DeShaun Foster had said it after UCLA lost its season opener to Utah. He rumbled through his words about how close the Bruins actually were to a victory.
It’s a sentiment his now-former players, like Jacob Busic, picked up on as well. Yes, the Bruins had lost four straight games to start the 2025 season before claiming victory No. 1 against Penn State last week, but there was an overwhelming feeling that UCLA was just a few plays away from righting the ship.
“We played some pretty bad games the first four games, but then when you watch it on film, it’s never as bad as you think it is,” the redshirt senior defensive lineman said. “And we’re, I mean – we’re just one play away here, one play away there.”
That handful of plays finally turned the tide from missed opportunities to momentum shifters against the Nittany Lions – and the Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) will attempt to make a single tide into a roaring wave Saturday in East Lansing. UCLA enters the contest against Michigan State (3-2, 0-2) on a happier note than the Spartans, head coach Jonathan Smith’s team dropping its first two conference games to USC and Nebraska.
Inconsistencies have forced Michigan State into uncomfortable circumstances. Against USC, the defense failed to stop Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava. Traveling to face the Huskers, the Spartans’ offense stumbled, Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles battling scrapes and bruises to a less-than-ideal 85 passing yards and two interceptions in the loss.
Chiles – who once was at Oregon State with Smith – will get a chance to boost his confidence against former high school rival Nico Iamaleava. Chiles went to Downey High, while Iamaleava played at Warren – one of the oldest Southern California high school rivalries in the South Bay.
“That’s who he is as a quarterback,” Chiles told reporters when asked about Iamaleava earlier this week. “That’s how he plays football all the time. That’s just what he is. A great quarterback, a great guy. … I haven’t beat him yet, so that’s my goal.”
UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said he’s confident in Iamaleava’s ability to turn one game of standout football into a roll of a few, the redshirt sophomore’s leadership being the shining reason why.
“He’s going to speak up when things aren’t going well,” Skipper said. “He’s going to celebrate when things are going great. I mean, he’s one of those guys [that] helps me on things that I don’t even realize he’s helping me with.”
Now, with more than a week with former tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel leading the offense, Iamaleava – who has a career-high 66.2% completion percentage this season – could help unlock further facets of the Bruins’ offense.
For junior center Sam Yoon, to defeat Michigan State on Saturday, it’s about replicating similar levels of execution – making a few more of those X-factor plays – as they did against Penn State.
“We want to approach Michigan State the same way,” Yoon said. “We know that they’re a good team up front as well. We just want to carry that same intensity over to this week.”
When Michigan State has the ball
Smith has always liked to run the ball – and it’s no different with Chiles and running back Makhi Frazier at his disposal. Michigan State’s offensive line, however, hasn’t held up its end of the bargain, forcing Chiles to make plays with his arm and legs.
Chiles had a large turnover problem a year ago with 11 interceptions, but he’s thrown only three interceptions – two last week against Nebraska – against nine passing touchdowns. That could be a sign of good things to come for the Spartans, who, with wide receiver targets Nick Marsh and Omari Kelly, may have a knack for explosive plays should they be able to expose UCLA’s secondary Saturday.
When UCLA has the ball
Neuheisel rejuvenated a quiet Bruins offense with a high-paced approach Saturday – and it worked. Designed runs for Iamaleava continued to be a calling card for this offense, but better execution and play design led to open gaps for running backs Jaivian Thomas, Jalen Berger and Anthony Woods to exploit for double-digit yardage carries.
Michigan State’s front line is where most of its success has come from – seven players have recorded at least one sack this season – which could cause Neuheisel to adjust the offensive operation again. Either way, with more time on his hands than the two days of full preparation last week, UCLA is likely to debut a few more wrinkles at Spartan Stadium.
UCLA (1-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) at Michigan State (3-2, 0-2)
When: 9 a.m. PT Saturday
Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
TV/radio: Big Ten Network/790 AM