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WATCH: UCLA celebrates, Chip Kelly earns first non-conference win with Bruins

photos -jpgby:Ashton Pollard•08/28/21•

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Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

Chip Kelly earned his first non-conference win as the Bruins head coach on Saturday.

UCLA beat Hawaii 44-10 at the Rose Bowl to start the season 1-0. They celebrated in the locker room accordingly. 

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 10-for-20 with 130 yards and a touchdown on the day. Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet had an impressive debut with six carries for 106 yards and three touchdowns. He caught a 14-yard pass as well. 

UCLA finished the game with 392 total yards, 244 of which were on the ground. Last season, the Bruins averaged 455 yards per game. They exceeded last season’s 35.4 points per game, albeit against Group of Five competition. 

It was a long day for the Rainbow Warriors. Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw the ball 47 times and completed 25 passes for 220 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. In addition to the picks, UCLA’s Ale Kaho blocked a punt which David Preibe recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

The game had 32,982 fans in attendance, the second-lowest number since UCLA began playing in the Rose Bowl in 1982. In 1992, just 32,513 people showed up to watch the Bruins play Oregon State.

UCLA has a big test ahead

While the Bruins should celebrate their win tonight, they have a Week 1 primetime date for which they need to prepare. Surely there will be more fans in attendance than there were today, and rest assured many of them will be decked out in purple and yellow. 

The LSU Tigers come to Pasadena next week for a non-conference showdown with implications for both Kelly and LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. 

The Tigers finished last season at or below .500 for the first time since 1999. Just one year removed from a perfect 15-0 national championship season, Orgeron hot seat discussion began in the college football world.  

With Myles Brennan sidelined with a broken arm, Max Johnson is set to start for the Tigers. Johnson appeared in six games, starting two late in the season after TJ Finley was benched. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,069 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. The LSU defense returns nine starters led by cornerback and probable first-round draft pick Derek Stingley.

UCLA has the benefit of already having played in a real game, but they will need to show up next weekend if they want to take down the more-talented Tigers.