There were plenty of standout performances in the UCLA Bruins’ late-night 52-38 win over the Purdue Boilermakers to kick off their Big Ten Conference schedule with a high-scoring win.
It wasn’t all pretty. The UCLA defense couldn’t stop a cold, if not for three Purdue turnovers, things could have gotten real hairy in Westwood. UCLA’s offense didn’t need much help, leading the way to UCLA’s 3-0 start. Here are five stars from Saturday’s victory.
Linebacker: Sammy Omosigho
Sammy Omosigho’s been one of the most important transfers of the offseason for UCLA. He’s established himself as a team captain and he’s performed between the sidelines too. Omosigho made 12 tackles, forced two fumbles and recorded two sacks in the win.
Wide Receiver: Leland Smith
Without Mikey Matthews or Aidan Mizzell, UCLA needed
production from other wide receivers. Semaj Morgan stepped up (more on him later) as did Leland Smith. Smith made three catches for 59 yards. It was the first three catches of the season for Smith, who played for Purdue in 2024.
Wide Receiver: Semaj Morgan
Semaj Morgan made big plays when UCLA needed them in the passing game. Morgan was UCLA’s most productive receiver with four catches and 72 yards. Morgan found the end zone twice, making the most of his big day.
Running Back: Wayne Knight
Wayne Knight is running wild. The James Madison transfer rushed for 177 yards on 18 carries. Knight’s touchdowns declined a bit in Week 3, scoring twice on Saturday after back-to-back hat tricks to begin the season.
The UCLA offensive line
It’s hard to separate just one UCLA offensive lineman, or even just five, as UCLA has used multiple different units up front to begin the season. The offensive line allowed for the team to rush for 369 yards, including four different players rushing for at least 50 yards. On top of that, UCLA allowed just one sack in the game, a pretty solid showing from the Bruins up front.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Five standout performers from UCLA's Week 3 52-38 win over Purdue
