UCLA at Michigan State
When: 9 a.m. PT Saturday
Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
TV/radio: Big Ten Network/790 AM
Records: UCLA 1-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten; Michigan State 3-2 overall, 0-2 Big Ten
Line: Michigan State by 7.5
NOTABLE INJURIES
UCLA: OUT: DL Nico Davillier (personal reasons), DL Robert James III (undisclosed, season ending), DL Tyler Partlow (undisclosed, season ending), WR Jonah Smith (undisclosed, season ending), QB Pierce Clarkson (indefinitely suspended) WR Karson Gordon (undisclosed), OL Jaylen Jeffers (undisclosed, season ending), OL K.D. Arnold (undisclosed, season ending); QUESTIONABLE: WR Jadyn Marshall (undisclosed), LB Ben Perry (undisclosed), DB Croix Stewart (undisclosed).
Michigan State: OUT: WR Alante Brown (undisclosed), DB Nikai Martinez (undisclosed), LB Marcellus Pulliam, DB Ade Willie (undisclosed), DB Caleb Gash (undisclosed, season ending), DB Andrew Brinson IV (undisclosed, season ending), K Tarik Ahmetbasic (undisclosed), LB Brady Pretzlaff (undisclosed, season ending), LS Kaden Schickel (undisclosed), OL Stanton Ramil (undisclosed), OL Luka Vincic (undisclosed, season ending).
What’s at stake? UCLA’s week in the spotlight, after defeating then-No. 7 Penn State, has provided more positivity to the Wasserman Football Center than any other win in recent history. Now, with the monkey off their back, maybe, just maybe, another win could be on the way for the Bruins. Somehow, getting to four wins could put lipstick on a pig in a season to forget. Michigan State, however, is just trying to get back on track. None of the Spartans’ five games this season has ended convincingly, and former Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith – an early name in the UCLA head coaching search – has not been able to get Michigan State on track. A loss to a still-down-in-the-dumps Bruins team could make a seat hot should the Spartans lose their homecoming game.
Who’s better? Matching the programs up, Michigan State should still be comfortably better than UCLA. While the Spartans have not set the world on fire in many statistical categories, they’ve shown athleticism in defending the run – ranking 33rd in rushing defense in the nation, the 10th-best mark in the Big Ten – which could stunt UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s success in the ground game. At Oregon State, Smith had some of the best running back rooms in the country. That same success has not appeared in East Lansing, but very well could be on the way with Makhi Frazier in the backfield and quarterback and former Downey High star Aidan Chiles unafraid to use his legs to extend plays and drives. If UCLA’s win against Penn State was nothing more than a flash in the pan, the Spartans could show up Saturday and dog-walk the Bruins back to Westwood.
UCLA wins if: The Bruins can replicate offensive success with a still-evolving playbook. Where UCLA has an advantage is with new offensive play-caller Jerry Neuheisel – now with former Bruins offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone returning alongside him – still formulating what the Bruins’ offense will look like for the rest of the season. It may be hard to scout for the unknowables – and again, the Bruins could try to catch a foe off guard, something they’ll need to do if they want to win the early kickoff in true Big Ten country.
Prediction: UCLA 35, Michigan State 31. Tim Skipper has the Bruins believing – once an impossible thought just a few weeks ago. And there is no better time to face a slumping Michigan State team than right now. If the Bruins can avoid letting their shocking Penn State success get to their heads, Iamaleava is going to have another standout game and lead UCLA to two victories in two weeks.