Marler Monday: UCLA’s win, a reminder of the good in college football

By Chris Marler

Marler Monday: UCLA’s win, a reminder of the good in college football 

College football isn’t for the faint of heart, especially in today’s transfer portal and NIL era, where money and metrics often outweigh the tradition and pageantry that built it.

Saturday was a reminder of the good that’s still in the game. And, UCLA’s win over Penn State was the vessel delivering that reminder. 

The Bruins’ 42-37 win marked the first time in nearly 41 years that an 0-4 team knocked off a top ten team. They pulled it off with an offensive playcaller who had been on the job for just 48 hours. Jerry Neuheisel, a former UCLA quarterback and son of ex-head coach Rick Neuheisel, stepped into the role only two days before kickoff.

UCLA OC Jerry Neuheisel had never practiced with the headset before today’s game – but it all worked out 😂 pic.twitter.com/oVelZaEa7c

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 5, 2025

That’s not exactly the best setup for success against a top ten team and the highest paid defensive coordinator in America. But, it didn’t matter. UCLA held a 20 point lead at halftime and finished with the win. 

That was thanks to a reemergence of former five star quarterback turned NIL story gone wrong, Nico Iamaleava. Earlier this Spring he became the poster child of greed in this sport as he seemingly held out of the final Spring practice at Tennessee in hopes of persuading the Vols to pay him even more NIL money.

Nico Iamaleava went off in UCLA’s Week 6 upset 💥

📍 @ifs x #PlayerOfTheWeek pic.twitter.com/ltTMAPgPzT

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 6, 2025

That mistake led him to UCLA, where the income tax was significantly higher and the talent around him was arguably the worst in all of the Power Four. Regardless, none of that mattered on Saturday. For three hours, we didn’t just see an upset and the fall of one of the nation’s most overrated teams, we witnessed one of the season’s best moments: Rick Neuheisel watching his son get carried off the field at college football’s most iconic venue, the Rose Bowl.

This is just awesome.

Rick Neuheisel reacts to the final play of UCLA’s win, with his son calling the plays for the Bruins. pic.twitter.com/ukWnYhNQUo

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2025

Rick Neuheisel could not be more proud of his son. 💙

He reflects on watching Jerry’s work in UCLA’s win over Penn State. pic.twitter.com/sjTofC5gFW

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2025

It’s not easy to get me, a lifelong SEC fan living in Baton Rouge, to care about Big Ten football. But Saturday was different. It was special, just like this sport, no matter where it’s played.