All aboard in Westwood. The Bob Chesney hype train is taking off.
UCLA's new coach began his tenure with a resounding bang, defeating longtime rival California 45-24 in a game that epitomized the legacy of Pac-12 After Dark, while showing promise in the new era of Bruin football.
Finally, a summer of anticipation is validated.
It wasn't a ranked matchup, but the stakes couldn't have been higher in the battle between the pillars of the University of California system. Both programs that know what success looks like, but haven't tasted much of it in recent decades. So, they finally decided enough is enough.
UCLA brought in Chesney, Cal brought in Tosh Lupoi and instantaneously, each brought energy into their programs they had been desperately seeking. For the first time in a long time, it felt like all the pieces were aligning in Westwood and Berkeley for gridiron success. There was belief — and proof — this could work. The page had finally been turned and the stars were aligned.
But talk is cheap. You got to go out and prove it, and what better to do so than against each other.
The matchup lived up to it. It was back-and-forth mixed with late-night shenanigans that felt like it was going to go down to the wire. That was until UCLA proved in fact, this isn't the same UCLA.
The Bruins offense was actually effective not relying on Nico Iamaleava to pull out some magic. It ran wild over the Golden Bears with 277 yards on the ground, the most it has racked up since 2023. The defense put the clamps down, forcing two fourth-down stops and nabbing two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
All of it coming together for UCLA to score 45 points, the most against an FBS opponent since 2022. The only wrong thing was a late injury to Iamaleava, who seemed to be just fine.
Not a bad debut.
It's only one game, but you can't help but think this is going to work out just fine at UCLA, and possibly more. In a game the Bruins would typically lose, Chesney and company went out and proved this isn't the same one that's become the laughing stock of West Coast big-time football. Don't call him Curt Cignetti, but injecting belief and backing it up with results is the first step in turning a program around.
Don't believe it? Go ahead and check in on how the Calgorithm is doing after it sold out California Memorial Stadium believing it would be back, just for it to get its soul snatched by the team down in Los Angeles and think it's the same thing all over again.
That's not to say Cal won't be successful. Lupoi looks like he'll get things right, but now it's completely back to square one.
UCLA's CFP path?
Not only was starting off 1-0 critical, but it opens the door wide open for what could be a special first season. UCLA has one of its most favorable schedules yet in the Big Ten and it's not crazy to think the Bruins can be 4-0 going into the Oregon matchup. There aren't any notable heavyweights on the schedule until it ends the season at Michigan and hosting rival Southern California.
Could UCLA sneak itself into the College Football Playoff conversation? That may be a stretch, but when you start with a statement win like that, why wouldn't you dream big?
For once, it actually seems realistic.
"It's a good start," Chesney said postgame. "We have a ton of work to do, but it is a good start.”
If you didn't board the train yet, better jump on now. Plenty of 8-claps are on the horizon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Believe the hype: Bob Chesney proves UCLA is a dark horse contender
