The UCLA Bruins are enjoying a bye week this weekend but it won’t be long before the No. 23 Bruins head north to face an old Pac-12 rival, meeting the No. 15 Oregon Ducks in Eugene next Saturday.
It hasn’t been a very smooth 2026 season for the established Oregon program. The Ducks nearly lost in their opener to Boise State, trailing in the second half before ultimately getting a 34-27 win. Oregon wouldn’t be able to get a win in their second game, falling 39-31 to Oklahoma State.
Since the loss to the Cowboys, the Ducks have rebounded with wins over Portland State and USC. Oregon scored 84 points in the win over Portland State before an emotional win in Los Angeles over the Trojans, where former UCLA Bruin Dante Moore, left the game with a head
injury.
Moore was able to travel back to Eugene with the team but it remains unclear if the former UCLA recruit will return to action against the Bruins. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning spoke highly of the new-look UCLA program during his media availability on Wednesday.
“We’re about to play a UCLA team that reminds me a lot of Indiana from last year,” Lanning said of the Bruins. “Let’s just be honest. We’re not remotely close to what we need to be. We’re not remotely close.”
Lanning got a good look at Bob Chesney and some current UCLA players when Oregon played James Madison in the College Football Playoffs last season. The Ducks got the home win over the Dukes but Lanning still was impressed by what he saw.
“They got some players that can play ball. Their running back [Wayne Knight] is as good as anyone we’ll go against this year,” Lanning said. “They have a lot of players that came with them, again, I draw some comparisons to Indiana. A lot of guys who traveled with their coach right to the next stop. An extremely well-coached team.”
The Curt Cignetti comparisons are an easy one for Chesney, with both coaches hailing from James Madison, but it speaks to the early respect the rest of the Big Ten has for Chesney and the Bruins.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: 'Reminds me a lot of Indiana' Dan Lanning compliments UCLA football
