Only 1 quarter into the UCLA Bruins first game of the 2021 campaign, they already held a 24-3 lead over an overmatched Hawai’i team.

By the start of the fourth quarter, that lead had ballooned to 44-10 in favor of the Bruins. That score held on until the final whistle. It was a long day for the Rainbow Warriors, to say the least.

This game was never supposed to be hard for the Bruins, who many think could be a surprise challenger for the Pac-12 title. No, the big challenge for the Bruins in nonconference play comes next weekend, when LSU pays the Rose Bowl a visit.

Still, though, this was a nice tuneup for Chip Kelly’s squad, and they were dominant in every aspect of the game. The UCLA passing game wasn’t efficient, with QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson only completing 10 of his 20 passes, but the running game was incredible.

Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet ran for 3 touchdowns and 106 yards to lead the way for the Bruins.

Defensively, UCLA forced 2 interceptions — one by Datona Jackson and the other by Jay Shaw. They held the Rainbow Warriors to only 26 rushing yards on the day. Oh, and former Alabama LB Ale Kaho blocked this punt that led to a touchdown:

Obviously, Hawai’i and LSU are very different challenges. LSU has a much more potent offense. We’ll see if the Bruins are up to the task next week.