By admin 
Through the first two weeks of the season, UCLA is 2-0.
There’s certainly a lot to be excited about in Westwood, as the new era of UCLA football under Bob Chesney is already off to a great start in 2026. A large portion of that success is thanks to UCLA’s rushing attack.
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Through the first two weeks, the unit has accumulated just under 500 total rushing yards (491) and 10 rushing touchdowns. To put that success in perspective, UCLA only had eight rushing touchdowns all season in 2025.
While the ground game may be the cause of the success so far, UCLA will be in trouble if they can’t figure something out in the passing game. The Bruins have yet to throw a passing touchdown, and Nico Iamaleava has received mixed reviews from the fanbase after his first two starts, but the consensus seems to be that he still has major improvements to make.
What’s Wrong With Iamaleava?
Iamaleava’s biggest issue so far is red-zone turnovers. In both starts, Iamaleava has made a bad read and thrown an interception in the red zone, and both have caused huge momentum swings.
You would have thought he might have learned from the first game against Cal, but the throw and decision against SDSU were much, much worse. Luckily for Iamaleava and the Bruins, the decision didn’t ultimately cost them in the end, but you have to imagine that won’t be the case for every game the Bruins play this season.
He knows he has to be better in the red zone, and I believe he will as the season goes on, but so far he’s been nothing but negative in scoring distance. So far, the ground game has done all of the heavy lifting from inside the 20.
To give Iamaleava some credit, he has looked poised in the pocket. Aside from the red zone miscues, he’s done a great job of taking what the defense has offered and not attempting to force a play that wasn’t there.
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Running Game Is Doing the Heavy Lifting
In all honesty, he’s done a fantastic job of letting his running backs do the heavy lifting and managing the game in and out of the huddle. While these aren’t the things that show up on the box score, I think Iamaleava’s leadership has given the offense a lot of the juice we see on Saturday.
Where Iamaleava can improve is what we’ve believed has been the problem throughout his career: Consistency.
We’ve seen the arm talent and his ability to hurt defenses with his legs, but have not seen both consistently. Optimistically, I believe that as time goes on, the receiving corps will get healthy and allow him to develop a connection that will improve everyone’s game.
Today’s best reads
- What UCLA Football’s Captain Picks Reveal About 2026 Season
- Key Takeaways From UCLA’s Explosive Win Over SDSU
- 3 Storylines I’m Watching in UCLA’s Week 1 Matchup Against Cal
- UCLA Nation Erupts After UCLA’s Biggest Standouts Against Cal
- Bob Chesney Sends Clear Message After UCLA’s Slow Start
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as UCLA Football’s Perfect Start Is Hiding a Major Concern.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 4:30 AM.