Without a doubt, one of the most entertaining aspects of the 2026 college football season is the way the UCLA Bruins just keep rolling along. In Bob Chesney’s first season with the Bruins, they are unbeaten and among the most fascinating teams in the Big Ten.
I had no clue that the Bruins would be this good. And to be honest, I’d be willing to bet that very few other folks outside of UCLA expected this team to be sitting at *checks notes* 9-0.
This team is the No. 4 team in the most recent edition of the AP poll.
That’s really solid.Â
The Bruins are leading the Big Ten standings right now. They’ve managed to beat the likes of the Oregon Ducks, Wisconsin Badgers, and Minnesota Golden Gophers. And right now, it’s looking like the Bruins might be able to roll right up to the College Football Playoff with an unblemished record.
There’s a few reasons for that.Â
1. UCLA’s defense is legit and terrifying
As the Bruins try to finish the regular season out, we have to talk about how UCLA’s defense has been capable of stymying opposing offenses on a very regular basis. Truly, this team is shutting folks down (and that is something that should translate well into the postseason).
The Bruins have gone through the first nine games of the season and have limited opponents to just 264.7 total yards of offense per game. Teams are averaging just 87.7 rushing yards per game against UCLA’s defensive front.Â
And when it comes to turnovers, the Bruins are winning that battle with ease. UCLA’s offense is averaging 1.4 turnovers per game, but the Bruins defense is forcing 3.0 turnovers per game. There’s certainly an element of luck that comes with turnovers, but the fact that the Bruins are so good here should not get overlooked.
2. The Bruins have proven capable of winning in a few different ways
Not every game has been stellar, perfectly clean, and pretty, but the Bruins are still unbeaten and are proving to be able to win in a few different ways. That could come in handy down the stretch as UCLA continues to make a case for itself.
We just chatted about the defense and that’s a good example of just one area where the Bruins can take over a game. UCLA held Oregon to 15 points, Wisconsin to seven points, Maryland to three points, and Michigan State to 10 points.
And then there’s also an element of this team being able to go score for score against advantageous offenses. When Purdue tried to make things interesting early on in the season, UCLA beat them in a 52-38 shootout. On the road at Minnesota, the Bruins needed a late scoring surge to put the Golden Gophers away (and they were able to get it) in a 34-20 win.
3. UCLA’s schedule has just a couple of truly tough tests left remaining
This is kind of a gimme, but let’s work through it for a second. With the Bruins sitting at 9-0, there’s not many true tests for the Bruins left up ahead. That’s not to say that UCLA’s remaining three regular season games will be easy, but it’s certainly manageable.
Friday’s matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini is at home and could be fun to watch. The fact that this game is late at night, out on the West Coast, and Illinois is having to travel across some time zones should give the Bruins a decent advantage (even if their home crowd hasn’t been all that amazing this season).
A road trip to Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 21 looked imposing in the preseason, but the Wolverines might need to hit a reset on their coaching situation sooner rather than later. They’re not enjoying what’s going on in Ann Arbor.
And then that leaves a rivalry matchup with the USC Trojans on Saturday, November 28. And that is going to be the big test for Chesney’s team. ESPN’s Matchup Predictor gives the Bruins a 48.7 percent chance of winning against the Trojans, which feels like a storyline to watch. The Football Power Index isn’t a huge fan of UCLA despite the fact that the Bruins just keep winning.
4. The other leaders in the Big Ten standings are truly struggling with quarterback injuries
When UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava went down with an injury against the Oregon Ducks, I assumed that the Bruins’ really fun season was going to be over and done for. And that hasn’t been the case. This team has some very real depth at quarterback.
That said, several other leading teams in the Big Ten aren’t havingÂ
Don’t expect the Ohio State Buckeyes to make the Big Ten Championship Game. They’re falling apart and crumbling without Julian Sayin able to start at quarterback. That offense is limited and they're stuck in a log jam right now in the Big Ten standings.
The Oregon Ducks have also been up and down and dealing with their own brand of quarterback injury issues. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning had to go through a midseason firing of his offensive coordinator, which seems less-than-ideal.Â
And then there’s the Hoosiers.
Indiana has experienced a few offensive issues throughout the season and is also dealing with a quarterback injury as Josh Hoover (who transferred from the TCU Horned Frogs in the offseason) is dealing with a right shoulder injury. So, we’ll see what Curt Cignetti’s team looks like should the Hoosiers make it to the Big Ten Championship.Â
UCLA is the last unbeaten team in the Big Ten.Â
Again, it’s fair to point out that they’ve dealt with a significant quarterback injury as well, but so far their season is unblemished. And unless someone sneaks up on them in their last few games, they’ll enter the Big Ten championship unbeaten.
And as Ty Diffenbach has demonstrated, the Bruins have some legitimate depth at quarterback this season. Dieffenbach hasn’t been perfect, but he’s thrown for 986 yards and six touchdowns against two picks. Combine that with Anthony Woods and Wayne Knight who are running the ball exceptionally well and this offense is still moving.
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