Ever since Curt Cignetti orchestrated Indiana’s remarkable turnaround in 2024, college football fans have been searching for the next program capable of pulling off a similar transformation. Now, with UCLA exceeding expectations under Bob Chesney, Pat McAfee believes the Big Ten may have found its next contender.
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“My favorite part about the Big 10 is all about surprises, and I think this season has provided more than ever,” Pat McAfee said during College GameDay. “And I think UCLA is one of the biggest surprises in all of football. There’s been a lot of questions here for the last couple of years: Who’s the next Indiana? Well, UCLA went to JMU, where Curt Cignetti was, got Bob Chesney over there, and they started pounding the rock.”
The fans were hoping for a 6-6 finish and maybe a bowl game as a successful first season for Bob Chesney. However, the Bruins have exceeded those expectations with a 5-0 record so far. Chesney became the first head coach in Bruins’ history to start his tenure with a five-game winning streak. Their performance has also given McAfee the confidence that they will surpass the former national champion.
UCLA struggled badly last season with a 3-9 record, and this turnaround has earned Chesney a lot of respect. Despite being the underdogs, UCLA pulled off a big win against Oregon at Oregon’s Autzen Stadium. Before kickoff, bookmakers expected Oregon to win by at least 10 points. However, the game ended with a 17-15 victory for the Bruins. And it wasn’t too hard with running back Wayne Knight by their side.
“They have Batman, Wayne Knight, their running back,” McAfee added. “He has ten touchdowns already this season. Nico Iamaleava, their quarterback, is out. Diefenbach is in. He was three for six last week against Oregon. And I think the run game will be able to handle it. Bob Chesney’s been special. Their donors have gotten involved. And on the defensive side of the ball, they forced seven turnovers against Oregon last week.”
Knight’s journey has been one of the season’s most interesting stories: an unranked player who became the anchor of the Bruins’ offense. The partnership between the running back and Chesney dates back to their time together at JMU. Knight followed his coach all the way to the Bruins after entering the transfer portal this season. Knight is averaging a brilliant 9.1 yards per carry and is leading the Big Ten in EPA per rush. Knight has scored ten TDs across five games.
UCLA has been enjoying a strong season, and now they will face Wisconsin in their Week 7 matchup. However, they will be playing without their starting QB, Nico Iamaleava. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the win against the Ducks. The reins of the Bruins’ offense, which is averaging 44.8 points per game, will be in the hands of Ty Diefenbach. He completed three of the six passes he attempted. He also recorded 43 yards and one touchdown in their game against Oregon.
“He’s just a composed kid that sees the field well and has had experience and has done well with it,” Chesney said.
Madden Iamaleava, Nico’s younger brother, was the backup through the first four games for UCLA. So it will be a fight for the starting position.
“Ty’s certainly earned the right to be out there to put us in a position to do what he did, and I think Madden has as well,” Chesney said. “It’ll be one of those things that we’ll just be able to get started with Ty here and see how the rest of this plays out.”
Winning despite a change at quarterback would demonstrate that UCLA does not depend entirely on one player. Its running game, defense, coaching, and other offensive players would need to compensate for the change.