5 Things to Know About Purdue's Week 3 Opponent — UCLA
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Purdue heads to Pasadena, California, and the historic Rose Bowl for an anticipated Week 3 matchup against UCLA. The Boilermakers are looking to play spoiler and upset the Bruins on their home field.
Saturday's game will feature two offenses that have found success through the first two weeks of the season. This matchup could come down to which defense makes the biggest play.
Here’s everything you need to know about UCLA before Saturday’s 11 p.m. ET kickoff.
JMU in Blue
After a poor 3-9 campaign in 2025, the Bruins were in the market for a new head coach this offseason. They landed on Bob Chesney, the standout head coach from James Madison. A basketball school with a struggling football program hires a head coach from JMU to change the culture.
Sound familiar?
Although Curt Cignetti won’t be replicated, even if Bruin fans hope otherwise, there are similarities. Much like Cignetti, Chesney brought a slew of talented JMU players from Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Pasadena, California, looking to instill a winning culture. Eleven former Dukes will be featured on the roster as JMU in Blue.
No Touchdown Nico
Although UCLA had significant roster turnover this offseason, the Bruins retained their starting quarterback. Nico Iamaleava is one of the most polarizing quarterbacks in college football, especially given his journey to UCLA. Despite everything, there’s no denying the senior quarterback’s talent. However, he hasn’t gotten off to a strong start passing the ball.
Through two games, Iamaleava has thrown for just 335 yards, two interceptions and zero touchdowns. Although passing has been a struggle early, he’s made an impact with his legs, including a 57-yard rushing performance last week against San Diego State.
Key Injuries
The Bruins are banged up heading into Saturday night’s matchup against Purdue. Starting receiver Mikey Matthews is out after suffering an injury against San Diego State, while Tao Johnson is a loss for the Bruins’ secondary. Senior tight end Josh Phifer is also listed as doubtful, further complicating UCLA’s injury situation.
Matthews is UCLA's second-leading receiver through two games, catching four passes for 88 yards. Johnson has just two tackles this season, but he accounted for 51 tackles, four pass break-ups and two interceptions last year at Utah.
Dominant Rushing Attack
Running the ball has become UCLA’s forte. Chesney brought JMU standout running back Wayne Knight along with him, and he’s excelled in his new home. Knight has rushed for 168 yards and an astonishing six touchdowns through two games.
Beyond Knight, senior Anthony Woods returns to UCLA and has provided a strong 1-2 punch, recording 148 yards and two touchdowns of his own. The Bruins want to run the ball, and if Purdue can’t stop it, it could be a long night.
Playoff Hopes
UCLA fans have bought into Chesney and see the playoffs as a realistic possibility in his debut season with the Bruins. Although it’s seemingly a long shot, there’s plenty of hype surrounding this team, contributing to why Purdue is seen as an underdog heading into the matchup.
Playoff hopes and expectations are one thing, but reality is another. Purdue will have an early-season opportunity to play spoiler on Saturday night. Either way, this should be a measuring-stick matchup for both teams, with UCLA fans getting a chance to discover whether their playoff dreams are grounded in reality or driven by hype.
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Nick Arvin is a multimedia journalist who got his start covering Purdue athletics for 247Sports. He is also currently the host of the Locked On Boilermakers podcast. In addition to covering Purdue for On SI, Nick also works as a high school sports reporter for ClarksvilleNow.
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