This post was updated Sept. 12 at 8:50 p.m.

Before the game, Aztecs head coach Sean Lewis called out the Bruins and “all their polos, all their khakis.”

And for a second, both teams looked like they were wearing that attire – the offenses came out casually at a snail’s pace and did not hit the scoreboard until four minutes into the second half.

But the Bruins trudged on, and unlike snails, they had momentum.

UCLA football (2-0) edged out San Diego State (1-1) 28-10 in the Bruins’ home opener Saturday evening, marking the team’s best start since 2023. The Bruins survived a first-half scoring drought to conclude coach Bob Chesney’s Rose Bowl debut with a victory.

“We got to start much, much faster,” Chesney said. “But I love the way we came back out in that second half. I love the resolve that we had. I like the energy that we came back out with.”

The difference between UCLA’s week one victory over California and the SDSU affair seemed like night and day early on.

After running for 277 yards and six touchdowns to start the 2026 campaign, the Bruins cobbled together just 72 in the first half against the Aztecs – over a third of which came from scrambles by senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who ended the night with 57 rushing yards on 13 carries. The team as a whole logged a 3.8-yard-per-carry average in the first half after going for 8.7 the week before.

SDSU’s linebacker duo of Tano Letuli and Sione Hala captained a decent coverage, combining for 16 total tackles and limiting the early offense, with Iamaleava also struggling to capitalize on his receivers’ routes.

Senior wideout Landon Ellis was ruled out prior to the match after suffering a head injury against the Golden Bears. His absence was apparent when UCLA threw for just 88 first-half yards – over half of which came from a 45-yarder by sophomore Brian Rowe Jr.

Rowe has already emerged as UCLA’s No. 1 X receiver, recording 91 receiving yards through his first two games, and he saw immediate action on effective screen plays. However, he was knocked down hard on a deep route in the second quarter.

The Bruins’ closest first-half scoring opportunity came shortly after the gain, with Iamaleava eventually trekking down to the two-yard line. But when the offense declined to run, the signal caller rolled out and threw an errant pass that was intercepted.

While Rowe eventually returned five minutes into the second half, senior Mikey Matthews was carted off a few minutes after Iamaleava’s pick with a leg injury, and the Bruins were subsequently left with a momentary backup wide receiver unit of seniors Semaj Morgan and Aidan Mizell and junior Jalen Saint Paul. Morgan capped off the night with a game-high 73 yards, including 51 in the fourth quarter to help the Bruins retain the lead.

“The guys that came in for the receivers that were banged up – they played well,” Iamaleava said. “We were staying on the same page. Semaj did a great job coming in, and he’s always had good practices, so it was good to see him have a great game.”

With a limited receiving corps, UCLA opted to motion two-tight-end sets and deploy the occasional backfield blocking receiver, no longer benefiting from Matthews’ spacing to draw defenders out of the box.

And the Aztecs were not any more stellar.

SDSU employed its run-heavy offense from last season, with running back Lucky Sutton finishing the game with 19 carries for 81 yards. While his 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame often required multiple defenders to bring down and helped him break through A gaps, the offense had little else to show for itself. 

“On defense, we know what they’re doing, we know what they like to do,” said fifth-year linebacker Jalen Woods. “So just being able to be correct in our fits and lining up right is very important. We’re just playing fast. Whatever we’re doing, we’re playing fast, and everybody’s rallying to the ball.” 

SDSU quarterback Jayden Denegal was unable to execute plays in the air, going for just 6 completions on 17 attempts and totaling 45 yards – with just one pass going for more than 10 yards. Although the senior showed ample arm strength, Denegal lacked consistent ball placement and repeatedly overthrew his receivers, despite several plays where UCLA’s corners were beaten during one-on-ones.

The Aztecs would not enter the scoreboard until an early fourth-quarter field goal after an incompletion on a corner route by wide receiver Donovan Brown, after which Denegal temporarily staggered off the field.

With UCLA’s defense – led by 10 tackles from senior defensive back Malik Hartford, who took the place of an injured Tao Johnson – limiting SDSU to just 10 total points and 189 total yards, all it took was the Bruins’ first drive of the third quarter, capped off by a 15-yard run from fifth-year running back Wayne Knight, to control the game.

“You’re going to go back and watch some of the film, and some of the fits in some of the blitz game were not perfect,” Chesney said. “We had a D-line go the wrong way twice to open up gaps in the middle of the offense. Just not up to the standard at which we’re going to play. Ultimately, it was hot. We were trying to get a lot of different people through, but that can’t be the excuse, right? When you’re out there, we believe in you.”

And if the Cal game was any indicator, the run game would not stay quiet for all 60 minutes.

Right after the Aztecs’ first score of the night, Knight ran in for his second touchdown – good for more than half of his nine last season with James Madison. Then, Woods’ first career interception immediately set up the Bruins at the 15-yard line for senior running back Jaivian Thomas to punch home his first score of the year.

“He’s (Knight’s) just a kid that is tough,” Chesney said. “He’s physical. He plays football the right way, and I love watching him be patient. And then he waits for it, and when he sees it, he just gets up at full speed within two or three steps.”

As UCLA fended off SDSU in the waning minutes – fueled by an eventual hat trick from Knight – the Rose Bowl was decked out in blue and gold.

But perhaps the Bruin faithful can celebrate a 2-0 start to the Chesney era in polos and khakis.