UCLA versus California was one of the marquee matchups of the Week 1 college football schedule.

Two first-year head coaches. Two teams with reloaded rosters primed to break out. Two programs looking to make an early-season statement.

And the revival of “Pac-12 After Dark” did not disappoint.

Surrounded by a sold-out crowd at Memorial Stadium, UCLA won the Bear Bowl for the first time since 2022, defeating Cal 45-24. Let’s take a look at five takeaways from the Bruins’ season-opening victory.

Ground domination

UCLA’s running game had a lot to live up to.

The Bruins’ tailbacks were consistently touted as the strongest, deepest and most potent position group on the UCLA roster throughout spring and preseason workouts, featuring two proven returners while adding an Associated Press second-team All-American.

The group somehow surpassed expectations.

The running back trio of Jaivian Thomas, Anthony Woods and Wayne Knight, alongside quarterback Nico Iamaleava, combined for 259 rushing yards and six touchdowns — the school’s first game with six rushing scores against an FBS opponent since 2015 versus Arizona.

The Bruins were efficient, averaging 8.7 yards per carry — courtesy of a 31-yard rushing touchdown from Knight and a pair of 30-plus yard touchdown runs from Woods.

Bob Chesney consistently told reporters that the Bruins were going to need all three running backs throughout the season and that showed Saturday night, with each back getting at least a dozen plays.

While Knight shouldered the most production against Cal — garnering 27 plays compared to Thomas’ 13, which ranked third in the group — it was largely because of his versatility in the passing game, hauling in two catches for 30 yards.

It may have been the former James Madison running back’s night Saturday, but it could be anyone else going forward.

And that may be the Bruins’ biggest asset.

Where is everyone?

The Bruins’ running game was nothing short of dominant.

But there are some question marks surrounding UCLA’s pass catchers.

The Bruins logged just 184 receiving yards Saturday and had just five receiving yards in the second half. Senior receiver Mikey Matthews made a significant contribution, catching four passes for 88 yards, including a deep ball with 13 seconds left at the end of the first half that allowed UCLA to kick a field goal and take a seven-point lead.

But after halftime, Matthews faded.

Similarly, sophomore wideout Brian Rowe Jr. looked poised for a breakout game many expected, taking a reversal 20 yards and catching three passes for 28 yards in the first half, but the player many thought would be UCLA’s X-factor was a non-factor in the second half.

JMU transfer receiver Landon Ellis hauled in a key 20-yard grab on third and long to move the sticks, but he missed almost the entirety of the second half with a head injury after getting leveled on a UCLA-designed trick play.

But what was more surprising than the starting wide receivers’ lack of contributions, was that Florida transfer Aidan Mizell and San José State transfer Leland Smith did not replace Ellis when he exited. Both pass catchers were seen on the field and were expected to be significant contributors after productive campaigns last year, but they were passed over in favor of sophomore Shane Rosenthal.

Rounding out the pass catching crew, the tight end room — which entered the season with a lot of questions — left a lot to be desired in the pass game, catching one pass for four yards despite playing 85 snaps between a quartet of tight ends.

It is only Game 1. Did UCLA’s play-calling remove opportunities from receivers? And did Iamaleava have difficulty finding the space to give his pass catchers something to work with?

It is definitely something to monitor heading into the Bruins’ home opener against San Diego State.

New season, same Nico?

Iamaleava was not spectacular.

But he was not horrible, either.

The signal-caller produced his prototypical line from his first campaign in Westwood, throwing just 22 times for 184 yards and failing to score through the air — but of course reaching the end zone on his legs, rushing nine times for 29 yards and one touchdown.

There is no doubt that the Bruins should have relied on the run against the Golden Bears. It would have been illogical not to, given how the trio of backs were playing and Cal’s inability to stop the perimeter ground attacks.

But that does not mean Iamaleava’s lack of proficiency through the air should be chalked up to a run-heavy game script.

In fact, Iamaleava’s interception at the end of the first half on Cal’s 13-yard line — something Chesney put on the receiver but Iamaleava took blame for after the contest — could have been the costliest mistake of the game.

UCLA had the chance to go up 18 at halftime and would have received the second-half kickoff, but instead Iamaleava’s giveaway allowed Cal to crawl back and make it a one possession game.

Despite all of the negatives, Iamaleava looked more confident and poised in the pocket, most of the night the offensive line gave him time to go through multiple reads and he was not afraid to take deep shots down the field.

Next man up

Chesney and his coordinators have emphasized the importance of depth.

They have stressed injuries and fatigue guarantee that at some point, your No. 1 option will not be available.

And sure enough, it did not take long to prove them correct.

Starting free safety and Utah transfer Tao Johnson went down with an injury on the first drive of the game and did not return, prompting defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler to tap Iowa State transfer Ta’Shawn James — who largely did not play with the starters throughout camp.

And James did not let his opportunity go to waste, hauling in two interceptions — the first of his college career.

James’ first takeaway marked a major turning point in the game, with the contest knotted at 24 and just under nine minutes remaining. And just one play after his interception, Knight cashed in with a 31-yard rushing touchdown.

