PASADENA, Calif. (Interstat) — Wayne Knight rushed for three touchdowns and UCLA defeated San Diego State 28-10 on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins improved to 2-0 with the home victory, while the visiting Aztecs fell to 1-1. UCLA, playing at home after opening the season on the road, leaned on its ground game and a defense that stiffened after halftime. San Diego State remained within reach until the closing minutes, but the Bruins produced the final scoring play to secure the win. The game was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

UCLA opened the scoring in the third quarter when Knight ran up the middle for 8 yards and a touchdown with 11:17 remaining. Mateen Bhaghani made the extra point. San Diego State answered with C. DiLeva’s 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter with 13:11 remaining. The Bruins extended their lead when Knight rushed right for a 7-yard touchdown with 7:17 left, and Bhaghani again converted. Jaivian Thomas added a 1-yard touchdown run up the middle with 4:31 remaining, pushing the UCLA advantage further. San Diego State responded when Jayden Denegal completed a short pass to the right to Jackson Ford, who caught the ball at the goal line and finished a 19-yard touchdown play with 2:28 remaining. C. DiLeva’s kick made it a two-score game. UCLA sealed the result with 2:16 remaining when Knight broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run up the middle. Bhaghani’s extra point completed the scoring.

Knight’s three rushing touchdowns paced the Bruins, who finished with 28 points. UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a Long Beach, Calif., native listed at 6-foot-6 and 206 pounds, was among the game’s key performers. San Diego State quarterback Jayden Denegal, an Apple Valley, Calif., product listed at 6-5 and 235 pounds, also was listed among the top performers after directing the Aztecs’ scoring drive. UCLA defensive lineman Darold DeNgohe, from Philadelphia, Pa., was another key performer. The Bruins also received contributions from defensive lineman Amier Washington of Orange, Texas; linebackers Trent Hendrick of Richmond, Va., Scott Taylor of Los Angeles, Sammy Omosigho of Heartland, Texas, and Jalen Woods of Compton, Calif.; defensive linemen Cole Cogshell of Pasadena, Calif., Sahir West of Baltimore, Md., Aiden Gobaira of Fairfax, Va., A.J. Fuimaono of Las Vegas, Tyson Ford of St. Louis, and Ashton Sanders of Pasadena; defensive backs Ta’Shawn James of Oklahoma City, Malik Hartford of West Chester, Ohio, Derrick Barksdale of Rock Hill, S.C., Rodrick Pleasant of Gardena, Calif., Dante Lovett of Crofton, Md., Cole Martin of Pasadena, Donavyn Pellot of Las Vegas, and Scooter Jackson of Compton. Other UCLA performers included Jalen Saint Paul, Anthony Sacca, linebacker Ryan McCulloch of Duarte, Calif., wide receivers Brian Rowe Jr. of Concord, N.C., Semaj Morgan of West Bloomfield, Mich., and Mikey Matthews of Irvine, Calif., tight end Brayden Loftin of Omaha, Neb., running backs Anthony Woods of Palmdale, Calif., and Wayne Knight of Smyrna, Del., kicker Mateen Bhaghani of San Diego, and punter Curtis Gerrand of Melbourne, Australia.

San Diego State’s key performers included quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. of Houston, Texas; running backs Lucky Sutton of San Diego, Calif., and Javion Kinnard of Nashville, Tenn.; tight end Jackson Ford of Melissa, Texas; and wide receivers Nathan Acevedo of San Diego and Donovan Brown of Montgomery Village, Md. The Aztecs also listed defensive back Mike Lindsay of Los Angeles, safety Jelani McLaughlin of San Jacinto, Calif., safety Josh Hunter of Temecula, Calif., defensive back Sione Hala of Los Angeles, linebacker Tano Letuli of San Diego, defensive lineman Kai Wallin of Sacramento, Calif., and defensive back Isaiah Green of Oxnard, Calif., among their key contributors. Draiden Trudeau, Jordin Thomas and Cameron Cooper also were listed among San Diego State’s key performers. The Aztecs entered the game after a 53-20 home win over Portland State on Sept. 5, 2026, and were seeking their second straight victory.

The Bruins’ defense, which included DeNgohe, Washington, Hendrick, Taylor, Cogshell, West, Gobaira, Woods, Hartford, James, Omosigho, Fuimaono, Ford, Sanders, Martin, Pellot, Jackson, McCulloch, Barksdale, Pleasant and Lovett, held San Diego State without a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The Aztecs’ special teams provided a lift with DiLeva’s 46-yard field goal, but UCLA’s offense answered each time. Bhaghani converted all four of his extra-point attempts, and Gerrand handled the punting duties. San Diego State’s defensive group, led by Lindsay, McLaughlin, Hunter, Hala, Letuli, Wallin and Green, kept the game close into the second half before the Bruins’ rushing attack took over. Denegal’s connection with Ford gave the Aztecs their only touchdown of the game. Sutton and Kinnard complemented the passing game, while Acevedo and Brown provided options at receiver. Emanuel Jr. also saw time at quarterback for San Diego State.

UCLA entered the matchup after a 45-24 road win at California on Sept. 5, 2026, and remained unbeaten with the victory over the Aztecs. The Bruins are scheduled to host Purdue on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, before traveling to Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. UCLA is also set to play at Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, host Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, host Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, host Nevada on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, visit Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, host Illinois on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, visit Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, and host Southern California on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026. San Diego State is scheduled to host James Madison on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, before visiting Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. The Aztecs then host Texas State on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, visit Oregon State on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, host Fresno State on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, visit Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, host Washington State on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, host Utah State on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, and visit Boise State on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of San Diego State 39, UCLA 23. Interstat’s ELO system had projected UCLA with a 78.7 percent probability to win.