The Good, Bad and Ugly of UCLA Football

Zeroing in on the good parts of UCLA football, while discussing the bad

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) carries the ball against the Southern California Trojans in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It has been a wild year for UCLA football. In this article, we will be discussing the good things about UCLA football as well as some of the forgettable parts about the team

The Bruins finished the season 3–9, and while there were moments of optimism, the lows ultimately outweighed the highs. UCLA will look to turn the page next season, especially following the hiring of Bob Chesney.

The Good | The Future

Dec 9, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins football coach Bob Chesney poses at introductory press conference at Renee Luskin Conference Center Centennial Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The good news for the Bruins is their future. With the hiring of both Bob Chesney and Dean Kennedy, the Bruins looked poised to make a 180, either next season or the year after. James Madison is currently facing Oregon in the college football playoffs, which could be the Bruins' very soon.

The Bruins have had it rough in the Big Ten as of late, something that is indisputable. In their first two season, they have only won eight games, a change was definitely needed. With Bob Chesney, the Bruins have a shot to look like a real powerhouse soon.

The Bad | Defense

Nov 22, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) is forced out of bounds by UCLA Bruins defensive back Cole Martin (21) after a first down during the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Bruins' defense, looking ahead, is looking rough. They lost both Cole Martin and Scooter Jackson in the transfer portal, two players who made a massive impact in the Bruins' secondary this season. On top of those two leaving, some considerable seniors are leaving as well.

The defensive line was abysmal this season as well. This season, they only recorded 10 sacks in 12 games, with most of them coming early in the season. To make matters worse, the Bruins would lose out big time in the early-signing period, losing both Anthony Jones and Carter Gooden, who were both four stars.

The Ugly | Running Game

Nov 8, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Jalen Berger (0) runs the ball against Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker Javin Wright (0) during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Without Nico Iamaleava's 505-yard rushing season, the rushing stats overall would look horrible. Without Iamaleava's efforts, the Bruins would only rush for 1,171 yards. To put that in perspective, if the Bruins were a single player, they would rank 16th in the nation.

This means that 15 individuals had more rushing yards than all of the Bruins combined. Looking ahead, the Bruins are in a similar situation as the defense: the Bruins have failed to land a single running back in the 2025 class. Meaning this issue will have to be fixed in the transfer portal.

Dec 9, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins football coach Bob Chesney (left) poses with athletic director Martin Jarmond at intoductory press conference at Renee Luskin Conference Center Centennial Ballroom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While the hiring of Chesney might help the Bruins in the long run, things are not looking position-wise as of now. However, Chesney has been able to make magic happen with nothing, as seen during his time with JMU.

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