Above Image Credit: Daily Bruin
When: Saturday, Oct. 25th, Noon EST
Where: Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN)
How to Watch: FOX
The UCLA Bruins hope to create another upset moment when they take on the second-ranked, undefeated Indiana Hoosiers.
Indiana’s Good Fortune
I think it’s no debate when I say that the Indiana Hoosiers are the stand-out team of the season. Where do we start about what makes them such a surprise?
How about Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza?
Mendoza has the third-highest completion rate (73 percent), is in a three-way tie for 1st place for the most passing touchdowns (21), and has the highest passer rating in the nation (191.0) this season. He’s been in the eyes of the Heisman committee for some time now, and many fans are already looking at him as a future NFL star.
His performances along with team performances are why Indiana is the #2 team in the AP rankings with Ohio State still at the top and Texas A&M not far behind. Their season has been so good that head coach Curt Cignetti signed a new 8-year, $93 million contract over a week ago, making him one of the highest paid FBS coaches.
With the first CFP rankings not far away, Indiana has been getting a lot of attention from the committee, and they want to keep proving that they deserve a chance to compete in the big event.
UCLA is Somehow Surviving
The Bruins went on a 4-game losing streak when they started their season. Now, they’re on a 3-game winning streak, which includes an upset win against Penn State (when they were ranked #7) in week six.
How is that possible? It’s because the losing streak forced UCLA to make big changes in their coaching staff. They changed offensive and defensive coordinators and fired head coach DeShaun Foster last month. Tim Skipper took over as interim head coach.
Since the changes, the Bruins offense have upped their game, increasing their average from 122 yards per game to 207.8. They’ve gone over 200 yards in three of the four wins. QB Nico Iamaleava, however, might start to struggle again. Last week against Maryland, he recorded a touchdown and two interceptions before leaving the field with a right knee injury.
UCLA vs. Indiana: Final Thoughts and Prediction
It will be tough for UCLA pull off an upset like they did against Penn State. Indiana has proven that they’re not a team that breaks easily.
The Hoosiers lead the FBS with 24 TD passes and is fourth in the nation in both scoring defense (11.6 points) and scoring in general (43.9 points).
UCLA isn’t looking too good health-wise. The bigger focus regarding the team’s health is if Iamaleava will be able to play and keep up after the injury. He was around during practice sessions but coming into the game much less than 100 percent will mean a lot of trouble for the Bruins.
Some people would ask, “Will lightning strike twice?” In UCLA’s case, I don’t believe it will. The only way to find out is to watch UCLA vs. Indiana as it unfolds.
