Sports

How Fans Are Feeling About UCLA Football This Summer

By Nathan Berry Sports Illustrated

The Bruins are now in the deepest parts of the offseason, where their biggest priorities are to look ahead at their future opponents and practice, but not have any actual games for a few months.

They've already been making strides on the first of those points of action, as opponents they played last year have changed going into this year, such as Maryland, MSU, and USC.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws the ball during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

But what's most important to the team off the field, instead of on, is the fans, and without anything particularly giant coming up, how are they feeling about UCLA?

Social Media Is Feeling Good This Summer

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A very high number of fans online are incredibly pumped for the Bruins to start playing again, as going so long without their football, or football in general aside from the UFL, is starting to take its toll.

It has reached a point where, over 80 days out, fans have already started counting down each day until kickoff, which is great for the program's future, especially when it comes to building a home-field advantage.

  • The question that remains surrounding the hype is this: are fans getting excited because of the roster being built, or because they have a new head coach in Bob Chesney, who has been engineering a more energetic team all offseason?
  • The answer is that it's likely both, because Chesney dove headfirst into fixing the team's issues and doing his best to bring hype back to the program, which started with the roster and has spread online.
  • However, not everybody online is feeling this way about the Bruins, and the second common point of view is much more pessimistic than the first.

The Other Feelings From Fans

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler (left) and head coach Bob Chesney during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler (left) and head coach Bob Chesney during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
  • The recent disappointments of past seasons, especially last season, when UCLA was only able to win three total games and missed bowl game eligibility, have gotten to some fans and into some conversations.
  • Some are beginning to say that the Bruins haven't been taking things seriously over the past few years, and that it's both disappointing to the program and the players.
  • Hopefully, the Bruins will be able to get rid of all the negative stigma that has surrounded their program this season under Chesney and his new practices, but it will be hard to tell until the season begins whether that will truly happen. Nonetheless, UCLA football is in a much better place now than a year ago.


This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as How Fans Are Feeling About UCLA Football This Summer.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 8:00 AM.

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