In the Week 7 Michigan State vs. UCLA game, the third quarter for Michigan State was a complete nightmare, and Pat McAfee wasn’t holding back when he expressed his opinion. Backup Alessio Milivojevic was attempting to keep things smooth while the Spartans struggled to get anything going on the field. As Jerry Neuheisel’s first few plays as play caller display flashes of his own experience as a former QB, Bruins fans are left savoring every moment. And McAfee summed up UCLA’s new offensive staff’s play in his recent X post.

McAfee wrote, “Jerry Neuheisel just might be a football wizard.” Jerry Neuheisel, who was thrown into the fire last week with only two days to prepare UCLA  against a top-10 squad, is looking like more than just a temporary fix for the Bruins. He is reviving the Bruins’ offense, and Nico Iamaleava seems to be thriving under his guidance.

Jerry Neuheisel just might be a football wizard

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 11, 2025

Things never really got any easier after Michigan State was pinned at 25. Brandon Tullis started the drive with a one-yard loss, but Aidan Chiles responded with a six-yard rush. Chiles’ next pass fell incomplete, though UCLA was flagged for holding on the play. Tullis bounced back for a two-yard gain, and Chiles then completed a seven-yard pass before tacking on a two-yard run to secure a first down. Chiles’ following pass attempt came up short, and he added four yards on the ground. Keanu Williams’ tackle drew a targeting review, but Chiles was cleared, and no penalty was called. On third-and-six from the UCLA 38, Alessio Milivojevic took over at quarterback, aiming for Nick Marsh, but Rodrick Pleasant broke up the throw. On fourth down, Milivojevic tried a deep pass to Marsh in the end zone, but Andre Jordan Jr. broke it up. With the turnover on downs, UCLA regained possession at its own 38-yard line.

Michigan State’s struggle continued in the 4th quarter, with Milivojevic eventually finding some rhythm and putting Marsh in the end zone, but MSU missed the extra point. UCLA had to punt for the first time throughout the game, but the Spartans were unable to take advantage of the situation, and ended the day with a 0–4 record. With around 4 minutes left, the Bruins took over and finished the game, in which UCLA scored 38 points. UCLA dominated almost every aspect of the game. With back-to-back major wins against ranked teams, UCLA now advances to 2-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play, while the Spartans are at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten after the final 38-13 score.

Jerry Neuheisel has been stealing the spotlight since the Bruins’ first victory of the season

After UCLA’s shocking upset of Penn State, it was crazy not to sense the Neuheisels’ joy. When the 33-year-old Jerry Neuheisel took over as play-caller for the first time, the Bruins were able to finally relax and enjoy football again. When Rick Neuheisel declared, “First of all, I want to say that I love UCLA more than anything,” his pride was evident. For the family, for the university, and for all of college football, it was a time to just pause and appreciate the game.

After a 0–4 start and coaching changes, the Bruins had been in chaos, but Neuheisel brought back the lost spark to the team. The uptempo approach was ideal for QB Iamaleava, who had known Jerry from his recruiting days. Iamaleava played extremely well, adding 128 running yards and three touchdowns on the ground besides passing for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He stressed how Neuheisel’s enthusiasm gave the squad vitality they hadn’t experienced all season when he said, “It was a lot different, man…we were just out there having fun again.”

And even football legends were quick to notice Neuheisel’s impact. On The Triple Option podcast, FOX Sports’ Urban Meyer went nuts over UCLA’s players, pointing out that they were gifted but lacked the necessary drive.”Why aren’t they playing good?’…. It’s your job as a coach to find it. Neuheisel’s son and Skipper, I believe is the interim, absolutely hats off for that. ‘Cause they played their a** off, Mark, in that game,” said Meyer. Beyond leading UCLA to its first victory of the season, Neuheisel’s debut told a story of confidence and a team regaining its position.