Quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the UCLA Bruins’ new-look offense will have a challenge in Week 1 against a stout Utah Utes defense at The Rose Bowl. The former Pac-12 teams will kick off the 2025 season in Westwood.
UCLA’s offense will look much different than it did in year one under DeShaun Foster, where the unit struggled in the Bruins’ debut season in the Big Ten Conference. UCLA especially struggled running the football, ranking 131st in the nation with only 86.6 rushing yards per game, averaging 3.07 yards per carry.
Not only did the Bruins’ offense struggle in 2024, the Utah defense had a terrific season when you consider that the Utes went only 5-7 last year. Despite the sub-.500 record, Utah had the second-best scoring defense in the Big 12 last year, allowing only 20.7 points per game.
The Utah defense allowed only 3.8 yards per carry on the ground last year and figure to remain stout against the rush again in 2025. The Utes will be down one run-stuffer in the middle, with defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa heading to Big 12 rival BYU in the transfer portal over the offseason.
Utah was also great at getting off the field on third downs and shortening opponents drives, as the Utes were third in the country at third down stops. Morgan Scalley has been the Utes’ defensive coordinator since 2016 and has done a great job of elevating the Utah defense ever since.
Utah’s defense features talent at all three levels, giving Iamaleava a proper first challenge to kick off his UCLA career.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: QB Nico Iamaleava will face one of the Big 12’s best defenses in UCLA debut
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
