Blab Sports
UCLA Opens 2026 Season with 45-24 Win Over Cal, Signals New Era Under Coach Chesney and CEO Harris
On September 5, the UCLA Bruins secured a decisive 45‑24 victory over the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium, giving the program its first win of the 2026 season and its first under newly appointed head coach Bob Chesney. The triumph also marked the inaugural game for Tim Harris, who has just taken the reins as the university’s chief executive officer and director of athletics.
The win offers a much‑needed lift for a team that has struggled to find consistency since UCLA joined the Big Ten Conference in 2024. Chesney, hired in December 2025 from James Madison University, is known for building squads around a culture of relationships, accountability and a sense of family. The Bruins’ 45‑point margin and disciplined execution mirrored the coaching philosophy Chesney emphasized from day one, suggesting the new regime’s ideas are already taking root on the field.
Harris’s appointment followed a pro‑bono consulting stint that began last month. A former president of the Los Angeles Lakers’ business operations and a 1980s UCLA soccer goalkeeper, Harris now holds the permanent CEO position. According to the university, his mandate is to strengthen UCLA’s financial foundation and develop a long‑term strategy that supports student‑athletes, coaches and the full spectrum of athletic programs. Chancellor Julio Frenk praised the opening game as “off to a great start” and described the Bruins’ season opener as “a new beginning.”
The former Lakers executive brings 36 years of professional sports and business leadership to the role. While with the Lakers, he negotiated a major regional television agreement and helped launch the Lakers’ UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. Harris’s ties to UCLA run deep: he earned an All‑American soccer career in the early 1980s, graduated with a sociology degree, and represented the United States men’s national team in 1985.
UCLA’s early success arrives at a pivotal moment for college athletics. The university is working to reimagine its model amid a period of transformation in intercollegiate sports. Frenk noted that “intercollegiate athletics is undergoing its greatest transformation ever” and that UCLA’s new leadership will keep student‑athletes at the heart of that work.
Looking ahead, the Bruins will host San Diego State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Harris has already purchased 300 tickets for the home opener, offering fans a chance to see the team in action. The game will be the first of the Bruins’ home schedule and a test of the new culture Chesney and Harris are building.
The 45‑24 win over Cal also gives the Bruins a 1‑0 record and a morale boost that could carry into the rest of the season. While the program has yet to secure a bowl berth in the Big Ten, the early victory provides a foundation for competitiveness and signals to recruits that UCLA is moving in a new direction.
In summary, UCLA’s season opener marked a turning point: a decisive win over a historic rival, the first game under head coach Bob Chesney, and the first under CEO Tim Harris. The program now stands at 1‑0, with a renewed focus on culture, accountability and financial stability. The upcoming home opener against San Diego State will be a key moment to assess how the new leadership translates early success into sustained performance.
The win offers a much‑needed lift for a team that has struggled to find consistency since UCLA joined the Big Ten Conference in 2024. Chesney, hired in December 2025 from James Madison University, is known for building squads around a culture of relationships, accountability and a sense of family. The Bruins’ 45‑point margin and disciplined execution mirrored the coaching philosophy Chesney emphasized from day one, suggesting the new regime’s ideas are already taking root on the field.
Harris’s appointment followed a pro‑bono consulting stint that began last month. A former president of the Los Angeles Lakers’ business operations and a 1980s UCLA soccer goalkeeper, Harris now holds the permanent CEO position. According to the university, his mandate is to strengthen UCLA’s financial foundation and develop a long‑term strategy that supports student‑athletes, coaches and the full spectrum of athletic programs. Chancellor Julio Frenk praised the opening game as “off to a great start” and described the Bruins’ season opener as “a new beginning.”
The former Lakers executive brings 36 years of professional sports and business leadership to the role. While with the Lakers, he negotiated a major regional television agreement and helped launch the Lakers’ UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. Harris’s ties to UCLA run deep: he earned an All‑American soccer career in the early 1980s, graduated with a sociology degree, and represented the United States men’s national team in 1985.
UCLA’s early success arrives at a pivotal moment for college athletics. The university is working to reimagine its model amid a period of transformation in intercollegiate sports. Frenk noted that “intercollegiate athletics is undergoing its greatest transformation ever” and that UCLA’s new leadership will keep student‑athletes at the heart of that work.
Looking ahead, the Bruins will host San Diego State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Harris has already purchased 300 tickets for the home opener, offering fans a chance to see the team in action. The game will be the first of the Bruins’ home schedule and a test of the new culture Chesney and Harris are building.
The 45‑24 win over Cal also gives the Bruins a 1‑0 record and a morale boost that could carry into the rest of the season. While the program has yet to secure a bowl berth in the Big Ten, the early victory provides a foundation for competitiveness and signals to recruits that UCLA is moving in a new direction.
In summary, UCLA’s season opener marked a turning point: a decisive win over a historic rival, the first game under head coach Bob Chesney, and the first under CEO Tim Harris. The program now stands at 1‑0, with a renewed focus on culture, accountability and financial stability. The upcoming home opener against San Diego State will be a key moment to assess how the new leadership translates early success into sustained performance.
