By admin 
Week 2 is almost here, and UCLA will look to improve to 2-0 as they open the season at home in Pasadena.
Read more Dak Prescott Sends Strong Message After Tyler Smith Injury News
The San Diego State Aztecs will visit the Rose Bowl, and they present a different challenge than Cal did in Week One. Cal’s offensive attack came mostly through the air, and San Diego State will likely turn to their ground game in an attempt to stun the Bruins.
Can UCLA Produce Constant Pressure on SDSU Pass Game?
SDSU will likely run the ball to generate offense, but their weakness seems to be through the air. That may put edge rusher Sahir West in a position to have a major impact in Week 2. He had a quiet but respectable opening game against Cal, as he tallied five total tackles, a sack, and a tackle for a loss.
Against San Diego State, generating constant pressure on quarterback Jayden Denegal can lead to some errant throws. As we saw in Week One, taking the ball away was key for the Bruins to shut the door on Cal. If UCLA can force Denegal into obvious passing situations, West and the Bruins’ pass rush should have an opportunity to create some hurried and off-target throws down the field.
Was the Rushing Attack a Fluke?
We’ve talked plenty about how great UCLA’s ground game looked in Week One. Now, the Bruins will have a chance to prove it wasn’t a fluke against Cal and put up another impressive performance.
UCLA ran the ball 32 times against Cal and put up 277 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Anthony Woods led the way with 118 yards on an average of 14.8 yards per carry. UCLA will need to establish a run game early and show that their rushing attack can be a constant threat throughout the season.
I would expect all three backs to be heavily involved against the Aztecs, but Wayne Knight should lead the way in terms of total carries and snaps.
Read more Bold Predictions for the 2026/2027 Miami Heat Season
Which WR Will Have a Larger Role if Ellis Is Out?
Landon Ellis suffered a head injury in Week One against Cal, and his status is still to be determined. Not to knock SDSU, but I would expect them to sit Ellis and let him be 100% before conference play starts.
That said, with Ellis out, another receiver can get more involved than we saw last week. While the offense will still live primarily on the ground, it will be interesting to see which wide receiver takes the opportunity to jump into the starting lineup.
I would expect to see either Semaj Morgan or Aidan Mizell (who was cleared to play) have a larger role in Week 2.
Today’s best reads
- Projecting UCLA Football’s Week 1 Depth Chart
- Bold Ground Game Transformation Sets Tone For UCLA Season
- The Biggest Decision UCLA’s Chesney Got Right Against Cal
- Evaluating Which UCLA Receiver Could Be Iamaleava’s Top Early Target
- 3 Matchups That Will Decide UCLA’s Week 2 Game Against SDSU
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as 3 Storylines I’m Watching Most in UCLA’s Week 2 Matchup.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more Verducci’s View: The Rays’ Latest Reclamation Project, and Remembering 9/11 Victims
This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 4:00 AM.