UCLA Defender Earns POTW Honors After Penn State Win

Following what was one of the biggest wins of the college football season -- UCLA's 42-37 upset over No. 7 Penn State -- a handful of Bruins earned hardware for their performances.

The first UCLA defender to be recognized for his performance this season was redshirt senior safety Key Lawrence, who was named Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week for his stunning outing against the Nittany Lions.

Lawrence was all over the field, leading the team with eight tackles, one of which was for loss down the stretch of the game, and forcing a crucial fumble to help the Bruins maintain momentum throughout.

ucl — Sep 27, 2025; Evanston, Illinois, USA;UCLA Bruins defensive back Key Lawrence (4) and defensive back Robert Stafford III (3) defends Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Hayden Eligon II (80) during the first half at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Lott Impact Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top defensive player who also displays characteristics similar to those of Ronnie Lott by making an "IMPACT" on and off the field. Lawrence has been one of UCLA's most boisterous players since transferring in the offseason.

Lawrence joins Nico Iamaleava and interim head coach Tim Skipper as UCLA representatives to earn hardware and recognition following their win against Penn State.

“I’m just trying to get the juices going," Lawrence said after Saturday's win. "Once you understand if everyone is having fun, it’s like a kid in the candy store. You put a kid out there doing his favorite thing, and there’s like nothing else in the world that matters.

Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) drops back to pass during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

"Just be where your feet are, be present in the moment. It all really relies on the D-line and the front seven, and everyone around me picking me up, because I made some bad plays out there and everyone kept installing the same faith in me like I had with everyone else.”

Skipper has worked tirelessly to get his squad to maintain belief despite what was an abysmal 0-4 start. Lawrence emphasized how important that belief is and was to coming out with a victory.

“When you play defense, it’s a reactionary thing," he said. "I have to understand that if he does his what he needs to do, everything will flow together. It’s like the analogy when you put one pencil and you break it, but when you put a few of them together and you try to snap them, they don’t break, because they all hold their own will.

"We all believe in each other. Shout out to Nico. Once everything started shutting down, and Tino got released, he brought everyone together and let us know that he’s still in it. Everybody on the offensive side is still in it. We already knew our defense was still with it, but it was a great thing to see everyone collaborate like this. That’s the main thing right there, believing in one another.”

ucl — Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper (left) and new offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel (right) on the sideline during second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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