New Mexico vs UCLA: New Mexico stunned UCLA 35–10 at the Rose Bowl. Read a full New Mexico vs UCLA recap, player grades, Nico Iamaleava review, fallout for DeShaun Foster’s UCLA Bruins football program, UNM Football highlights, and where to watch the next UCLA game. (New Mexico vs Ucla, Ucla Football, Ucla Score)
TL;DR — Quick scoreboard & takeaways
- Final: New Mexico Lobos 35 — UCLA Bruins 10 (Rose Bowl, Sept 12, 2025).
- Big story: New Mexico dominated on the ground and defense, turning this into a rout rather than a close upset — Damon Bankston and D.J. McKinney pushed a bruising run game while New Mexico’s defense forced multiple UCLA mistakes.
- UCLA status: The Bruins fall to 0–3, intensifying scrutiny on head coach DeShaun Foster and quarterback Nico Iamaleava after another poor home result.
- Why it matters: A surprising payout matchup (reports say UCLA paid New Mexico for the game) backfired, creating pressure in Pasadena and national headlines about program direction.
Background: preseason expectations vs what happened
UCLA entered 2025 with new optimism: high-profile transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava (from Tennessee) and a handful of offensive weapons promised to revitalize the Bruins. The program — led by head coach DeShaun Foster — still carried high expectations from fans and media. New Mexico, meanwhile, was an underdog Group of Five program likely paid to travel to the Rose Bowl; most projections expected UCLA to handle the Lobos. That’s why Friday night’s outcome — a 35–10 Lobo dominance — shocked the college-football world.
Game summary — what happened (by quarter)
1st Quarter: New Mexico opened aggressively on the ground and quickly set the tone with physical rushing that forced UCLA into errors. UCLA managed few sustained drives early as UNM’s defensive fronts won the line-of-scrimmage battles.
2nd Quarter: The Lobos continued to methodically control time of possession. UCLA’s passing game (Iamaleava) created flashes but not finishes. New Mexico led at halftime after converting key third-downs and generating positive field position from tackles for loss and timely runs.
3rd Quarter: New Mexico pulled away: Damon Bankston’s long screen-to-score and push by the run game created separation. UCLA’s offense sputtered; the Bruins failed to gain consistent traction.
4th Quarter: UNM finished the job with a late touchdown by D.J. McKinney and efficient clock-management to salt away a 35–10 final. UCLA’s late possessions came up empty and the home crowd grew restless.
(Full play-by-play and box score are available at ESPN, CBSSports, UNM’s official boxscore and UCLA recaps.)
Scoreboard highlights & key statistics
- Final score: New Mexico 35, UCLA 10.
- Rushing dominance (UNM): New Mexico posted ~298 rushing yards in the win, led by Damon Bankston (15 carries, 154 yards) and D.J. McKinney (21 carries, 89 yards). That ground control wore down UCLA’s defense and set up explosive plays.
- Passing & QB: UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava finished 22-of-34 for a stat line that still produced limited scoring (some outlets reported struggles with turnovers and failed red-zone efficiency). New Mexico’s Jack Layne connected on timely throws including a 43-yard score to Damon Bankston late in the 4th.
- Turnover & special teams: Key momentum plays — a blocked punt by New Mexico and other special-teams moments — helped swing field position. UNM converted field position into points.
(See ESPN and UNM box score for complete numbers.)
[Note: Images are collected from Instagram]
Player-by-player: who made the difference
New Mexico Lobos (standouts)
- Damon Bankston (RB): Explosive and efficient — the Lobos workhorse who delivered the big plays and the late 43-yard scoring reception that punctuated the upset. Final line: 15 carries, 154 rushing yards (plus the receiving touchdown). A performance that will be replayed and cited in game recaps.
- D.J. McKinney (RB): Complementary runner with 89 yards and a late TD that clinched the game. New Mexico’s running depth was a major problem for UCLA.
- Jack Layne (QB, UNM): Managed the game efficiently, with timely throws and smart management to keep drives alive and set up the run game. The short, high-percentage passing game opened lanes for the Lions (Lobos) to gnaw the clock.
UCLA Bruins (concerns & effort)
- Nico Iamaleava (QB): The transfer had moments — a couple of scrambles and completions — but could not generate enough points or protect drives. National scrutiny after the loss will focus on decision-making, pocket poise and adjustments. Still, he logged 22 completions on 34 attempts; the issue was production when it mattered and overall offensive inefficiency.
- UCLA defense: Stunned by UNM’s run attack — the front seven couldn’t close running lanes or generate a pass rush that altered New Mexico’s offensive rhythm. Defensive schemes will be questioned in film rooms this week.
✅ NEW MEXICO vs. UCLA UNDER 53.5
💰 Game ends 35-10 to cash this @roadtocfb Best Bet! https://t.co/OeQa9IH9Im pic.twitter.com/I6GRNLJQED
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 13, 2025
X’s & O’s — why New Mexico won (and UCLA lost)
- UCLA got beaten at the point of attack. New Mexico consistently won the line-of-scrimmage battle, enabling a downhill run game and controlling the clock. When a team limits your possessions, scoring opportunities evaporate.
- Tempo and play-calling by UNM neutralized UCLA’s pass rush. New Mexico’s mix of screens, draws, and outside runs forced UCLA defenders to hesitate — and that delay produced yards. The 43-yard screen-to-score late was a perfect example of play design beating over-aggression.
- UCLA’s offense stalled in key situations. Iamaleava’s pockets of success didn’t translate to red-zone points; stalled drives led to field goals or punts, and that compounded pressure on an already-flagging defense.
- Special teams and field position tilted to UNM. A few field-position flips (including a blocked punt and strong returns) let New Mexico start drives in Bruins’ territory multiple times, making scoring easier.
The bigger fallout: DeShaun Foster, Nico Iamaleava and UCLA program questions
This loss magnifies pressure on head coach DeShaun Foster, whose team is now 0-3 to open the season and suffered a second straight embarrassing home loss (after UNLV earlier). Local and national writers are asking whether scheme adjustments, personnel, or coaching are to blame — and whether short-term fixes are possible in-season.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava arrived with fanfare but now faces foundations being questioned: consistency, turnovers, and leadership in crunch time are the immediate talking points. While he completed passes, the offensive production and inability to protect the edge in rushing defense will generate film-room criticism.
Off-field issues add to the noise: a reported arrest of backup QB Pierce Clarkson — though not connected to the on-field performance — creates distraction in the program and is being covered widely. Foster and UCLA will have to manage both the results and narrative this week.