IU football faces an intriguing challenge in week nine.
No. 2 Indiana (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) takes on UCLA (3-4, 3-1) on Saturday at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. The game kicks off at noon ET and will air on FOX. With a win, the Hoosiers would secure back-to-back eight-win seasons for the first time since 1987-88. This would be their 14th consecutive home win, one of the longest streaks in the country.
UCLA entered the season projected to finish among the worst teams in the Big Ten. But the Bruins have turned their season around in recent weeks following some coaching changes. They fired head coach DeShaun Foster and promoted Tim Skipper to interim head coach after UCLA’s 0-3 start, and Skipper soon replaced former IU quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri as offensive coordinator with Jerry Neuheisel. The Skipper-Neuheisel tandem has led UCLA to three straight wins, including a stunning upset of Penn State. The Bruins will enter Bloomington looking to further validate their turnaround.
Here are three key matchups to watch for on the field on Saturday.
Nico Iamaleava vs. Indiana linebackers
Iamaleava is the biggest key for IU’s defense to lock in on.
He’s a bigger threat on the ground than he is in the air, but he can still cause problems in the passing game. The Tennessee transfer can be prone to throw interceptions — he threw one in each of UCLA’s first three games this season, and then Maryland picked him off twice last week. If the Hoosier secondary can force some mistakes from Iamaleava, it could be a game-changer.
But we’re focused on the linebackers here. Michigan State provided a bit of a blueprint last week in the first half for how to put Indiana’s defense in some uncomfortable positions. The Spartans ran a lot of quick-read option plays, working screen plays and the running game to neutralize IU’s pass rush. Iamaleava doesn’t grade as strong on short routes as he does in medium-depth routes, but IU head coach Curt Cignetti noted his quick release on Monday.
Indiana’s linebackers — Aiden Fisher, Rolijah Hardy, and Isaiah Jones — would be critical to this matchup if the Bruins try more of those screens and options. And the linebackers will be key to thwarting Iamaleavea if (when) he takes off and runs. UCLA’s quarterback has finished under 25 rushing yards only once this season, and he’s finished over 40 in four games. IU’s defensive front will be the best the Bruins have faced this season, and that group needs to make sure UCLA knows it.
Indiana offensive line vs. UCLA defensive line
UCLA’s defensive front has been more productive since Skipper took over in late September. The Bruins averaged 1.7 tackles for loss per game in their first three games this season; over the last four, they’ve averaged five TFLs per game. That improved production has been a big part of their turnaround.
But this should still be a matchup advantage for Indiana. UCLA has still not graded well in pass rush, despite that improvement in TFLs. In fact, the Bruins recorded their two lowest pass rush grades of the season in their wins over Penn State and Maryland. Both the Nittany Lions (11th in the country) and Terps (fifth) rank higher in pass blocking grades this season than IU (16th), but the Hoosiers are still a tough offensive line to crack.
The Bruins posted their best run defense grade of the season against Maryland, and they’ve held their last four opponents under 200 rushing yards. But IU is — by far — the best run blocking team UCLA has faced this season. The Hoosiers have averaged only 115.7 rushing yards per game over their last three contests, though that stretch featured tough opposing defensive fronts in Iowa and Oregon, along with continued emergence of Fernando Mendoza in the passing game. This is a game where Indiana could re-establish itself as a force in the run game, and that starts up front.
Elijah Sarratt vs. Rodrick Pleasant
Sarratt is a mainstay in these breakdowns, which says a lot. But it remains true: he is so difficult to stop.
Indiana’s star receiver is the best wideout UCLA has faced this season. He’s leading the country with nine touchdown receptions, and he can score in so many ways. He breaks tackles, he goes up and wins jump balls, he finds ways to get open in tight windows. Mendoza deserves a lot of credit for this, as his impressive accuracy allows Sarratt to thrive.
Pleasant has performed capably for the Bruins this season, with an overall coverage grade at 78.2, ranking seventh among Big Ten cornerbacks. But this will be the toughest test he and the UCLA secondary have faced thus far. Omar Cooper Jr. is also having a strong season, and IU’s tertiary pass-catchers have been productive enough to pose real threats. Sarratt is the headliner of the group, though — and if UCLA can’t find a way to contain him, Indiana’s offense could keep on rolling.
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