COLUMBUS, Ohio — Any hope that UCLA might catch the nation’s top team napping evaporated almost instantly under the lights of Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. In a game that felt overlong before the clock expired, the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes dismantled the Bruins 48–10, handing UCLA its seventh loss of what is rapidly becoming one of the bleakest seasons in program history.
The Bruins, now 3–7, traveled to Columbus without starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who remained sidelined in concussion protocol. That meant redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan—who had never attempted a collegiate pass before Saturday—was tasked with making his first career start against the best defense in the nation. It went about how one might expect.
Ohio State wasted no time asserting its dominance. Quarterback Julian Sayin carved up the Bruins’ secondary with the ease of a seasoned surgeon, firing tight-window throws and stretching UCLA’s defense until it snapped. His precision passing set the tone early, and by halftime the Buckeyes held a commanding 27–0 lead.
Advertisement
The final strike before the break came on fourth down, when Sayin dropped in a dart to Bryson Rodgers for the freshman’s first career touchdown. UCLA’s defense—already reeling—had no answer.
Sayin finished the night an efficient 23-for-31 for 184 yards, with one passing touchdown and another score on the ground. What’s more troubling for the Bruins: Ohio State did all this without star receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws over UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Cole Cogshell (24) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 15, 2025
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws over UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Cole Cogshell (24) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 15, 2025
Advertisement
Duncan spent most of the night under duress and couldn’t find a rhythm until late in the contest. Through three quarters, UCLA had just three first downs, a staggering statistic that only underscored the gulf between the two programs. Duncan ultimately went 16-for-23 for 154 yards and his first career touchdown, but most of that production came long after the outcome was decided.
Running back Troy Leigber quietly led the Bruins with 21 rushing yards on just three carries—highlighting UCLA’s overall struggles on the ground, where the team mustered only 68 total rushing yards.
As UCLA sputtered, Ohio State kept piling on. The Buckeyes recorded touchdowns from Bo Jackson, James Peoples, Bryson Rodgers, Isaiah West, and Sayin—five different scorers against a Bruins defense that spent nearly the entire night on its heels.
West’s score late in the third quarter pushed the lead to 34–0, and even when UCLA finally broke through with a late-third-quarter touchdown—an 18-yard strike from Duncan to Kwazi Gilmer set up by a 51-yard bomb to Rico Flores Jr.—Ohio State immediately responded with a soul-crushing moment.
Advertisement
On the ensuing kickoff, Lorenzo Styles Jr. burst through a seam and sprinted 100 yards untouched, instantly restoring the Buckeyes’ dominance at 41–7.
Flores Jr. finished with two catches for 59 yards, one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise grim offensive showing.
If the score didn’t paint a clear enough picture, the stat sheet hammered it home:
Ohio State first downs: 20
UCLA first downs: 8
UCLA penalties: 7
Ohio State fourth-down conversions: 2-for-3
Total yards: 222 yards; Lopsided from start to finish
Against the top-ranked team in the nation, everything that could go wrong for UCLA did.
Advertisement
The Bruins will return home next Saturday to face the Washington Huskies (7–3) at the Rose Bowl—possibly UCLA’s final game in Pasadena before the program relocates to SoFi Stadium next season.
At 3–7, bowl eligibility is no longer on the table. What remains is pride, player development, and one last chance to leave the Rose Bowl with something resembling momentum. But after a night like this, UCLA faces bigger questions than the next opponent. The gap between where the Bruins are and where they hope to be has rarely felt wider.
