Wayne Knight’s Three Touchdowns Lift UCLA to 2-0 Start

PASADENA, Calif. — UCLA’s home opener drew an announced attendance of 31,973 to the 89,702-seat Rose Bowl, an increase over the 27,785 spectators who attended the 2023 home opener against Utah.

The Bruins ultimately defeated San Diego State 28-10 on Saturday afternoon, giving head coach Bob Chesney a 2-0 start to his UCLA tenure. The result followed a season-opening road win at California after UCLA finished 3-9 the previous season.

Neither team scored before halftime, producing a 0-0 opening half. It was UCLA’s first scoreless opening half since a November 1993 meeting against Arizona State. San Diego State also entered the matchup seeking the program’s first win over an active Big Ten opponent since defeating Minnesota during that same 1993 season.

Senior running back Wayne Knight, a transfer from James Madison, finished with 97 yards on 13 carries. His second-half rushing touchdowns covered 8, 7, and 36 yards, turning a defensive stalemate into a decisive UCLA offensive performance.

That scoring brought Knight’s season total to six rushing touchdowns through his first two appearances in a Bruin uniform. His two-game total matches marks reached by former UCLA running backs Zach Charbonnet in 2022 and DeShaun Foster in 2001.

UCLA’s late-game production has extended beyond Knight. Through two games, Chesney’s team has outscored California and San Diego State by a combined 42-10 in the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter against the Aztecs, linebacker Jalen Woods intercepted a pass and gave the Bruins possession deep in San Diego State territory. Running back Jaivian Thomas followed with a 1-yard touchdown plunge that extended UCLA’s advantage to 21-3.

Knight’s six scores in two weeks also put him within two touchdowns of matching the eight total rushing touchdowns UCLA generated across its entire 12-game schedule last season. His three second-half touchdowns led the Bruins’ 28-10 victory.

After the game, Chesney acknowledged the slow start while praising the team’s persistence, saying the performance was demanding but successful. Woods credited the coaching staff’s halftime adjustments with keeping the defense locked in while the offense waited to establish its rhythm.

Before the home debut, UCLA athletic leadership and affiliated organizations conducted outreach campaigns aimed at increasing student and community attendance. UCLA CEO of Athletics Tim Harris purchased 300 tickets for distribution to fans, and the Champion of Westwood NIL collective matched that figure by buying and distributing another 300 tickets.

Chesney also made direct appeals to supporters to attend the team’s home debut as the athletic department works to restore attendance figures toward the levels seen during former coach Jim Mora’s tenure, when crowds averaged roughly 70,000 per game.