No. 21 UCLA heads to Autzen Stadium in Eugene this Saturday to play the 13th-ranked Oregon Ducks in a top-25 contest. TeamFB7 highlights five storylines to keep an eye on heading into the key Big Ten matchup between two ranked teams.
UCLA is fresh off its bye week after getting off to its first 4-0 start since 2022. The 21st-ranked Bruins have a tough hill to climb to get to 5-0 with a road game against No. 13 Oregon, which is 28-2 at home under coach Dan Lanning.
Five Storylines to Watch in the Saturday Matchup Between UCLA and Oregon on Saturday
Here are five things to keep an eye on heading into Big Ten game in Eugene, Oregon.
Bob Chesney Returns to Autzen
UCLA coach Bob Chesney and the numerous players he brought with him from James Madison University are no stranger to playing in the tough environment at Autzen Stadium.
Chesney’s last game at JMU before heading to Westwood was in the first round of the College Football Playoff last season when James Madison fell to Oregon 51-34.
“It was dark, it was cold, it was loud, it was all those things,” Chesney said to the media Monday about playing at Oregon. “Their fans were extremely involved, they were loud, they did everything the right way. It’s tight there. The sidelines are pretty tight and it’s a steep stadium. They definitely have a chance to impact that game.”
UCLA is reportedly simulating noise during practice this week to prepare for the crowd volume at Oregon.
Oregon has been excellent at home since Lanning arrived in Eugene and was successful before that as well. The Ducks are 16-2 in conference games at home during his tenure and are 9-2 at home against ranked opponents in that span. More importantly, Oregon has won eight consecutive games at home against UCLA dating back to 2004.
UCLA’s Elite Running Game
UCLA has shown improvement in a lot of areas this season compared to recent years, but the most glaring one is the emergence of one of the top rushing attacks in college football.
The Bruins rank 1st in the nation in rushing touchdowns, 1st in yards per carry and 4th in yards per game so far this season. Its 18 rushing touchdowns are the second-most in UCLA history through its first four games of the season just behind the 1973 team that had 19.
James Madison transfer Wayne Knight has been the headliner for the loaded UCLA backfield with nine total touchdowns. Knight ranks 2nd in the FBS in yards per carry (9.08) and 3rd in all-purpose yards per game (164.75).
Anthony Woods is averaging 7.5 yards per carry with 4 touchdowns and Jaivian Thomas is averaging 5.5 with 3 scores.
Offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy has had a top 10 rushing offense in the FBS in two of his first three seasons as an offensive coordinator, dating back to his time at JMU. James Madison ranked 6th in the FBS last season with 241 yards per game and his teams have ran for over 200 yards in 31 of 44 games.
The Bruins have rushed for over 200 yards with at least 4 rushing touchdowns in all four games this season.
If UCLA can get another 200 yard rushing game out of its offense, it has a chance to upset the Ducks on Saturday. Oregon is just 3-2 under Lanning when allowing over 200 rushing yards in a game and is 0-1 this season when doing so after allowing 237 yards in its lone loss this season to Oklahoma State.
Which Oregon Quarterback Will UCLA See?
Oregon’s starting quarterback Dante Moore left Los Angeles Coliseum via an ambulance in Oregon’s last game against USC after being hit in the head while sliding in the second quarter.
The Ducks’ backup quarterback Dylan Raiola was outstanding in relief of Moore, throwing for 289 yards with 2 touchdowns while leading the Ducks to a 41-27 win against USC.
Raiola is hardly a traditional backup quarterback. The former five-star recruit was excellent at Nebraska last season in nine games before missing the remainder of the year with an injury. Raiola completed 72.4% of his passes for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He is 0-1 as a starter against UCLA with a loss against the Bruins his freshman season in 2024.
Lanning told the media Monday that Moore was wearing a helmet and shoulder pads at practice and throwing the football.
Although it is doubtful that Moore will play Saturday, Chesney said UCLA is preparing for both quarterbacks.
“They can both execute their offense at a really high level,” Chesney said. “They are both very good football players. You can’t think about who’s going to be out there or not. You have to prepare for both.”
Nico Iamaleava Back on National Stage
Saturday is the biggest game Nico Iamaleava will have played at UCLA since arriving to Westwood prior to the 2025 season.
UCLA is ranked for the first time in his tenure as the team’s quarterback and a lot of national attention will be on this game against Oregon.
Iamaleava is no stranger to playing on the national stage and led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff as a redshirt freshman in 2024. He led Tennessee to wins against Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma that season before stumbling against Ohio State in the playoffs.
Iamaleava struggled a bit in UCLA’s first two games this season, albeit in wins, and didn’t throw a touchdown pass until Week 3 against Purdue. He had a breakout game in that 52-38 win over the Boilermakers with 276 yards and 3 touchdowns, which were both the most he has had in a UCLA uniform.
“We need his best, and we need everybody’s best,” Chesney said of Iamaleava. “It’s not just any one guy. A lot of it goes through (Iamaleava). He’s done a phenomenal job up to this point of getting everyone into the play calls and handling his business the right way. Protection, keeping himself safe, and getting the ball out quickly. Doing all the things he needs to do, and he’s got to be spot on come Saturday.”
Oregon is very good against passing offenses under Lanning and has only allowed 300 or more passing yards 15 times (9-6 record). The Ducks are 40-3 and 21-1 at home under Lanning when allowing 250 passing yards or fewer.
Notes and Observations
UCLA’s defense leads the Big Ten with 12 takeaways (8 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) and has the third most takeaways in the FBS. Oregon is 25-5 under Lanning when having one or two turnovers in a game and 2-1 with three or more turnovers.
Linebacker Sammy Omosigho has 4 forced fumbles for UCLA this season which leads the nation. Defensive back Ta’Shawn James has 3 interceptions to lead the Big Ten and is second in the FBS.
Senior Jalen Woods entered the season with a career-high of 8 tackles in a single game and has had at least 8 tackles in three of UCLA’s four games this season. Woods is one of the few players on UCLA’s roster to play against Oregon the last time the two teams met in 2024.
Oregon ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in scoring offense with 47.5 points per game. UCLA ranks second in the conference with 44.8 points per game. The Bruins have scored at least 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1993.
Four players on UCLA’s roster have played for Oregon under Lanning: Rodrick Pleasant, Cole Martin, Jaylan Jeffers and Jalen Saint Paul.
Chesney is seeking to become the first coach in UCLA history to begin his tenure with a 5-0 record.
