UCLA defeats Maryland in a thriller for its third straight victory

Tim Skipper took a deep breath. What else could he do?

His quarterback had just clutched his right knee and needed assistance to make it off the field with a little more than two minutes left in a taut game in which his team appeared on the verge of losing its magic touch. Skipper had been in enough of these situations to know that sometimes injuries that look scary turn out just fine, so the UCLA interim coach inhaled and waited for the medical staff to render a verdict.

Once Skipper saw Nico Iamaleava starting to walk around the Rose Bowl sideline, his facial expression no longer transfixed in a grimace, the coach figured a team in need of a late break might get one.

“I was like, man, we have a shot here, we have a shot,” Skipper said. “And then they cleared him and I was like, all right, let’s go.”

UCLA 20, Maryland 17 — FINAL

Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired after Anthony Frias II bashed his way to a 35-yard gain on the game’s penultimate play to lift UCLA to it’s third consecutive win in a thriller at the Rose Bowl.

Nico Iamaleava, who had to be helped off the field on the Bruins’ previous possession, returned to help orchestrate the final drive.

UCLA improved to 3-4 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play.

Maryland (4-3, 1-3) has lost after giving up fourth-quarter leads in its last three games.

🏈 UCLA 17, Maryland 10 — 1:57 left in the fourth quarter

Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 42-yard field goal to extend UCLA’s lead, but quarterback Nico Iamaleava had to be helped off the field after sustaining an apparent knee injury.

On third down, Iamaleava was hit by Maryland defensive lineman Sidney Stewart as he threw away the ball. Iamaleava clutched his right knee immediately and appeared to be in pain as trainers came to his aid.

Iamaleava had to be helped off the field, but he was putting some pressure on both legs as he walked off.

Maryland has two timeouts left; UCLA three.

🏈 UCLA 14, Maryland 10 — 3:33 left in the fourth quarter

Mikey Matthews caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Nico Iamaleava to put UCLA back into the lead late in the fourth quarter.

The nine-play, 80-yard drive was UCLA’s best of the game and was the result of UCLA converting on a critical fourth down.

Kwazi Gilmer caught a rocket over the middle from Nico Iamaleava for 16 yards on fourth and 10 to keep the drive alive. In addition, Maryland defensive back Jalen Huskey made helmet-to-helmet contact with Gilmer on the play and was ejected for targeting, resulting in a 15-yard penalty that put the ball on the Maryland 20.

On the first play of the possession, Matthews made a 14-yard reception.

🏈 Maryland 10, UCLA 7 — 12:25 left in the fourth quarter

Turnovers continue to hurt UCLA’s chances of retaking the lead.

Nico Iamaleava lost the ball on a fumble when Maryland defensive lineman Sidney Stewart knocked it loose before the UCLA quarterback made a forward throwing motion (call was upheld on review). DD Holmes pounced on the loose ball at the Maryland 47.

The play came just after Iamaleava scrambled 20 yards for a first down.

Before that, UCLA was the victim of a botched call by officials who flagged Kwazi Gilmer for a block in the back to erase a big Jalen Berger run even though Gilmer never made contact with a Maryland player.

🏈 Maryland 10, UCLA 7 — 4:40 left in the third quarter

Maryland cornerback Jamare Glasker intercepted a Nico Iamaleava pass intended for Kwazi Gilmer and returned the ball eight yards to put the Terrapins into the lead.

Glasker made a perfect read on the play and jumped in front of Gilmer to make the pick. It was Iamaleava’s second interception of the game.

The errant throw came just two plays after UCLA forced a turnover on downs against Maryland by breaking up a pass in the end zone.

🏈 UCLA 7, Maryland 3 — 56 seconds left in the second quarter

Nico Iamaleava was picked off by Maryland’s Jalen Huskey at the Maryland 25-yard line to end a six-play, 43-yard UCLA drive.

Earlier in the possession, Maryland linebacker Trey Reddick was ejected for targeting on a hit on UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer following an 18-yard completion.

The UCLA possession came after a Maryland turnover. DeJuan Williams fumbled after being hit by Isaiah Chisom, and JonJon Vaughns pounced on the ball at the UCLA 34.

The turnover happened one play after Williams broke through to the second level on a 23-yard run.

UCLA had nearly rinsed all of the stain off its horrible start to the football season Saturday when the spin cycle commenced in the press box.

Late in the third quarter, with the Bruins pummeling Michigan State and well on the way to a second consecutive impressive victory, athletic director Martin Jarmond approached me at my seat inside Spartan Stadium.

The visit had a dual purpose. Jarmond wanted to take credit for the team’s turnaround under its new coaching staff and also plead for more positive coverage, saying a recent article I had written about his leadership was one-sided even though he had not read it. Jarmond asked me to be fair and balanced, saying there were many others I did not speak with who were supportive of the work he had done in his more than five years on the job.

They’re calling their favorite audible again.

One quarterback guru contacts the other, asking for help in creating a dynamic offense.

The answer is always yes. The results say as much about Jerry Neuheisel and Noel Mazzone’s devotion to one another as they do about their ability to mass-produce yards and points for UCLA.

“No matter what happens,” Neuheisel said in an interview with The Times, “as long as you’re around him you have a smile on your face.”

The sheet of paper greeted every UCLA player as he stepped into his row and took his seat on the team plane.

On it, in large block letters, was printed six words and a challenge from their interim coach: “ARE YOU A ONE-HIT WONDER?”

A week after upsetting Penn State, the Bruins answered emphatically.

Hell, no!

These guys had another triumph in them. A big one.

In an encore that was every bit the success of its smash debut under a makeshift coaching staff, UCLA continued its stunning transformation from winless team to … Big Ten powerhouse? College Football Playoff contender? Sports comeback story of the year?

Historians looking back at UCLA’s 2025 football season will peg the Penn State game as the Bruins’ first victory.

In ways both large and small, they will be wrong.

When Tim Skipper first took over the team a month ago, he placed a new opponent on the schedule: the locker room. The interim coach showed players pictures of how it should look, including the lockers and the surrounding floor.

They scrubbed the place and it’s been spotless ever since. Sort of like the Bruins’ play starting with that Penn State game.

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