The last time an 0-4 or worse team beat a top-10 opponent was 1985. Now, it's 2025 following UCLA's upset over No. 7 Penn State. The Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) were unranked and winless before Saturday. They lost to Utah, UNLV, New Mexico, and Northwestern, went through a series of coaching changes, and came out making a huge statement.
The Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) were supposed to have an all-in season, but that ship sailed after the loss to UCLA. It was a season for head coach James Franklin to prove himself and for Penn State to dominate as one of the top national title contenders. All Franklin did so far is prove others right, crush national title contention possibilities, and break all the wrong records.
For the first time since 1985, an 0-4 team will beat a top-10 opponent: UCLA stuns Penn State.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 4, 2025
Saturday's loss put an end to the blue and white's win streak against unranked teams. It came in expecting to extend it from 34 to 35, but that snapped once the fourth quarter clock ran down. To its demise, it also helped the Bruins out in breaking the 40-point mark. The last time UCLA scored 40 or more points was 2023.
The Bruins entered Week 6 as the only FBS team to not have a lead in any game in the 2025 season. that was quickly stopped after the opening drive of the game that resulted in a touchdown. Since the first drive, they didn't give up that lead once.
The Nittany Lions also allowed UCLA to score the most points so far in its season. The Bruins, with the help of a poor defensive performance, broke the previous highest score after the first half alone with 27 points on the board. On the flip side, Penn State's 17-point deficit before UCLA kicked a field goal before halftime was its largest against an unranked opponent since 2020.
The Bruins also entered Week 6 as a 24.5-point underdog, which was the biggest upset of 2025 so far. That also means Franklin is now 0-3 when the Nittany Lions are a 20-plus point favorite. The last time they fell was in 2021 against Illinois when they were a 24.5-point favorite.
Record after record, Franklin and Penn State are proving critics right. It was the Nittany Lions' game to lose on Saturday and they did.