Utah vs UCLA Game Preview, Score Prediction
Aug 29, 2025, 11:49 PM
Pasadena, CA— Kyle Whittingham and his Utah football program are just hours away from kicking off the 2025 season. The Utes look to rebound from a disastrous experience last year and are gunning for a very valuable win to get things turned around.
The UCLA Bruins football team enters this one after a very similar experience last season. Head coach DeShaun Foster made drastic changes this offseason with a mix of new staff and players.
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An interesting battle of OC-QB tandems in Utah vs UCLA
Both Utah and UCLA hope to shake the sting of last season’s five-win campaigns that left them home for the holidays. This game will feature two highly-touted transfer quarterbacks making their debuts with their new teams.
For Utah, they turned the keys over to quarterback Devon Dampier, who brings dynamic dual-threat ability, swagger, and the chance to reignite a unit that sputtered far too often a year ago. His arrival came after coach Whittingham landed a new coordinator, Jason Beck, fresh off his success with Dampier at New Mexico.
The Bruins, meanwhile, are turning the page in with the highly touted Nico Iamaleava, who arrived in Westwood after a controversial exit at Tennessee. Coach Foster previously brought in new play-caller Tino Sunseri, who will be key to maximizing the talents of their signal-caller.
Neither offense could find its rhythm in 2024, but both programs believe they’ve upgraded where it matters most. For Utah, that belief is more than just optimism—it’s a necessity if they’re going to reestablish themselves as a contender in the Big 12.
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Going into Saturday night’s matchup, here are the UCLA players to know
Coach Whittingham and Utah are very familiar with the Rose Bowl and the UCLA brand. However, coach Whittingham admitted this matchup feels like facing a completely different program.
“(UCLA’s) program is very familiar to us, although I venture to say probably 90% of the players are different from what we played two years ago the last time,” Whittingham said in his Monday press conference. “So even though we’re very familiar with the venue and the program, it’ll be very new as far as personnel, guys we’re going to face.”
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Here are the UCLA players to know:
- Kwazi Gilmer, WR – Gilmer has developed a strong connection with Iamaleava and is expected to significantly increase his production from last season. Gilmer will be the top pass catcher to be aware of in this matchup. His ambition to win the Biletnikoff Award highlights his potential impact on the field.
- Jaivian “Jet” Thomas, RB – Thomas was actually the top producer at running back for California last season. Thomas is anticipated to lead a deep running back group. His speed, patience, and vision make him a key player for the Bruins’ offensive strategy.
- JonJon Vaughns, LB – Vaughns has some big shoes to fill at linebacker, but he is the guy expected to take the lead in the defense. He’s been with the program for a few seasons now, so he has experience in the scheme.
- Hudson Habermehl, TE – After recovering from a significant injury, Habermehl aims to become a primary target in the passing game. At 6-foot-7, his return could add a significant presence to the offense.
- Gary Smith III, DT – After losing weight and gaining strength, Smith is poised to be a disruptive force in the interior of the defensive line. Much like Vaughns, Smith has really big shoes to fill at defensive tackle. He’s a big presence himself, and his improved conditioning could lead to a standout season.
Utah’s ‘Winning Recipe’ vs UCLA
Control the line of scrimmage
If the college football action through Friday night is any indication, the team that controls the trenches will be in a favorable position for a win.
The metric ‘line yards’ isn’t a perfect representation of movement and push generated by the offensive line, but it represents the average yards before a runner is touched. Last season, Arizona State (4th in the Big 12 rushing) generated an average of 3.5 line yards, while the Utes were stuck at 2.6 line yards.
The Bruins were actually one of the stingiest defenses against the run last season. They finished 6th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game at 96.1. However, UCLA is replacing a lot along the defensive front this season, but defensive tackles Gary Smith and Keanu Williams— who are both coming back from major injuries, look to lead those efforts this season.
Utah’s offensive line doesn’t need to pitch a perfect game in the opener—nobody ever does—but they do need to find their rhythm and take control as the night wears on. The big test will come inside. If Utah’s guards and center can stay clean and limit the blown blocks, it sets the tone for the whole offense.
Apply the pressure on defense
On the other side, Utah’s front has a chance to dictate terms early. UCLA poured resources into upgrading its offensive line, and yes, the group is bigger and more athletic than last year—but they’re still piecing things together.
Just like every quarterback, Iamaleava struggled when pressured. He completed 63.6% of his 335 attempts overall, which was split 68.8% when kept clean, and just 37.5% when pressured.
Morgan Scalley has always valued pressure rate, and that will be a big key in this one. The marquee battle? Logan Fano against right tackle Garret DiGiorgio. A year ago, DiGiorgio gave up only three sacks and 21 pressures, but Fano spent his offseason sharpening his game against arguably the best tackle in the country, his brother.
If he can translate those reps into production Saturday, UCLA’s shiny new line might look a lot more ordinary.
Wideouts need to show up
Balance is the name of the game. Utah can’t afford another run-heavy, one-dimensional approach. The receivers don’t have to dominate, but they need to be part of the rhythm from the jump. If Utah can generate just enough in the passing game to keep UCLA honest, the offense becomes exponentially harder to stop.
Utah vs UCLA score prediction
Utah has more known commodities on both sides of the ball than UCLA does. Utah will lean on the offensive line to set the tone, while the defense has to be tough and opportunistic. This game should be pretty competitive; however, I see Utah’s run game gaining traction in the second half and powering Utah to the win. Whittingham and the Utes earn the win, 31-23.
