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Gameday predictions: UCLA vs. Utah

Published

4 months ago

August 24, 2025

After a disappointing inaugural season in the Big Ten last year, UCLA football sought to revitalize its program. After a highly anticipated offseason, the squad is gearing up for its first game of the 2025 campaign against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl. Here are the opening week predictions from Sports editor Connor Dullinger and assistant Sports editor Ella Dunderdale – along with a guest prediction from people, culture and community director and former assistant Sports editor Felicia Keller.

Connor Dullinger
Sports editor
Prediction: UCLA 24, Utah 27

You know that feeling you get in your stomach when something feels too good to be true?

When all of the right things keep on piling on top of each other, making a future outcome seem sweeter and more palatable, lulling you into the illusion of inevitability.

That is how I feel about the 2025 UCLA football season.

In a matter of hours, the Bruins’ quarterback room goes from Joey Aguilar to redshirt sophomore Nico Iamaleava and his younger brother freshman Madden Iamaleava. The coaching staff happens to land one of the brightest offensive minds in Tino Sunseri, who’s fresh off a historic and unprecedented season at Indiana.

And then a tidal wave of transfers and recruits starts to roll in. The Bruins pick up juniors wide receiver Mikey Matthews and running back Jaivian Thomas, giving Nico Iamaleava all of the weapons he will need to succeed under center.

It seems like the perfect storm.

Head coach DeShaun Foster feels excited and confident about the program he has constructed in his short tenure at the helm, and he may very well have validity to that.

But I want to see the writing on the walls before they actually get there.

And the penmanship could very well read that success cannot be rushed, and it will take time to develop this program into the one Foster wants to see.

Do not get me wrong, this could be a breakout season that puts UCLA on the map in the Big Ten.

But this team is too new, and I am too precautious.

Ella Dunderdale
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: UCLA 21, Utah 24

On paper, these two squads have striking similarities that are difficult to ignore.

Both teams stumbled to 5-7 records in their new conferences last season, finishing in the bottom four in yards per game and points per contest.

Yet they both managed to hold their own defensively, each ranking among the top five in their conferences in rushing defense.

Their offseason adjustments mirror each other just as closely, as both squads turned their focus to the signal-caller.

The Bruins landed Nico Iamaleava, while the Utes secured quarterback Devon Dampier from New Mexico.

And while Dampier may have been a less high-profile pickup, the two quarterbacks are well within the same league. Dampier ranked at No. 34 and Nico Iamaleava at No. 35 in 2024’s QBR leaderboard.

The squads even mirror each other with coaching adjustments, each bringing on new offensive coordinators in hopes of rejuvenating their offensive arsenals. UCLA hired Sunseri, fresh off a record-breaking season at Indiana, while Utah brought in Jason Beck, who led the Mountain West’s No. 1 offense in yards per game at New Mexico.

With monumental change in both programs, I wouldn’t anticipate a standout leader in this contest. It truly depends on which squad was able to gel better in the offseason, taking the theoretical talent into tangible scoring.

But at the end of the day, the Bruins carry just a bit too much novelty to pull this one off – they’ll need a larger sample of live snaps to settle in before their potential translates into wins.

Felicia Keller
People, culture and community director
Prediction: UCLA 42, Utah 17

There’s plenty of buzz surrounding the Bruins this season.

The addition of Nico Iamaleava made headlines across the country, and Foster appears to have a solid and more-than-capable arm under center.

Not since the start of Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s UCLA career back in 2018 has the Bruin fanbase been this excited about the quarterback of its team.

And there’s no denying the culture that Foster has cultivated and instilled. His hyper-focus on the pride of representing the Bruins and the four letters of UCLA is palpable.

Any time a former player comes back to coach their alma mater, it’s exciting. And UCLA is no stranger to this tradition. Water polo coach Adam Wright and softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez have both won national championships as players and coaches in the blue and gold.

And the tradition does not stop there either. Terry Donahue – the winningest coach in UCLA football history – was a Rose Bowl legend both on the field and on the sidelines.

But few express the true excitement that Foster does to be representing the Bruins again.

And that wave of excitement surrounding the program, and seemingly among the team, is too strong to be ignored.

UCLA is going to run out of the Rose Bowl tunnel and right over Utah, with little stopping them along the way.

A dominant start to the season and a convincing win over Utah are first up for the Bruins on Saturday.

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Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

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3 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Emerald Acres Volleyball Tournament | MyRadioLink.com

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Former Illini basketball sharpshooter Luke Goode engaged to Illinois volleyball star Kayla Burbage

Published

4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Love is in the air for two of Champaign’s top athletes in recent years. Former Illini men’s basketball wing Luke Goode popped the question to Illinois volleyball middle blocker Kayla Burbage, the couple shared via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Proverbs 18:22: ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord,’” Goode wrote. “Going into the New Years as future Mr. and Mrs. Goode!”

Goode spent the first three years of his college career in Champaign, graduating from the Gies School of Business in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. After his sophomore season was cut short due to a foot injury, Goode bounced back as a junior, playing in all 38 games for the 2024 Elite Eight team. That season, the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter averaged 5.7 points and shot 38.9% from three on just over four attempts per game.

Last season, Goode spent his final year of eligibility playing for his home state Indiana Hoosiers before turning pro. He is currently suiting up for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League. In 11 games so far as a rookie, Goode is putting up 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in just above 20 minutes per game.

