PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — UCLA is an odd fit geographically in the Big Ten Conference.
Stylistically, coach Bob Chesney has the Bruins playing the type of ground-and-pound football that fits right in with the conference’s pedigree.
Wayne Knight, Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas each ran for a touchdown to lead No. 9 UCLA to a 28-10 victory over Michigan State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins ran for 245 yards, the fifth time this season they’ve eclipsed 200.
“That’s a room that is talented, physical, tough, and works as hard as any other room out there,” Chesney said. “And it’s cool to see them get rewarded.”
UCLA (7-0) leads the Big Ten with 233 rushing yards per game and 24 rushing touchdowns in its first season under Chesney after he was hired away from James Madison.
The Bruins showcased the depth of their rushing attack all afternoon against the Spartans. Woods ran 14 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. Knight had 15 carries for 56 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown with a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter. Thomas added 10 carries for 41 yards and opened the scoring for the Bruins with a 7-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Not everything was perfect. Woods and Thomas each lost fumbles in the first half to halt promising drives.
Still, even with the miscues, the Bruins rushing attack carried the offense.
It was the third time this season that all three running backs ran for a touchdown in the same game. They also accomplished the feat in their wins over Purdue on Sept. 19 and Maryland on Sept. 26.
“We feed off each other’s energy,” Woods said. “I feel like everybody in the group could get the job done.”
Chesney orchestrated one of the nation’s best rushing attacks at James Madison last year.to lead the Dukes to an unlikely College Football Playoff berth. JMU finished sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game and seventh in rushing touchdowns per game.
Knight, who led the Dukes with 1,373 rushing yards last season, followed his coach to UCLA.
Now, one year after the Bruins ranked 85th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing yards per game, they have one of the nation’s best rushing offenses. And just like JMU a year ago, UCLA finds itself on track for an unexpected CFP berth on the back of that ground game.
“It’s a brotherhood in that room,” Chesney said. “It’s not the easiest thing to do. But I think when you go through a physical game like we did the last two, and then again today, you find that you really need each other.”
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