From Tic-Tac-Toe to Top Ten: Inside the Culture Fueling UCLA’s 7-0 Start

PASADENA Calif. — Box scores tell you how a football team wins — but they rarely explain why. 

For the No. 9 UCLA Bruins, their remarkable 7-0 start — the program's first since 2005 — isn't just the product of Bob Chesney’s tactical scheme. It’s built on a locker room culture that unites a group of more than 100 players from all walks of life. 

Whether it’s offensive and defensive players spending off-days at the bowling alley, or running backs feeding off each other's success rather than fighting for carries, the Bruins have replaced ego with genuine brotherhood.

In Westwood, that off-field bond has translated into on-field dominance.

Following UCLA's 28-10 win over Michigan State at the Rose Bowl to remain one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the FBS, senior linebacker Jalen Woods highlighted that the team’s fierce competitiveness isn't something turned on just for Saturdays — it's active 24/7, even in casual hangouts.

"Yeah, I was going with Ty to bowling, and it’s just that we all want to be competitive in everything," Woods said. “Doesn’t matter if we are hanging out and playing basic games like tic-tac-toe, I feel like that carries onto the field."

That chemistry-driven edge shows up directly in moments between the lines. It explains how a team can shake off a shaky, turnover-plagued first half against Michigan State and immediately assemble a dominant second-half lockdown — keeping the Spartans without a single completion for nearly 40 minutes of game time.

When mutual trust is forged far away from the gridiron, handling mid-game adversity becomes second nature rather than slamming the panic button. 

That trust was severely tested in the second quarter of Saturday's game agains the Spartans following a fumble by Jaivian Thomas. As Michigan State's Nikai Martinez sprinted toward the end zone looking for a scoop-and-score, senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach raced downfield and tracked down the defender, slowing him just enough to prevent the touchdown.

"It's 14 points that Ty ends up saving there," head coach Bob Chesney raved afterward. "I thought Ty's response at that moment of making sure he held that kid up until help showed up [was] everything."

For Chesney’s squad, execution on Saturdays isn't an isolated event — it's simply the natural extension of how they live, play, and compete every single day.

The relentless, zero-off-switch camaraderie has transformed the Bruins from a squad picking up the pieces of a dismal 3-9 campaign in 2025 into one of the most compelling stories in the country, rapidly shifting from a Big Ten afterthought into a team beelining toward a berth in the College Football Playoff.

"They are consistent and steady with their work and the way they handle business," Chesney said following Saturday's win. "They're going to need a whole lot more of that for the rest of the season."

Through the first four games, UCLA endured little adversity en route to a 4-0 start heading into the bye week. In Eugene, the team faced the ultimate test of resilience when starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava suffered a knee injury that would ultimately end his season. Losing a team captain and leader of the offense would typically derail most teams, but for UCLA, it served as the defining proof of their depth and culture.

"When someone goes down and someone's got to step up, I say it every single time: you're either exposed or you're revealed," Chesney said following UCLA's win over Oregon.

The Bruins have yet to be exposed. Instead, they have revealed to the world that they are for real.

Taking the reins under center, Dieffenbach — standing 6-foot-6 — emphasized that unlike traditional locker rooms where units remain isolated, this squad's unified DNA kept the ship steady.

"I’ve been on teams where you don’t hang out with guys on defense," Dieffenbach said. "But with this team, we were always together. I think that is one of the biggest differences."

However, when teammates do gather within their own position groups, that chemistry only intensifies.

Senior running back Anthony Woods, who rushed for a team-high 112 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans, emphasized that individual stats take a backseat to collective success, enabling the team to handle injuries or setbacks seamlessly.

"We feed off each other's energy," Woods said. "You know, one person go down, I feel like everybody in the group could get the job done."

Through seven games, UCLA's three-headed monster of Woods, Thomas, and Wayne Knight have stockpiled 22 rushing touchdowns, including three contests where all three scored in the same game.

"We make plays for the team and try to win the game," Woods added.

Team chemistry, combined with a strong culture and success on the field, breeds one thing: confidence. And that's running sky-high for the Bruins.

"They're 100 percent positive they can win every single game when they walk on that field," Chesney said. "They walk on, they're confident. It's special."

When all is said and done, this roster has all the makings of one of the best UCLA teams in program history.

"They don't ever waver," Chesney said. "They don't ever overthink it. They don't get caught too much up in the emotion."

The unwavering bond across the roster is the ultimate proof that the standard in Westwood has officially changed under Chesney. As the Bruins turn their sights toward the final five games of the regular season, winning is no longer celebrated as a rare occasion — it is embraced as the baseline expectation of a brotherhood that refuses to lose at anything.

Chesney put it best: "They're all in."