UCLA Football: 2025 Bruins Season Preview and Prediction

UCLA Football: 2025 Bruins Season Preview and Prediction originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

DeShaun Foster’s first team showed impressive fight during the second half of the season. His second team looks significantly different, but if he made the right choices with transfers and assistants, UCLA could become a sleeper team in the Big Ten. UCLA will need more firepower from its offense, as the schedule once again has few letups.

[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 College Football Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

More Big Ten team previews:

Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Maryland | Michigan | Michigan State

Minnesota | Nebraska | Northwestern | Ohio State | Oregon | Penn State

Purdue | Rutgers | USC | Washington | Wisconsin

UCLA 2025 Season Preview and Prediction

Previewing UCLA’s Offense for 2025

Entering Year 2, head coach DeShaun Foster placed a bigger stamp on the roster and the coaching staff, plucking Tino Sunseri from Indiana to be offensive coordinator.

UCLA’s quarterback and team outlook changed dramatically late in spring practice as transfer Nico Iamaleava joined the program following a highly publicized falling out with Tennessee over NIL money, triggering projected starter Joey Aguilar to transfer to Tennessee. Iamaleava, whose younger brother Madden followed him to L.A. and will be his backup, will target a mostly new receiving corps, which returns Kwazi Gilmer and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, as UCLA added transfers such as Mikey Matthews (Cal) and Jaedon Wilson (Arkansas). Tight end Hudson Habermehl is back after missing 2024 with an ACL tear.

UCLA also hit the portal for versatile offensive linemen headlined by Courtland Ford (Kentucky), Julian Armella (Florida State) and Eugene Brooks (Oklahoma). They join veteran tackle Garrett DiGiorgio and Sam Yoon, who finished last season as the starting center.

The team finished 132nd nationally in rushing last fall, but Cal transfer Jaivian Thomas is a welcome addition, and Foster, a former NFL running back, is excited by the potential of journeyman Jalen Berger.

Related: Big Ten Predictions for 2025

Previewing UCLA’s Defense for 2025

Foster overhauled most of the defensive staff but retained coordinator Ikaika Malloe, who has overseen a line that helped UCLA rank among the top six nationally in run defense during the past two seasons. Siale Taupaki and Devin Aupiu are among the key returnees up front.

UCLA bids farewell to standout All-America selection Carson Schwesinger and All-Big Ten selection Kain Medrano at linebacker, but Foster likes the potential there with Jalen Woods and JonJon Vaughns back and Oregon State transfer Isaiah Chisom arriving.

The secondary is transfer-heavy with veterans Bryon Threats (UCF), Key Lawrence (Ole Miss), Ben Perry (Louisville) and Andre Jordan Jr. (Oregon State) and younger players like Miami (Fla.) import Robert Stafford.

Previewing UCLA’s Specialists for 2025

Placekicker Mateen Bhaghani was perfect on field goals from inside 40 yards last season and 20-of-24 overall. Punter Brody Richter transferred, so Bhaghani might have to pull double duty. Matthews will be a factor on returns.

National Ranking: 62

More Big Ten team previews:

Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Maryland | Michigan | Michigan State

Minnesota | Nebraska | Northwestern | Ohio State | Oregon | Penn State

Purdue | Rutgers | USC | Washington | Wisconsin

Related: Big Ten Football 2025 Predictions

Related: College Football Rankings: Projecting the Top 25 Teams for 2025

Related: Athlon Sports 2025 College Football Preview Magazine Available Now

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.