Burbage just finished up her final season of college volleyball. After spending her freshman campaign at Missouri, Burbage decided to make the move to Champaign. As a sophomore and junior, Burbage played in every match on Illinois’ schedule: 60 total. A shoulder injury sidelined the 6-foot-4 North Carolina native for her senior season, but she returned for a graduate year in 2025. In her final season at Huff Hall, Burbage ranked second in total blocks (82.0) for the Illini and had the fifth-most kills on the team (98).

@sahil_mittal24

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Hawkeyes Knock Down Nebraska – Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics

Published

4 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Your Sports Nation

IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 14 Iowa (12-2, 3-0) defeated No. 20 Nebraska (12-2, 1-2) on New Years Day inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, 86-76.

Sophomore Chit-Chat Wright dominated the day for the Hawkeyes with a career-high 24 points, three assists, and two steals. Senior Hannah Stuelke followed with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to notch her third double-double of the season.

The Huskers came out to a fast-paced 8-0 run to start the game. Stuelke got the scoring started for Iowa by getting to the line, sinking both free-throws. Three minutes into gameplay, the Hawkeyes began to capitalize on Nebraska miscues. Sophomore Ava Heiden led a 7-0 run for Iowa to bring the gap to 9-12 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Huskers contained a narrow 21-18 lead headed into the second quarter.

Wright drained a three-pointer to start the second period, tying up the score for the first time on the day. The Hawkeyes went on to gain nine points on seven forced Husker turnovers in the half. Heiden led the quarter with eight points going 4-for-4 on field goals. A combined 26 points, shooting 66.7 percent in the quarter, left Iowa behind 44-45 at half.

The Hawkeyes came out of the locker room with an 8-2 run to put them in front. Iowa forced four Husker turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter, capitalizing five points off of them. Stuelke continued to be a difference maker for Iowa with seven points and two rebounds. This momentum pushed Iowa up 64-61 heading into the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Hawkeyes continued their defensive pursuit, forcing five more turnovers, adding to their total of 18 on the day. Senior Taylor McCabe hit a three-point basket at 4:32 to power Iowa to the end. The Hawkeyes pushed out a 15-6 run to secure a Hawkeye victory.

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Dallas Pulse set to make history in season opener at Comerica Center

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6 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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North Texas’ first women’s professional volleyball team will officially launch its inaugural season on Saturday, Jan. 10.

DALLAS — For North Texas volleyball fans, Saturday’s season opener represents more than just a first serve, it’s the beginning of something the region has been waiting for.

The Dallas Pulse, the region’s first women’s professional volleyball team, will open its inaugural season Saturday, Jan. 10, hosting the Indiana franchise at Comerica Center in Frisco.

The matchup marks the first Major League Volleyball game played by a Dallas-based team and is a milestone moment for the metroplex.

The Pulse will play 14 home matches during the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, giving local fans a consistent opportunity to support a women’s pro team built in their own backyard.

Saturday, Jan. 10 – Indy
Thursday, Jan. 15 – San Diego
Thursday, Feb. 5 – Omaha
Sunday, Feb. 8 – Grand Rapids
Thursday, Feb. 19 – Indy
Sunday, Feb. 22 – Grand Rapids
Friday, Feb. 27 – Orlando
Friday, March 13 – Columbus
Sunday, March 15 – Atlanta
Saturday, March 21 – San Diego
Thursday, March 26 – Atlanta
Friday, April 17 – Columbus
Friday, May 1 – Omaha
Sunday, May 3 – Orlando

Leading the team into its first season is head coach Shannon Winzer, who was named to the role in September. The January debut places Dallas at the center of the league’s early growth as women’s professional volleyball continues to gain momentum nationwide.

The timing feels right for North Texas. The region has long been a volleyball hotbed, producing elite athletes through nationally recognized club programs, championship high school teams and top-tier collegiate programs. Until now, many of those players, and the fans who followed them, had no local professional team to rally behind.

Dallas Pulse leadership told WFAA that they hope to change that.

Season ticket deposits are currently open, and the Pulse holds the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Volleyball Draft scheduled for Nov. 24, giving the team a chance to add a cornerstone player ahead of its debut season.

Major League Volleyball is also preparing for future growth, announcing plans to add expansion teams in Washington, D.C. and Northern California in 2027.

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Iola outside hitter takes top honor on Texas 2A all-state volleyball team | APG State News

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6 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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Tritons Set for Preseason North American Challenge

Published

8 hours ago

January 2, 2026

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LONG BEACH, Calif. — UC San Diego men’s volleyball will prepare for the upcoming season with four exhibitions this weekend as part of the North American Challenge. The event will be hosted by Long Beach State on Friday and Sunday at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid.

The Tritons will play two Canadian sides, Alberta and Calagry. They will play each team once on both days of the challenge.

SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 2

2 PM – vs Calgary

4:30 PM – vs Alberta

Sunday, Jan. 4

12:30 PM – vs Alberta

3 PM – vs Calgary

Live stats for all four matches will be available HERE. Fans interested in attending matches can purchase tickets through Long Beach State HERE.

UP NEXT
The Tritons open the 2026 season at home next Tuesday, Jan. 6. Jessup will visit LionTree Arena for a match that begins at 7 PM.

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 39 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.