For the second consecutive week, No. 11 UCLA football (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) pulled off an upset at the Rose Bowl by giving then-No. 11 Utah (4-2, 2-1) its second loss of the season and extending its winning streak to nine. Senior staffer Francis Moon gives his five main takeaways from the blue and gold’s highest-ranked regular-season win since 2010.

Heisman watch

This was supposed to be a “prove it” year for redshirt senior quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and to an extent, senior running back Zach Charbonnet.

Halfway into the season, the duo has met those suppositions and more, each forcing themselves into the Heisman Trophy conversation while flashing their NFL potential.

Though it’s too early to call either a lock to be a finalist, Thompson-Robinson has displayed vastly improved decision-making skills while outplaying two of the most highly regarded quarterbacks in the country in back-to-back weeks and thrusting his own name into the conversation.

Aside from a late-game interception that didn’t affect the outcome, the signal-caller had one of the most efficient performances of his career Saturday, needing just 18 completions to reach 299 passing yards while adding five total touchdowns. Thompson-Robinson has thrown just two picks against 15 touchdowns this season – and is the team’s second-leading rusher – while powering the Bruins to their best start in 17 years.

Charbonnet has a tougher road to the trophy, as just three running backs have claimed the honors since 2000. But the former Michigan transfer has built on a terrific debut season with the blue and gold by proving to be one of the most reliable workhorses in college football.

His career-high 198 rushing yards Saturday upped his season average to 123 yards on 17.4 carries per game. Combined with his 143 receiving yards on 11 catches, just six players in college football have produced more all-purpose yards per game this year.

The blue and gold may have a legitimate chance to add a name to the Heisman list for the first time since 1967.

Newfound knack for the end zone

After losing wide receiver Kyle Philips and tight end Greg Dulcich to the NFL Draft, one of the questions heading into this season was who would emerge to fill the role as Thompson-Robinson’s top target.

Halfway through the season, redshirt senior wide receiver Jake Bobo has shown he is him.

Entering the season as the expected WR1, the Duke transfer took some time to adjust to his new offense after four years in Durham. Bobo caught 15 balls for 221 yards through four games but found the end zone just once.

But after a breakout two-touchdown, 142-yard performance on six catches against then-No. 15 Washington in week five, Bobo followed it up with a repeat in the scoring department. Though he set a season low in yardage with 22, he tied for the team lead in targets and reeled in another pair of touchdowns on just three catches.

The redshirt senior leads UCLA with 385 total receiving yards – almost 200 more than the next closest Bruin – on just 24 catches, good for an average of more than 16 yards per catch. And with his second-quarter end zone grab against Utah, Bobo has already recorded more touchdowns this season than in four years with the Blue Devils.

His polished feet and quickness combined with a 6-foot-5 frame make him an ideal red-zone target for Thompson-Robinson, but Bobo’s ability to produce yards after the catch also makes him one of the best all-around weapons the fifth-year quarterback has had.

Chip on his shoulder

Not even a full year ago, pundits were calling for the firing of coach Chip Kelly.

After joining the program in 2018, Kelly led the Bruins to a combined 10-21 record through three years at the helm. Even with an 8-4 mark last season that included UCLA’s biggest win over crosstown rival USC since 1954, the Bruins still displayed a woeful inconsistency that had come to characterize Kelly’s time in Westwood.

But something about this year’s version of the Bruins is different.

After snagging a signature win against Washington, Kelly followed it up with the biggest victory of his UCLA tenure and in the process, has put the blue and gold at the forefront of the Pac-12 race while inching it closer to the College Football Playoff conversation.

Following the win Saturday, Kelly was noticeably cheery while displaying a strong rapport with and appreciation for his players, even allowing for extra questions while joking with reporters.

Sometimes, winning can fix everything – and for now, Kelly can breathe a sigh of relief.

Changing of the guard

For years, the Bruins’ defense repeatedly held them back from reaching their potential.

UCLA finally opted to move on from former defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro earlier this year after little to no improvement in year four of his tenure.

Though he hasn’t been perfect, Bill McGovern has shown he could be the replacement that the Bruins have needed.

Not only has the blue and gold improved upon its already solid rushing defense, ranking 20th in the nation by allowing just 99 yards per game on the ground, but the secondary has stepped up in crucial moments while contributing to the team’s 13 forced turnovers on the season – tied for the fourth-highest mark in the country.

In addition, UCLA ranks 40th in the nation in total defense – a marked improvement from the Azzinaro era – while showing improved big-play abilities regardless of who’s under center across the line of scrimmage.

Even after losing redshirt senior defensive back Stephan Blaylock for the game after he was called for a targeting penalty in the first quarter Saturday, UCLA’s defense continued to prevent chunk plays while making crucial stops and turnovers.

Notably, senior linebacker Darius Muasau had his finest performance as a Bruin. After picking off Cameron Rising in the red zone in the opening period, the Hawai’i transfer forced a fumble by the Utah quarterback early in the fourth quarter with UCLA up 35-25 to help put the game out of reach.

From front to back, the blue and gold has come much closer to curing one of its most plaguing issues during the Kelly era.

Lagging Rose Bowl turnout

After a big win over Washington, I predicted a larger home crowd would power UCLA to another upset Saturday.

Though the Bruins did, in fact, pull off their most impressive win in years, it was still the same story as it has been all season.

The Rose Bowl saw a season high in attendance with a measly 42,038 – just barely 700 more than the week prior against Washington. After setting the two lowest marks in program history early in the season, the Bruins went viral for all the wrong reasons, as they were unable to draw fans week after week.

Two statement wins have quieted the noise for now, but the blue and gold’s average home crowd of 34,719 this season ranks ninth in the Pac-12.

With fall quarter in full swing, slightly more bearable heat and the best football team Westwood has had in recent memory, there’s really no excuse for the Rose Bowl not to be packed.

UCLA may be proving it belongs in the Pac-12 championship and national playoff conversation, but it is tough to imagine it gets there without more support.