The UCLA Bruins (1-0) hosts its first conference game since joining the Big Ten this year when the Indiana Hoosiers (2-0) come to Los Angeles for the first-ever football game between these two schools. This is the first game in which one of the preexisting Big Ten schools is traveling out west to play a conference game against one of the new Big Ten schools. Live coverage will begin Saturday at 7:00pm ET on NBC and Peacock. Keep reading for how to watch and key storylines for the game.
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Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers are off to a solid start this season under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, who joined the program after five successful seasons at James Madison. Cignetti went 52-9 at JMU, and he’ll attempt to bring his winning ways to an Indiana program that has only had three winning seasons since 1995 (2007,2019, 2020). In the last three seasons, Indiana went 9-27 for the worst win percentage in the Big Ten during that time span. Cignetti has never had a losing record in 13 seasons as a head coach.
Cignetti’s staff features seven members of his JMU staff, including OC Mike Shanahan and DC Bryant Haines. He also brought 13 players with him from JMU via the transfer portal, several of whom are already proving to be key contributors for Indiana. Linebacker Aiden Fisher leads the Big Ten with 21 tackles and DL Mikail Kamara has notched three sacks through the first two games. The Indiana defense will likely be a key to winning at UCLA, which struggled on offense in Week 1 (and had a bye Week 2).
The Hoosiers opened the season with a 31-7 win over FIU and followed with a 77-3 blowout of FCS opponent Western Illinois. In that Western Illinois win, Indiana set new single-game program records for points (77) and total yards (701). While relatively untested, the Indiana offense showed potential with Kurtis Rourke under center and Justice Ellison adding rush production from the backfield.
UCLA
UCLA faces its first conference game since joining the Big Ten from the Pac-12 in the offseason. Like Indiana, the Bruins have a new head coach – DeShaun Foster took over the program in February after serving as the team’s associate head coach and running backs coach last year. Foster succeeds Chip Kelly, who left after six seasons to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
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The Bruins had a successful 2023 on defense, finishing the season ranked 10th in the FBS in total defense, allowing 301.5 yards per game. But the core of that defense has all departed for the NFL, including sack leader Laiatu Latu and defensive linemen Gabriel and Grayson Murphy. UCLA also is on its fourth defensive coordinator in as many years – D’Anton Lynn departed for the same position at USC after just one season, leaving the job to Ikaika Malloe. In Malloe’s first game as full-time defensive coordinator on August 31st at Hawai‘i, the Bruins finished with two interceptions, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and 11 tackles for loss in their 16-13 win.
Despite defensive turnover, offense is probably a bigger concern in Westwood. In Week 1 at Hawai’i, the Bruins trailed 10-0 at halftime and won 16-13 with a field goal in the final minute. The offense – under two-time Super Bowl winning coordinator Eric Bieniemy – struggled to get things going. QB Ethan Garbers completed only 50% of his pass attempts and threw two interceptions, while the team rushed for a total of 71 yards. The Bruins will need to have the offense on a better trajectory to contend with an improving Indiana defense.
How to watch the Indiana Hoosiers vs. the UCLA Bruins
- When: Saturday, September 14
- Where: The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET (Pregame coverage begins at 7:00pm ET)
- Watch: NBC, Peacock
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