Bruins Nation Reacts to UCLA’s Second-Half Takeover of MSU

The Bruins are 7-0 and should firmly be in the mix for the College Football Playoffs. It's been a fantastic season for UCLA so far, and Bob Chesney and Co. are full steam ahead following a 28-10 win over Michigan State in Week 8.

Following the home win in Week 8, UCLA fans all over the country had things to say regarding the Bruins' performance against the Spartans.

Huge Praise for UCLA's Linebackers

This was arguably the best we've seen from UCLA's linebacking core. In the second quarter, following a slow start from UCLA's offense, linebacker Donavyn Pellot made a crucial interception to give UCLA's sideline a ton of momentum and set the Bruins up for a Wayne Knight touchdown.

In addition to Pellot's performance, Sammy Omosigho and Jalen Woods continued to dominate. Omosigho had another phenomenal performance, with a fumble recovery, 6 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 tackles for loss.

Fans continue to praise Omosigho this season, and for good reason. However, Woods has been right on par with his linebacking partner, putting up significant stats all season long. Woods led the team with 9 total tackles, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for loss.

Bounce Back Performance for Ground Game

There were some negatives from the running game, most notably the two fumbles by Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas. Overall, however, the Bruins were able to run all over the Spartans, and we saw the "three-headed monster" in full effect in Week 8.

All three running backs were able to find the end zone, and UCLA ran for 245 total yards on the ground against Michigan State. Even Troy Leigber got in on the action towards the end of the game, ending up with 21 yards on 2 carries himself. Anthony Woods ended the day as the leading rusher among the group, with 112 yards on 14 carries.

UCLA's Playoff Outlook

Despite a solid all-around performance from UCLA, fans seem undecided on whether or not UCLA is a legitimate playoff contender. The remainder of UCLA's schedule does not seem difficult, and with the Bruins already in the top-10 according to the AP Poll, the odds seem in UCLA's favor.

However, some college football fans aren't impressed with what they've seen through seven games. So much so that they've decided that UCLA looks more fraudulent than other playoff-caliber teams, even claiming they resemble the 2024 Indiana team that lost in the first round of the playoffs.

Ty Dieffenbach Continues to Impress

With another impressive performance from Dieffenbach, it seems that UCLA fans are bought in. Many fans have made the claim that Dieffenbach has revitalized this offense, and the Bruins look like a much cleaner offensive team with him in charge. Dieffenbach completed 18-for-31 passing, with 198 yards and a score.