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UCLA Football Stock Report: Three Players Rising After Week 7

Buy stock now in these three Bruins.
Oct 17, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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A sentence I never thought I would say heading into this season: the UCLA Bruins are 6-0.

Following UCLA's victory at home against Wisconsin, plenty of players rose to the occasion and eliminated many of the concerns that the Bruins had heading into this contest.

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Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney watches a replay during the second half in a game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was a huge win not only for their record moving forward, but also in terms of the momentum and belief in this locker room that have been elevated by this win. If you're interested in buying stock in any of the Bruins, here are the three players that I would target moving forward.

Ty Dieffenbach

This one is as obvious as can be: quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. There were real concerns when Nico Iamaleava went down with a likely season-ending injury, but Dieffenbach was able to play with confidence and rise to the occasion in a way that very few people saw coming.

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Oct 17, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenbach (14) sets to pass in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The passing game looked revitalized under Dieffenbach, and had it not been for an effective attack through the air, UCLA very well might have lost this game. The Badgers were suffocating UCLA's run game all night long, a feat that no team before had been able to do.

Dieffenbach ended the night with 264 yards while passing 33 times, reflecting the confidence that head coach Bob Chesney has in him. Moving forward, you can expect Dieffenbach to get even better, as he heads toward two of the easier games on the schedule with Michigan State and Nevada.

Jalen Woods

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Oct 17, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph (1) is sacked by UCLA Bruins linebacker Scott Taylor (20) and linebacker Jalen Woods (9) for a loss of yardage in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The buzz this season on the defensive side of the ball has largely been centered around captain linebacker Sammy Omosigho. However, his running mate, Jalen Woods, is having a heck of a year as well.

Woods ended the night as the team's leading tackler with nine total tackles, seven solo tackles, a sack, and a major tackle for loss. A week ago at Oregon, Woods was also the leading tackler in that game with nine total tackles, four solo tackles, and two tackles for loss. He's a player who's been getting better every week and continues to make impactful plays for this UCLA defense.

Semaj Morgan

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Sep 19, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Semaj Morgan (4) scores on a 27-yard touchdown pass against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We've been looking for someone in the wide receiver room to step up and claim the No. 1 spot, and I'm thinking we've finally found our answer.

Throughout the past couple of weeks, Semaj Morgan has looked like the most reliable receiver on this team and is playing with a high level of confidence as he continues to make impactful plays every single week.

His connection with Dieffenbach looked solid throughout the game, and I'm expecting big things from the two of them moving forward.

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Kade Nix
KADE NIX

Kade Nix is the UCLA Beat Writer On SI and a member of the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). He specializes in college basketball coverage, with a statistical, analytics-driven approach to reporting, providing readers with in-depth analysis of recruiting, roster construction, player development, and the evolving college sports landscape.