UCLA's Bob Chesney Bolsters Squad for Oregon Rematch

UCLA coach Bob Chesney has significantly strengthened his team, now ranked No. 21 nationally, as they prepare for a rematch against No. 13 Oregon. Chesney, who brought a core group of 11 transfers from James Madison along with much of his coaching staff, is emphasizing focus on the process of improvement rather than dwelling on the team's ranking. "If you pay attention to this number... it will go away," Chesney stated, referring to the program's highest ranking since November 2023. "If you pay attention to what you did to get that number, and only focus on that, and improve on that, maybe the number even gets better."

The Bruins (4-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) are set to face the Oregon Ducks (3-1, 1-0) at Autzen Stadium. This game represents a significant opportunity for the UCLA contingent that lost to Oregon 51-34 in the College Football Playoff last December.

Chesney's current roster features difference-makers across the board. Defensive back Derrick Barksdale, one of the former James Madison transfers, noted the higher caliber of athletes in the Big Ten. "Our DBs are much faster, our linebackers are moving sideline to sideline way faster, so I feel like we match up perfectly fine and we’re going to play football at the end of the day," Barksdale said.

Among the key players from James Madison seeking a better outcome are star running back Wayne Knight and edge rusher Sahir West. Reflecting on the previous loss, Chesney identified Oregon's lack of weaknesses as the primary takeaway. "And if you leave them something to expose, they will expose it," he said.

The two programs have shown mutual respect leading up to the game. Oregon coach Dan Lanning praised Chesney's personal gesture of checking on UCLA quarterback Dante Moore in the hospital after Moore sustained a concussion. Lanning also drew a comparison between Chesney's current UCLA team and the undefeated 2025 Indiana Hoosiers, a team Chesney had previously called one of the greatest in college football history. Chesney, however, remained grounded, stating, "We’re not there yet."

UCLA boasts one of the nation's top rushing attacks, averaging 281.5 yards per game, a weapon that surpasses what the team had at James Madison last season. "There’s a lot of new things we’re doing as well and really just taking it to another level, which I think is good," Chesney commented. "But I also think that the manpower we have and the depth we have is certainly something that stands out."

The Bruins have depth in their backfield with explosive backs Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas, complemented by a rotation of 10 offensive linemen. To prepare for the hostile environment at Autzen Stadium, the offensive line has been practicing with silent cadences while simulated crowd noise plays during drills. "He has to yell the play to us and the speaker will kind of drift a little closer toward the line of scrimmage and then back out as soon as we snap the ball," offensive tackle Hall Schmidt described.

The UCLA defense is preparing for both Oregon's starting quarterback Dante Moore and backup Dylan Raiola, who led the Ducks to a 41-37 victory over USC. "There’s not a giant drop off between the two of those guys," Chesney acknowledged. "They’re both really, really good."

Chesney believes his current UCLA team possesses greater speed than they did in their previous encounter with Oregon, aiming to correct the shortcomings that were exposed. "They found the matchups they liked and they put the ball on the perimeter and at the same point in time, were able to just expose a couple things downfield," Chesney recalled. "We weren’t quite as fast as we are right now."