DALLAS (FWAA) – The UCLA Bruins stunned No. 7 Penn State, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl on Saturday for their first win over an AP Top-10 opponent since 2010. The previously-winless Bruins jumped on top early – their first time to lead in a game this season – and held on late to earn the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Team of the Week for games the weekend of Oct. 4, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the fifth time for UCLA (1-4, 1-1 in the Big Ten) to receive the award by the FWAA and the first time since 2021 when it beat No. 16 LSU at the Rose Bowl to open the season. The win marks the first time since 1985 and just the fifth-time ever that an 0-4 (or worse) team defeated a top-10 opponent.
UCLA captured the nation’s attention as the early scoreboards began to scroll showing the Bruins with a 27-7 halftime lead. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava took the Bruins 75 yards in 10 plays to open the scoring, including a 22-yard scramble on a 3rd-and-11 play to extend the drive. Following the score, UCLA recovered its onside kick that led to a field goal and a 10-0 lead before Penn State started a possession.
Another 19-yard scramble by Iamaleava on a 3rd-and-long was the key play of what became a 17-play drive that finished in the end zone. Iamaleava completed 16 of 24 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns and was also UCLA’s leading rusher with 128 yards and three scores on 16 carries. The redshirt sophomore transfer’s three rushing touchdowns are at least tied for the most-ever by a UCLA quarterback.
Five of UCLA’s seven scoring drives traveled at least 68 yards and Iamaleava was responsible for all five of UCLA's touchdowns working under assistant coach Jerry Neuheisel, who has coached the Bruins' tight ends and wide receivers the last four and a half seasons and made his debut as the Bruins' offensive play-caller. It was also the first win for interim head coach Tim Skipper.
The Bruins defense came up big at the end of both halves. Just before halftime, UCLA made a stand on 4th-and-2 with defensive lineman Jacob Busick’s sack that gave the Bruins possession near midfield with 22 seconds remaining. The turnover turned into a 54-yard field goal as time expired and the 27-7 lead.
Then came the clincher. With UCLA clinging to a 42-35 lead in the final minute and Penn State threatening deep in the Bruins' territory, safety Scooter Jackson came up with a stop, bursting into the backfield for a clutch tackle-for-loss that sealed the upset victory.
Among a mega-game of ‘firsts since’ for UCLA, the most notable – the first home win over a top-10 team since 2007, snapping a 16-game losing skid against top-10 foes; the 42 points were the most by UCLA since 2023 and the most Penn State has given up in a regular-season game since 2022.
UCLA is 14-for-14 in red zone efficiency this season, including 6-for-6 against Penn State.
The Bruins travel to Michigan State on Saturday for a noon ET kickoff on the Big Ten Network.
Since 2002, the FWAA has named a National Team of the Week. Coming into the 2025 season, 284 teams have been honored, including 101 different Division I programs. Each honored team will receive a custom Pop-Tarts "care package" along with a hand-crafted game ball made in America by Dallas-based Big Game USA, the nation's leading manufacturer of custom footballs.
The other National Team of the Week nominee for the weekend of Oct. 4 was:
- Florida (2-3): The Gators snapped a three-game losing streak, toppling then-No. 9 Texas, 29-21, as sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway (298 passing yards) excelled along with the debut of true freshman wide receiver Dallas Wilson, who caught both of Lagway's touchdowns among six receptions for 111 yards. Wilson is Florida’s first true freshman receiver to catch a touchdown pass in his debut. Sophomore tailback Jadan Baugh carried a career-high 27 times for 107 yards and a touchdown as the Gators grounded out 159 yards against the nation's No. 3 rush defense (just 59.8 per game) and did not allow Lagway to be sacked.
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Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,100 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.