#2 Indiana Hoosiers Nuke UCLA Bruins, 56-6
This game was over when Nico Iamaleava threw a pick six on the first drive.
This game was over almost as soon as it began.
Following a sack of Nico Iamaleava on the first play from scrimmage, he faked a handoff to Jalen Berger and tried to hit Rico Flores on a slant, but Indiana’s Aiden Fisher stepped in front of it and took off for the end zone, giving the Hoosiers a 7-0 lead.
It was the first of eight touchdowns for Indiana today.
Meanwhile, the Bruins struggled to do anything offensively. Their first six drives netted a grand total of 55 yards and the defense wasn’t much better today.
To be sure, Scooter Jackson intercepted a pass from Fernando Mendoza on the Hoosiers’ first drive but the offense couldn’t do anything with it and UCLA was unable to score any points on that turnover.
Indiana’s next three drives all resulted in touchdowns and, soon, the Hoosiers were leading 28-0. There was still nearly nine minutes left in the first half.
On the Bruins’ seventh drive, they were finally able to move the ball a little. After taking over on their own 38, and they made their way down to Indiana’s 25-yard line. On first-and-10, Nico scrambled for six yards, but an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Mikey Matthews made it second-and-19. On fourth-and-11, Tim Skipper sent in Mateen Bhaghani for a 44-yard field goal that finally got the Bruins on the scoreboard with 1:55 left in the half.
That left Indiana with just enough time to drive 75 yards for their fifth touchdown of the day, and it was 35-3 at the break.
The Hoosiers came out for the second half and scored touchdowns and each of their first two drives to go up 49-3.
On the Bruins’ next drive, they actually moved the ball well, eventually getting down to the Indiana 11, but consecutive incompletions by Iamaleava gave UCLA a 4th-and-7, and again, Skipper channeled his inner DeShaun Foster and kicked the field goal. The Bruins now trailed 49-6.
That set the stage for Indiana’s next drive. Fernando Mendoza’s brother Alberto entered the game at quarterback for the Hoosiers and the younger Mendoza led IU on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive which now put Indiana ahead 56-6. If you were an IU fan, it put the icing on the cake, but there was no joy to be had in Bloomington today for the Bruins and that was the final score of this game.
Iamaleava finished today completing just 13 of 27 passes for a dismal 113 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
UCLA runners including Iamaleava gained just 88 yards on 25 carries. Anthony Frias was the best of a bad bunch gaining just 31 yards on six carries. Meanwhile, Rico Flores’ four receptions for 50 yards made him the only UCLA wide receiver with more than one reception today. Mikey Matthews caught just one pass for 18 yards and Kwazi Gilmer caught one for 13 yards.
Indiana’s Roman Hemby carried 17 times for 81 yards, and was just seven yards short of matching all UCLA rushers while E.J. Williams, Jr. made five receptions for 109 yards, leaving him just four yards short of matching all the Bruin receivers.
The Bruins now have two weeks to get ready to host Nebraska at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, November 8. Game time is TBD.
Go Bruins.
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Time to point out to Frenk that Jarmond stated he was responsible the current coaching and level of play of the team.
Shocker! UCLA got cooked by IU. I didn’t expect UCLA to win. I did, however, expect them to execute and compete. They lacked discipline and maturity as the game wore on. As for the unsportsmanlike foul on MM, I have to ask, what was so funny to him…I mean you just hosed your team on a stupid penalty and you’re on sideline laughing it up. Unlike you, the lineman with the foul after you was seen on the sideline sitting down visibly upset by his mistake. As for the coaches, and for anyone who was delusion in thinking UCLA had found their coaches, thank goodness reality was revealed on Saturday. I pray the search committee understands the assignment and hires the right coaches. Love you JN, but you need to earn the OC role through experience - not via the DF route. You have a future - just not right now. Lest one thinks I’m hating on the coaches or players, I am not. They are doing the best they can with what they have. This all squarely rests with our last and current ADs. They have bled the equity associated with UCLA and have done so without a care