MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

UCLA has announced its start times for the first three games of the 2026 campaign. The Bruins will open the season at Cal on September 5 at 7:30 PM. They will return home on September 12 at the Rose Bowl against San Diego State at 4:15 PM and then will host Purdue on September 19 at 8:00 PM.

The rest of the kickoff times are to be determined. UCLA will get Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nevada, Illinois and USC at home and Maryland, Oregon, Minnesota and Michigan on the road.

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First year head coach Bob Chesney has brought a ton of talent over from his previous stop at James Madison. Running back Wayne Knight ran for 1,770 yards and 10 touchdowns last year for Chesney. In two seasons at James Madison he topped 100 yards from scrimmage 12 times.

The Bruins needed upgrades on defense and should get it from defensive end Sahir West. West, another player Chesney brought with him, had seven sacks and 16 tackles for loss last year as a redshirt freshman. West came up big when it counted most recording five tackles for loss and three sacks in the Sun Belt championship game that clinched a college football playoff berth for James Madison.

Receiver Landon Ellis is another former Duke that Chesney will be relying on to spark the offense. Chesney not only has the inside track to James Madison’s finest but he has also made a splash across the country landing players from other schools as well.

He added Oklahoma linebacker Sammy Omisigho, Utah safety Tao Johnson, California defensive end Ryan McCulloch, San José State receiver Leland Smith and Utah Tech defensive end Dallin Havea.

And of course there are the players returning that were in Westwood last year like quarterback Nico Iamaleava, guard Eugene Brooks, safety Cole Martin and corner Rodrick Pleasant.

Chesney’s resume is nothing short of impressive. Most of Chesney’s career has been in the East before he ventured out West. He brought Assumption University to the Division III quarterfinals, brought Holy Cross to its first FCS quarterfinals, then took James Madison to the College Football Playoff in the Dukes’ fourth season in FBS.

Chesney has 132 career wins (Group of 6, FCS, Division III) as he has excelled at every level. For UCLA, which started 0-4 last year and after a brief three-game resurgence, finished 3-9 overall, the only way to go is up. Chesney appears to be just the guy to take the Bruins in that direction.