half. We were able to get a stop, then put a drive together. The rest was history after that.”
Wayne Knight starred again for UCLA (2-0) offensively, rushing 13 times for 97 yards and matching his Week 1 total with three rushing touchdowns. Jaivian Thomas added a fourth touchdown on the ground during the Bruins’ fourth-quarter scoring spree.
“I'll just say the positions I'm putting in,” said Knight when asked about his six touchdowns so far this season. “We're moving the ball to the offense, we're making plays out there and when the light shines on you, it's your time to make that play. I’m fortunate enough, all glory to God, I'm able to make those plays.”
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 14 of 22 passes for 151 yards. He had one pass intercepted. Iamaleava’s most frequent target was Semaj Morgan, who logged career highs of six receptions and 73 receiving yards.
Jalen Woods was the Bruins’ standout defensively, posting nine total tackles, one sack and his first career interception. UCLA held Aztec quarterback Jayden Denegal to just six completions on 17 attempts and 45 passing yards. He had one touchdown through the air and an interception. SDSU (1-1) was led by Lucky Sutton, who registered 81 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Neither offense was able to advance into enemy territory during the first quarter, with the longest offensive play a nine-yard reception by UCLA’s Brian Rowe Jr. Rowe was able to break loose for a 45-yard gain down the sideline, nearly into the red zone, just six plays into the second quarter. The Bruins knocked at the door of their first points five plays later, as Iamaleava rolled out to his right after taking a snap from the two-yard line. Throwing across his body into the end zone, he was picked off by Mike Lindsay. UCLA was stopped on downs its next try, after reaching the Aztec 38
SDSU opened the third quarter with a three and out. The ensuing punt was returned 25 yards onto the Aztec end of the field by Morgan. Four rushes later, the Bruins broke through for a 7-0 lead. Iamaleava had the big gain, for 25 yards, but it was Knight’s eight-yard burst up the middle that ended in points. SDSU crossed the 50-yard line for the first time midway through the third, but nothing resulted from the drive.
At 13:11 of the fourth quarter, Cooper DiLeva drilled a 46-yard field goal for the Aztecs’ first points. UCLA responded emphatically, though, driving 75 yards on nine plays. Morgan reeled in two passes for 51 yards, but it was again Knight finding the end zone on a seven-yard rush to the right side.
An interception by Jalen Woods put the Bruins in striking range once more. Starting from the SDSU 23-yard line, it took them just four plays to cross the goal line. Thomas had 16 yards on the ground, capped with a one-yard plunge for his first touchdown of the year. It was also UCLA’s ninth, which surpassed the 2025 team’s total.
The Aztecs’ only touchdown came on a 19-yard pass from Denegal to Jackson Ford. The five-play, 65-yard drive was SDSU’s longest of the game. Another response came courtesy Knight, who turned on the jets for 36 yards and his sixth rushing touchdown of the season.
UCLA caps its mini homestand Saturday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. PT, when Purdue visits Rose Bowl Stadium for each team’s Big Ten Conference opener. Tickets are available HERE. Big Ten Network will provide television coverage of the programs’ first-ever meeting in Pasadena, Calif.