UCLA vs. Purdue Boilermakers Week 3 Recap: Bruins Can’t Stop Scoring, Win 52-38

PASADENA, Calif. — UCLA has already tied last season’s win total and remains perfect to start the Bob Chesney era, 3-0 (1-0 Big 10)

In their first lick of conference action, the Bruins outlast Purdue in classic shootout fashion, winning 52-38 to close out their two-game homestand.

UCLA vs. Purdue 2026 Recap

Fireworks Early In Pasadena

Just seven days after a scoreless first half, the Bruins waste no time opening up their Big 10 play. Nico Iamaleava tosses his first passing touchdown of the season — a 20-yard dime to Semaj Morgan in the corner of the end zone to go up early.

However, Purdue immediately answered, finding the blue paint themselves. Quarterback Ryan Browne found his receiver Xavier Townsend wide open in the middle of the field for a 75-yard catch-and-run score. UCLA’s lead lasted just 11 seconds.

But it wouldn’t be a shootout without a response. Iamaleava comes out sharp and decisive. He leads the Blue and Gold to a second straight score through the air. Guess who? Semaj Morgan for his second of the night.

Bob Chesney’s defense joins in on the fun with a forced fumble and recovery in plus territory, setting up a Wayne Knight touchdown. The JMU transfer back continues his hot start and gets in for No. 7 on the year.

And after many ooh’s and aah’s, UCLA’s scoreboard reads 21-7 in favor of the Bruins.

Offense Slows, Defense Slips

This UCLA team has been two-sided. They’ve shown to be a lethal offense that can score at will, while also being a unit that lets opponents back in with three-and-outs and sloppy execution. They have a hard time flipping the switch between drives, but when it does flip, the on-pour pursues.

Saturday night was no different. A 21-point first quarter set the foundation for a high-scoring week. But a sluggish second, headlined by a missed field goal and Iamaleava missing a few snaps due to a hand/finger issue, allowed Purdue to scratch their way back to knot it at 21. However, a two-minute drill commanded by Iamaleava resulted in a late field goal to regain the lead.

Though the defense limited the damage with multiple sacks and pressures leading to Purdue penalties, Browne was gashing Chesney’s group with over 20 yards per completion at a point.  Regardless, it’s been a two-way street for the big plays, and each side has found success down the field.

Nico Iamaleava’s Best Outing… So Far

After back-to-back games with no passing touchdowns, Iamaleava started Saturday night looking as sharp as ever. The three passing touchdowns are the cherries on top, but it started with his decisiveness and pocket presence. Yes, we know he can beat you with his legs, and sometimes his eagerness to rush forces his eyes off his downfield targets.

Against Purdue, he was still the rushing threat he’s always been, but he was much more willing to stand in the pocket, trust his protection and find a receiver for a big-time gain. He went through his progressions and was aware of his check-downs and taking what the defense gave him.

Even with discomfort in his hand and shoulder, he finished with a UCLA career-high 276 passing yards and tacked on 55 rushing yards. Most importantly, zero turnovers. It’s hard not to rate this as Iamaleava’s best outing since coming to Westwood.

UCLA Bruins Second Half Fire

In line with their season trend, the Chesney lights a fire under his guy at halftime, and they respond with positive results.

It’s been a year of resilience for these Bruins, and nothing seems to take them out of phase entirely. Every time Purdue would take one step forward, UCLA would counter with two. Even when the defense got diced for a score, they would respond with a forced turnover — which they had three of.

Offensively, Iamaleava’s night remained stellar, but the running backs left their stamp on the game. With his two scores, Knight joins Maurice Jones-Drew as the only Bruins in history to score eight non-passing touchdowns over a three-game span. The nation’s top scorer added 177 yards to his season tally as he led UCLA’s backfield once again.

It wasn’t just No. 3 contributing to the Blue and Gold backfield; senior backs Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods found paydirt too. The trio combined for 315 yards and four endzone celebrations.

UCLA’s Week 4 Outlook

Last season Maryland took a trip out to Rose Bowl in what was UCLA’s third and final win of 2025. This year, the undefeated Bruins will take the road to College Park, Maryland, to face the 2-1 Terrapins. A trip to the East Coast comes with an early kickoff — 10:30 a.m. PST.

If Chesney wants to keep the wave rolling, his squad must continue dominating the ground attack. All three wins have seen at least 200-yard rushing contributions from his committee. Maryland has a quarterback in Malik Washington who has remained error-free all season and will be entering next Saturday off two 300-yard games.