THE BRUINS KEEP RESPONDING
The first quarter Saturday looked unfamiliar to UCLA fans.
The Bruins fumbled on their second possession of the game, leading to a long Michigan State return and quick touchdown, which left UCLA trailing 7-0 at the end of the opening period. At that point, the Bruins had gained 63 total yards of offense and completed just four passes.
But what followed was another example of what has encouraged Bruins head coach Bob Chesney about his #7 ranked team. UCLA responded.
The Bruins scored 28 unanswered points, outgained Michigan State 443-156, rushed for 245 yards and held the Spartans to 2-for-11 on third down in a 28-10 victory that pushed UCLA to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play.
"The first quarter was not the best football that we have played,” Chesney said. “But, I like our resolve. I like our ability to come back. I like our ability to never let something hold you back too long that it affects something moving into the future."
RUNNING BACKS BOUNCE BACK
With 6:21 left in the first quarter, UCLA running back Anthony Woods fumbled at the Spartans 29-yard line, allowing Michigan State to return it 56 yards and two plays later take a 7-0 lead.
Moments later, Wayne Knight put the ball on the ground on the ensuing kickoff return, which he recovered, and then later in the second quarter, Jaivian Thomas lost a fumble after a nine-yard run into Spartans territory.
But once again, it was the response that was immediate and powerful.
"It's just adversity," Thomas said. "We all go through it. It's in a sport, it's going to happen."
Thomas said the backs refused to let the mistakes linger.
"When Woods fumbled, I told him, 'You're good.' He was kind of in his head about it and next thing you know, I fumbled. It is what it is. We got to just move past it and just keep working."
They did.
Woods finished with 112 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Thomas added 41 yards and a touchdown. Knight scored his 12th rushing touchdown of the season. Together, the three backs accounted for 209 of UCLA's 245 rushing yards.
Chesney appreciated what happened after the mistakes.
"Sometimes you put the ball on the ground and it really just cripples you as a runner," he said. "And I thought they did a really good job of it. The response by the running backs to now have confidence and get the ball in the end zone and to be who they’re supposed to be regardless of what might have happened in the past.”
The room's collective mentality continues to make the difference.
"Oh, it's amazing, man," Thomas said of the running backs group. "We push each other every day. We never settle for average. We're always looking to be the best we can possibly be."
FINDING DIFFERENT WAYS TO WIN
Through seven games, UCLA has won in different ways.
The Bruins scored 54 points at Maryland. They won 17-15 at Oregon. They held Wisconsin to one touchdown. They beat Michigan State despite turning the ball over three times.
"The things that are true across the board are going to be just the type of defense we're playing and the aggressive nature at which we're playing it," he said.
Since allowing California 410 yards and 11 third-down conversions in the opener, UCLA has transformed into one of the country's most difficult defenses. Opponents are averaging only 272.9 yards per game and converting 26% of their third-down attempts. The Bruins have forced 22 turnovers and generated 87 points off takeaways.
The defense produced two more interceptions against Michigan State, including Donavyn Pellot's 67-yard return. UCLA has now recorded multiple interceptions in four games this season.
Pellot, who arrived at UCLA from his native Nevada in 2023 and decided to stay in Westwood and play under Chesney, thought he was going to go even further.
“I definitely thought I was going to take it to the house,” Pellot said with a laugh. “I’m not going to lie. In high school I used to play offense, so I was just trying to look for a hole and to break a tackle.”
Pellot’s return set up the Bruins second touchdown five plays later, giving them a 14-7 lead late in the first half they would never relinquish.
TY KEEPS STEPPING UP
UCLA's offense has been defined by its running game so far in 2026. The Bruins lead the Big Ten in rushing and have already produced 18 rushing touchdowns through seven games.
But the passing game continues to evolve as more receivers emerge to connect with quarterback Ty Dieffenbach who made his second career Big Ten start Saturday against Michigan State. It was Dieffenbach’s 63-yard touchdown pass to Brian Rowe Jr. early in the third quarter that pushed the UCLA lead to 21-7 and showed the danger in the Bruins air attack.
"It was a perfect pass," Chesney said. "He turned it over nicely. Brian adjusted to it perfectly. He can throw the deep ball, he can really spin it. And that’s really important, because there are going to be times when we are going to need that.”
ATTENTION GROWING
UCLA's 7-0 start has begun to attract attention beyond the football building.
Thomas notices it walking across campus.
"Most definitely," he said. "Just walking around class and walking around campus, it's a lot of guys talking about the three-headed monster we got in the running back room.”
Chesney hopes the relationship between the program and campus continues to grow.
"It's a good story, right?" he said. "And we just got to make sure that we hold up our end of the bargain now and keep it rolling."
Seven games into the season, UCLA is the last undefeated team remaining in the Big Ten, one of only three unbeaten teams left in the FBS and the first Bruins team since 2005 to start 7-0.
The Bruins will look to continue that streak against Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1:15 p.m.