The safety’s second interception — which came on the following drive — virtually sealed the game for the Bruins, giving them possession with a seven-point lead that soon turned into a 14-point advantage after Knight’s third score of the evening.

While James was not expected to be the Bruins’ savior Saturday, he rose to the occasion. The rest of the defense pressured Cal quaterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele into some bad throws, but James still had to focus to complete the picks in a high-pressure game.

“He was ready and he didn’t miss a beat. He works hard every day and it’s been frustrating a little bit,” Chesney said. “I say to these guys all the time, whatever your role is, if you sit around and pout about it, you’re probably going to get demoted, but if you dominate your role and then something happens like this, you might find yourself getting promoted. And you know, that’s exactly what he did.”

The train is not stopping

UCLA was challenged Saturday and the Bruins proved they would fight for a win, making a statement about their potential this season.

Chesney — and his program — more than lived up to the hype the charismatic public speaker built throughout the offseason.

While it was clear Chesney could deliver motivational speeches and create an environment conducive to winning, he had never coached at the Power Four level and his staff had to quickly merge the talents of a rebuilt roster.

While it was just one game, Chesney’s Bruins showed they capable of are more than just talking.

UCLA earned its first season-opening victory against a Power Four team since 2017 against Texas A&M in a sold out road environment against an in-state rival.

Through all of the animosity from the crowd, one that Matthews noted as particularly hostile, the up-and-down nature of the game and the spotlight Chesney brought to his team, the players appeared to be collected and poised.

As Cal’s student section did the “Swag Surf” during a timeout, the Bruins joined along, dancing on the field, waving their hands and shouting. The Cal sideline, which faced its own host of expectations, appeared to be tense and less comfortable during what was a close contest. Simply put, Chesney and the Bruins looked ready for the moment.

The Bruins face a long and challenging season, but the Chesney Train won Game 1 and shows no signs of slowing down.

What does a win mean?

L.A. Times high school sports expert Eric Sondheimer reports the UCLA win over Cal is already having a significant impact on recruiting.

Austin Miller, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound receiver at Bellflower, is committed to Ohio State, but Sondheimer reports his father encouraged Chesney to keep recruiting his son.

Forget any interim talk

When UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk first announced the firing of athletic director of Martin Jarmond and the hire of former Lakers executive and Bruins alum Tim Harris as chief executive and athletic director, there was some reporting the role was interim. The pro bono salary certainly suggested this might be a temporary post as the Bruins charted a new course to help balance the athletics budget.

Frenk celebrated the first football game day of the 2026 season by posting a picture with Harris on X in which he called Harris UCLA’s “permanent CEO and athletics director.”

While Harris could have a transformative role helping UCLA raise the funds required to compete for titles in all sports, Frenk has already proven to be a massive game-changer for the Bruins. The former University of Miami president has long supported his school’s athletic programs and helped the Hurricanes go from the middle of the Atlantic Coast Conference pack to the College Football Playoff final last season.

The California Post’s Ben Bolch, the former steward of this newsletter, reported Frenk wrote a letter transferring control over the use of UCLA’s logo from a student-run organization to the athletic department. It ends an odd 60-year agreement and will allow the cash-strapped athletic department to potentially earn millions off the logo.

Bruins on deck

Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:

Monday, Sept. 7

Women’s golf at ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Lake Elmo, Minn., all day

Tuesday, Sept. 8
Women’s golf at ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Lake Elmo, Minn., all day

Wednesday, Sept. 9

Women’s golf at ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Lake Elmo, Minn., all day

Women’s volleyball at Utah State, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 10

Women’s soccer vs. Purdue, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 11

Men’s water polo at UC Irvine, 2 p.m.

Men’s soccer at Rutgers, 4 p.m.

Women’s volleyball at BYU, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 12

Men’s golf at Sahalee Players Championship in Sammamish, Wash., all day

Men’s water polo vs. UC Santa Barbara, 11 a.m.

Men’s water polo vs. LMU, 12:30 p.m.

Football vs. San Diego State, 4:15 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 13

Men’s golf at Sahalee Players Championship in Sammamish, Wash., all day

Women’s soccer vs. Michigan State, 1 p.m.

Women’s volleyball at Utah, 5 p.m.

A newsletter change

Starting Sept. 21, this newsletter will be available to Los Angeles Times subscribers only. A free press isn’t free and we depend on readers to do the important stories that make a difference. If you’re already a subscriber, nothing will change. If you’re not, there’s never been a better time to sign up. Subscribe here.

In case you missed it

Swanson: Bob Chesney’s gutty Bruins pushed to beat Cal and gave UCLA fans a reason to believe

‘It was a lot of fun.’ UCLA surges late, opens Bob Chesney era with win over Cal

‘Bruin Bullies’ are dialed in on creating havoc during UCLA season opener at Cal

‘You should be really excited.’ Cal football ready for a breakthrough game against UCLA

Swanson: Martin Jarmond’s UCLA legacy marred by football turmoil, money woes and donor blunders

UCLA fires athletic director Martin Jarmond, replaces him with ex-Lakers exec Tim Harris

Former Cal players on UCLA roster fired up to kick off season against Golden Bears

Have something Bruin?

Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Times sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this newsletter.