LOS ANGELES — UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper faced a close-to-identical situation three weeks ago in Bloomington, Indiana. Playing against No. 2 Indiana, UCLA had the ball first, which gave them the chance to set the tone for a game in which the Bruins were heavily favored to lose.
Instead, quarterback Nico Iamaleava tossed a pick-six on UCLA’s second play from scrimmage. From there, the hurt was on. Before the Bruins first scored in the second quarter, they were down 28-0 to the Hoosiers. When the final bell rang, UCLA lost by 50 points, a knockout blow after three weeks of smiles in Westwood.
Skipper gets to retake the test at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) awaits UCLA (3-6, 3-3) as the Bruins will attempt to shock the nation for the second time this season. And for the Bruins’ temporary boss, it’s all about keeping the Buckeyes on their toes.
“We want to make sure we put a big-time emphasis on starting fast, that’s going to be the big thing,” Skipper said earlier this week. “But we have to take care of us. We can’t worry about who we’re playing and things like that. Control the controllables, and we can control what we do.”
Far and away the most talented team in the country – on paper – Ohio State is rolling behind Buckeyes coach Ryan Day, with droves of talent like wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, running back Bo Jackson and quarterback Julian Sayin at his disposal.
All week long, Bruins scout teamers have been tasked with emulating the talent and skill sets of the best players Ohio State has to offer – a task easier said than done.
“You’ve got to go extra hard this week, because they’ve got someone really physical at each position in Ohio State,” UCLA redshirt senior defensive tackle Jacob Busic said. “They’re number one for a reason. They got a lot of guys that we need to put tags on and that are – and our scout team does a fantastic job. They bring the heat every day in practice. Doesn’t matter what opponent we’re playing. They go 100%, they get us better.”
The Buckeyes average 36.3 points per game while holding opponents to just 7.3 points per game.
And when teams reach the red zone – a rarity for Ohio State – defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, the former Detroit Lions head coach and New England Patriots defensive coordinator, has coached a unit that ranks first in the nation in red-zone defense, stymying 56.3% of drives.
Like Skipper, redshirt senior running back Anthony Frias II remembers the slow start against Indiana and has attempted to learn from it. Against a stout defense like Ohio State – which boasts the Big Ten’s best rushing defense, allowing just 82.9 yards a game – Frias said the Bruins need to emphasize execution instead of dwelling on drives that stall.
“We’ve just got to keep sticking to our guns and keep being who we are,” Frias said. “I think that we’re doing a good job. We’ve just got to continue to trust in ourselves and not, you know, let things get out of hand, don’t make one bad play affect the next play, and … just keep a one-play mentality and move forward.”
When Ohio State has the ball
The Buckeyes can truly do anything that their heart desires. Smith might be the most all-around effective offensive weapon a college football team possesses this season. Alongside Tate, the wide receiver duo has tallied 1,573 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns on passes from Sayin, a Carlsbad native who has completed an impressive 80.9% of his passes.
When UCLA has the ball
UCLA’s rushing corps has taken a serious step back over its past two games. For a team that was expecting to rely on Jaivian Thomas and Jalen Berger at the top of its offensive operation, instead, it’s been the explosive plays of Anthony Woods and Frias that have paced the tailbacks enough to remain in conversation about how UCLA can best score.
The Bruins’ clearest route to the end zone, however, is still handing Iamaleava the ball to make plays out of nothing, using his legs to extend plays and giving Ohio State a true worry. However, without a running back room giving the Buckeyes another threat, that task becomes much more difficult for Iamaleava.
UCLA (3-6 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) at No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0)
When: 4:30 p.m. PT Saturday
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV/radio: NBC (Ch. 4)/790 AM