Nevada Football Faces No. 7 UCLA at Rose Bowl

Nevada Travels to Pasadena for First Rose Bowl Meeting With No. 7 UCLA

Nevada football makes its first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl on Saturday, October 31, 2026, to face No. 7 UCLA, according to nevadawolfpack.com. The Wolf Pack enters the matchup with a 3-4 record, while the Bruins stand at 7-0 overall and 5-0 in B1G play following a 28-10 victory over Michigan State.

Kickoff is set for 1:15 p.m. PT in Pasadena, California, with a national television broadcast on the B1G Network. A.J. Kanell will handle play-by-play duties, joined by analyst Brett Hundley and sideline reporter Emma Carpenter. Northern Nevada listeners can tune into the radio broadcast on KOZZ 105.7 FM, with a 60-minute pregame show starting at 12:15 p.m. featuring John Ramey, Mike Edwards, and Terrence Newman.

Series History and the 2013 Season Opener Precedent

Saturday marks only the second meeting all-time between Nevada and UCLA. Their previous encounter took place during the 2013 season opener on August 31, 2013, when the Bruins secured a 58-20 victory in Los Angeles.

That 2013 contest featured a notable duel between dual-threat quarterbacks. Nevada trailed just 17-13 at halftime before UCLA pulled away with 20 points in the third quarter, fueled by a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. Wolf Pack quarterback Cody Fajardo finished the day with 164 passing yards alongside 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Brett Hundley—who now serves as Saturday’s B1G Network television analyst—led the Bruins in that game with 274 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, 63 rushing yards, and two rushing scores.

Bruins Ground Attack and Defensive Strengths

UCLA enters the weekend boasting one of the nation’s most potent rushing offenses, ranking ninth in the Football Bowl Subdivision and leading the B1G with 233.0 rushing yards per game. Running back Wayne Knight paces the attack with 627 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, while Anthony Woods has added 459 yards and six scores. Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach has taken over starting duties following an injury to Nico Iamaleava.

Defensively, the Bruins rank 11th nationally by allowing just 15.3 points per contest and 10th in total defense, yielding 272.9 yards per game. UCLA’s defense has generated 22 takeaways—including 12 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries—marking the second-highest total in the country.

Nevada's Pass Defense Ranks Sixth, Special Teams Lead Mountain West

Nevada arrives in Pasadena anchored by a formidable pass defense. Following a performance that limited San José State to 139 passing yards, the Wolf Pack rank sixth nationally in passing defense, surrendering just 153.9 yards per game through the air. Opponents have converted just 29.2 percent of third-down attempts against Nevada, good for the 10th-lowest mark in the FBS.

Individually, linebacker EJ Smith ranks third nationally with 10.9 tackles per game and fourth with 5.86 solo tackles per game, totaling 76 stops overall. On special teams, kick returner Ky Woods leads the Mountain West and ranks fourth in the country by averaging 32.3 yards per return, narrowly missing a touchdown after a 90-yard return against San José State. Punting returner Gerick Robinson sits 18th nationally with a 12.9-yard average across 16 returns.

Local Standouts Shaping the Nevada Roster

Head coach Jeff Choate has prioritized recruiting local talent, and 17 Northern Nevada products currently populate the Wolf Pack roster. That local emphasis made an impact during the victory over San José State, where Reno native Marshaun Brown (Bishop Manogue High School) caught one touchdown pass and threw another, while Minden’s Trace Estes (Douglas High School) hauled in a 25-yard reception for his first career score.

More on this story: No. 7 UCLA Hosts Nevada in Week 9 Clash

Matchup Details and Broadcast Information

• Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Time: 1:15 p.m. PT
• Location: The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
• TV Broadcast: B1G Network (A.J. Kanell, Brett Hundley, Emma Carpenter)
• Radio Broadcast: KOZZ 105.7 FM / The Varsity Network app (John Ramey, Mike Edwards, Terrence Newman)