There were plenty of highlights for the UCLA Bruins in their Week 1 win over Cal. It was not a perfect showing for the Bruins but the team battled and stayed persistent through the second half to get the important season-opening win.
While there’s no doubt that UCLA head coach Bob Chesney and the newly-announced permanent athletic director Tim Harris were big winners on Saturday, which players were key components to UCLA getting the win?
Linebacker Sammy Omosigho
What a debut for Sammy Omosigho. The Oklahoma transfer made 14 tackles and strip-sacked Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for one of UCLA’s three takeaways in the game.
New addition Trent Hendrick didn’t have a huge role in Week 1, opening the door for Omosigho to make a major impact in his first game as
a Bruin.
Running Back Anthony Woods
We’re just one game into the 2026 season and Anthony Woods has nearly half of his 2025 rushing yards after picking up 118 yards in eight carries against Cal. Woods wasn’t the most discussed UCLA running back this offseason but he showed in Week 1 that he’s a major contributor.
Woods found the end zone twice, including a game-icing 53-yarder. Woods is poised to be a major beneficiary from Dean Kennedy’s offense.
Running Back Wayne Knight
How could we choose between Wayne Knight and Woods? Both running backs caused headaches for the Cal defense. Knight totaled 71 yards on the ground and another 30 through the air. Knight also served as UCLA’s kick returner, adding another 56 yards on kick returns.
Knight found the end zone three times and looked like the dynamic game-changer that he was with James Madison in 2025.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava
Was Saturday one of Nico Iamaleava’s best games? No but UCLA still needed Iamaleava to lead the way for the UCLA offense. The threat of Iamaleava’s legs complicates things for opposing defenses, even if Iamaleava totaled just 29 yards on the ground.
Iamaleava did throw a pretty bad interception at the end of the first half that resulted in points for Cal but the quarterback was not rattled, hitting Mikey Matthews on a deep ball to set up a last-second field goal before halftime.
Defensive End Sahir West
This is mostly for what West did late in the fourth quarter. Once Cal was in clear passing situations and Sagapolutele’s mobility was clearly limited with an ankle injury, West dialed up the pressure.
West grabbed one sack and forced a holding penalty. The redshirt sophomore has plenty of room to grow but looks to already be a force for the Bruins.
Guard Carter Sweazie
It was an impressive start to the season for the UCLA offensive line. The O-line has been a weak point for the Bruins in recent years but things could be changing in 2026. The team allowed just two sacks and was able to rush for 277 yards.
Sweazie was one of the standouts on the UCLA line, earning a spot on the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week for his performance versus Cal.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Five UCLA standouts from the Bruins 45-24 Week 1 win over Cal
